Introducing Fairbanks
A spread-out, low-rise city, Fairbanks features extremes of climate, colorful residents and gold fever. In a city that can hit -60°F (-70°C) in the winter, summer days average 70°F (21°C) and occasionally top 90°F (32°C). Downtown is roughly centered on Golden Heart Park, and Cushman St is more or less the main street.
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Fairbanks was founded in 1901, when a trader could not get his riverboat any further up the Chena River. A gold strike made Fairbanks a boom town, with 18, 000 residents by 1908, but by 1920 it had slumped to 1000. WWII, the Alcan Hwy and military bases produced minor booms, but the town took off as a construction base for the Trans-Alaska Pipeline in 1973 and still serves as a gateway to the North Slope. Just north of the city is Fort Knox, Alaska’s largest gold mine.
Last updated: Mar 2, 2009
Tips & articles
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The great Alaska pub paddle – discover local flavour along Fairbanks’ Chena River
2 September 2011
Fairbanks is an Alaskan original – oddball locals, raucous bars and rolling rivers. And from a town of original character...
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Cruising Alaska: a starter guide
17 February 2011
While many independent travelers will find the strictures of ‘cruise life’ a bit stifling, there are plenty of reasons to...
Thorn Tree forum discussion
Recent posts
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Re: 8 day Journey to See Northern Lights (Fairbanks, Alaska)
by section8 14 September 2011
Some other things the OP will want to consider and research a bit further...The road lottery is this weekend so I think most of the bus…
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RE: 8 day Journey to See Northern Lights (Fairbanks, Alaska)
by stopthebus 14 September 2011
I took a glacier climb with MICA guides a few weeks ago. I definitely would NOT try to hike on the glacier on your own if you do not have…
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RE: 8 day Journey to See Northern Lights (Fairbanks, Alaska)
by section8 14 September 2011
I've seen them from Anchorage, too, but the aurora will almost never be as frequent or as intense there as it is in Fairbanks. There's…
