One of the reasons I was looking forward to going to Fairbanks was because it tends to be a little warmer there and I was hoping for a little green on the trees and bushes. Last year when it was still brown and bare in Denali, we were seeing a little start of green when we visited Fairbanks.
Through the entire drive I looked hard to see hints of green…anywhere! Nothing.
I decided to enjoy the trip anyway, and drove 55 miles out to Chena Hot Springs. The river was running high and since it was a holiday weekend there were lots of campers…and therefore no wildlife. But I visited the Ice Museum, which was fascinating (and cold!) and had an Appletini in a glass made of ice.
On the drive back to Fairbanks, just three or four hours later, I was starting to see hints of green! The trees were in such a hurry to catch up and start enjoying summer that they were leafing out within just a few hours.
The next day after doing my errands in Fairbanks I started back toward Denali and the hillsides were all turning green. As I said in my blog last year, summer in Alaska is short so the wildlife works hard to make the best of it. Apparently the fauna does, also!
Travels with Billie 