FAIRBANKS, AK (Day 5).  Today we left early to join two others on the tour to see exhibits at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks (UAF), then just the two us us continued on up north of Fairbanks to Chena Hot Springs Resort and Ice Museum. 

We began with the agricultural experimental farm that had many crops being tested for growing in Alaska as well as some horticultural exhibits.  I found the latter of interest mostly.

UAF Flower Display

UAF Flower Display

We then went to the UAF Large Animal Research Station (LARS).  The biggest attraction are the musk oxen.  The musk oxen shed a very fine and warm underwool called qiviut.  It is shed annually and harvested by UAF staff to spin and weave into products for sale at very high prices.  We passed on getting anything, since it would be too warm ever to wear in Florida. 

Musk Ox (or Muskox)

Reindeer Shedding Winter Coat

We went to the Chena Hot Springs Resort and Ice Museum mainly to see the ice museum that we had heard about.  There is a rather nice, but rustic, hot springs facility for use in the winter as well.  The main building for the resort had a very large exhibit repeated two more times so that Korean, Japanese, and English could all be accommodated.  Seems that Asians love this place and visit more frequently than anyone else.

We had been anticipating something like the ice carved buildings found in Scandinavia during their winter, which are large glorified igloos with bedrooms made of ice covered with furs to keep warm, etc.  This place in Alaska is open year-round, so it is all inside a giant freezer into which tourists venture to see the large ice carvings.  Each one is offered a warm heavy coat to wear inside.  It was very dark in there, so I had to shoot with very high ISO settings.  CLICK ON ANY IMAGE TO ENLARGE.

One View Inside Ice Museum

A Chilly Place to Get a Drink

Ice Lamps