Bucket list:  Photograph the Northern Lights – check; cross north into the Arctic Circle – check!

[Photos by Mary VanCott; featured image by Cliff VanCott (including the Big Dipper and a shooting star!)]

They signed up with Northern Alaska Tour Company for a trip called “Aurora Fly/Drive” and flew from Fairbanks airport in a 9-passenger Piper Navajo Chieftain one hour north to a very small place called Coldfoot AK.

From there they joined other groups who had flown up that day, and all climbed in the 25-passenger coach to make the 12-hour drive south back to Fairbanks. Among the sights to see along the way were the city of Coldfoot, the pipeline, the Yukon Lodge on the Yukon River, and a sign stating they were at the Arctic Circle line (which they ceremoniously crossed on their guide’s red carpet). Around 11:30pm-midnight, the sun finally set and they were all on the lookout for the aurora.

The streaks finally emerged along with countless stars. The four travelers were very glad they had played with their cameras the previous two nights to work out the manual setting bugs. The lights are shifty and unpredictable – glowing brightly and oscillating, then gone – so no time to play with camera settings!

 

[Photo by Cliff VanCott]

[Photo by Mary VanCott]

The all-night adventure did have one mishap…  After a late night photographing this amazing phenomenon, the coach was on its way back to Fairbanks. About 20 miles north of the city it ran out of gas, prompting a call by the driver to a mechanic who came to the rescue a little over an hour later. Some slept on the bus while others braved the cold for more pictures; however, they realized before too long that the lights they were shooting on the horizon were actually the sunrise!  They arrived back at the airport around 5am after a long but fantastic night.