Fairbanks Archives | Alaska Magazine

30-Second Reads

Adventures and Aurora

January 27, 2023 By Alexander Deedy

Borealis Basecamp launches new offerings Three nights deep in the backcountry of the million-acre White Mountains National Recreation Area outside Fairbanks is a good example of a hard adventure. A soft adventure, says Adriel Butler, could be one hour riding a snowmachine through a powder field. Butler is the owner of Borealis Basecamp, which he aims to make the go-to resort in interior Alaska for those types of soft adventures. The cubes at Borealis Basecamp are spaced out to give guests more privacy. Borealis Basecamp opened in 2017 on a 100-acre parcel of forest 25 miles north of Fairbanks. It was open only during winter months and primarily a destination for aurora viewing. The team used time during the early months of the pandemic to plan new accommodations and adventures that launched in 2022. The basecamp is now open through the summer months and offers excursions like six-hour UTV rides…

Activities

The Equinox Marathon

September 18, 2022 By Alli Harvey

A uniquely Alaskan footrace “I’m done with that forever!” I shouted into the sunlit yellow birch and aspen forest. After descending the fabled, steep chute section at mile 17 of the Equinox Marathon in Fairbanks, I felt elated and needed to announce my accomplishment to the trees. At that point in the race, runners were spread out along the 26.2-mile course. Under a miraculously blue autumnal sky, the sparsely populated route felt serene. Gaining 3,200-plus feet of elevation, the Equinox is one of the most difficult races in the world. But you wouldn’t know it from local runners. Fairbanks competitors are extraordinarily humble, yet hardy people. I am not one of those people. I count myself lucky to run a mile. I’d refused several alcoholic beverages along the route from encouraging volunteers at homemade aid stations nearing the top of Ester Dome. “Need a beer?” someone asked as I jogged…

30-Second Reads

The First Car in Alaska is Still on Display

April 16, 2022 By Alexander Deedy

Bobby Sheldon built a car from scraps in 1905 while he was living in Skagway, it was the first car in Alaska and is still on display.

Interior

The Brothers Behind Taylor’s Gold-n-Stones

January 8, 2022 By Robin Wood

Glenn and Joe Taylor, the brothers behind Taylor’s Gold-n-Stones in Fairbanks, are lifelong treasure hunters.

30-Second Reads

The First Tea Farm in Alaska

October 25, 2021 By Alexander Deedy

Jenny Tse of Sipping Streams started the first tea farm in Alaska in 2021 by growing the plants in greenhouses at Chena Hot Springs.

Food & Drink

Alaska Has an Obsession with Coffee

August 24, 2021 By M.T. Schwartzman

From Ketchikan and Juneau to Anchorage and Fairbanks, Alaska roasters satisfy the discriminating tastes of the state’s coffee drinkers.

Travel

Alaska’s Best – Famous Alaskans Share their Faves

March 13, 2021 By Alaska Magazine

Alaska magazine asked a few prominent Alaskans from various segments of our community to weigh in on their favorite
activities, libations, and destinations in the state.

Authentic Alaska

Laurence Irving, Professor Cold

February 12, 2021 By Michael Engelhard

Laurence Irving was an accomplished scientist who studied how animals, including humans, responded physiologically to cold.

Interior

‘Into the Wild’ bus moved

November 17, 2020 By Alexander Deedy

The Into the Wild bus will be displayed at the University of Alaska Museum of the North in Fairbanks. It was removed from the Stampede Trail in June 2020.

Activities

Athabascan Fiddle Music

October 8, 2020 By Michael Engelhard

Athabascan fiddle music is a staple in interior Alaska. Each November, the Athabascan Fiddle Festival and Gwich’in Fiddle Dance draw fans to Fairbanks.

Fairbanks

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