Chena Hot Springs

Chena Hot Springs

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This afternoon I headed for the Chena hot springs resort. It’s a joint roughly an hour out of Fairbanks. You really start to understand how large the state of Alaska is and how spread out the residents are when you drive on a highway for a good hour and can count the number of cars you pass going the other direction on both of your hands. Beautiful land and a lot of it!

Aside from the strong scent of sulfur, the hot spring is a blast. It sits at 105 degrees and even hotter when you get near the surrounding boulders. The hot spring lake is roughly 150 feet by 40 feet in size. I was dumbfounded that this lake is not artificially heated, it felt great. Walking around in the water, you can feel waves of heat as it varies in spots around in the lake. You really feel the differences in temp and the hotter water will hit you like a wall as you walk into it. Quite amazing standing only waist deep in the water, soaked head to toe, standing around in 30 degree outside temps with a slight breeze, and I was completely comfortable. I was literally tanning in the sun during winter in Alaska! Messed up, right? Was another gorgeous day in Fairbanks, blue skies as far as you could see.

After a long soak, Brian and I checked out the resort’s restaurant. The whole resort is log cabin styled buildings. The bar had some interesting decor, took some pics. Have you ever seen a walrus skull and tusks? Now ya have…

Loved this little stuffed ferret. The animal is so cute but ornery at the same time, it just makes you laugh. Here is this guy, proudly perched over his kill with a “grrr” face on. Funny, right?

I’ll be posting up some more ice sculpture pics tomorrow for you guys. See ya then!

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