Rivers of green light swirl overhead a winter wonderland of trees and snow as stars pop out one by one. Just when I thought the day couldn’t get any better. How do you top a day like this?

March 17–21, 2026

We were poised to backpack Gates of the Arctic National Park last year, but a large storm system parked itself over the Brooks Range and flooded the region the entire week the trip was scheduled. The whole northern half of Alaska was hit hard, grounding all air traffic into and out of the park, forcing us to pivot. Our following adventure in Wrangell-St. Elias happened to be an amazing experience worth the shift in plans, but it still leaves me with a gaping hole in my heart for Gates of the Arctic.

So making the most of last year’s splintered plans, I rescheduled my trip to the arctic for March this year and invested in some generous travel insurance. As I step off the plane in Fairbanks and feel the rush of freezing air, I contemplate the wisdom in traveling to Alaska in the winter. But with promise of a warm bed and hot meals in Bettles Lodge each night, I’m up for the challenge.

From Fairbanks International Airport, I catch an ride over to Wright Air Service on the east ramp of the airstrip. Checking in with plenty of time, I sit in the lobby and await the boarding process. Given my experience at Wright Air Service last year, I feel anxious praying the flight is not canceled or delayed. Soon, the call is made and we are ushered out on the tarmac to board the plane. Looks like this trip to Gates is in full swing.

A short hour flight and we land in Bettles, a small settlement just south of Gates of the Arctic. The sub-zero afternoon temperatures shock my system. I am layered up, but still feel the biting chill. The manager of Bettles Lodge greets us and walks us to the small inn. After a quick tour of the facilities and lay of the land, we find our rooms and settle in. We are each given access to all sorts of winter gear. Snow pants, parkas, gloves, and bunny boots. Grabbing a pair of boots I return to my room to await nightfall.

Bettles is perfectly positioned to view the northern lights. Absolutely no light pollution, a reputation for clear skies and near perfect latitude gives Bettles a unique advantage for viewing the aurora borealis. Couple that with the fact that I’m visiting during the spring equinox and a new moon and our chances are almost guaranteed.

As night approaches, I bundle up and check my gear, eager to capture the elusive northern lights. Not knowing what to expect, I walk out the door around 11:00 p.m. and look up. Green haze glows softly filling the sky with light. I set up my camera system and take some photos. For once, the camera does a better job at capturing the color than my eyes. Pink streaks I didn’t even know were there fill the frame. I’m ecstatic! I’ve seen a small show of northern lights before in Wrangell, but nothing on this scale. As the lights wind down, I return to bed excited for what the next two nights could bring.

Morning arrives later than expected. In the arctic, no one is eager to rise early when the temperatures are at their lowest. Today is no exception. 30 below zero and still counting. Makes me grateful for a warm bed and hot breakfast when I normally camp my way through a park. I putter around town while waiting my afternoon plans of a flightseeing trip with Sven Haltmann of Aviation Expeditions.

After lunch Sven greets me at the lodge and we climb up into his Cessna for a flight into the park, something I’ve waited months to do. We take off and head north over the Koyukuk River up into the heart of the Brooks Range. Frosty shelves of ice cling to the mountainsides are we work our way up each valley toward the infamous “gates”. Soon, Sven points out two peaks in the distance, Frigid Crags on the west and Boreal Mountain in the east. Between these two sentinels flows the brilliant blue Koyukuk River welcoming us to the northern arctic tundra.

Following the wide sweeping valleys we work our way up to Anaktuvuk Pass, a high point along the Brooks Range. Here, Sven makes sweeping arcs canvassing the area for caribou. Soon, he points out small groups of the deer down below as they run across the frozen ground before us. Not exactly the multitudes I had expected, but still fun to see these elusive animals in Gates of the Arctic.

Returning back to Bettles, we touch down on Wild Lake to pay some dear friends of Sven a visit. As a pilot, Sven services this small lakeside community of cabins over the years, clearing snow paths in the winter and delivering supplies in the summer. Today, we are picking up some supplies the Alaskan way… meeting his friends for coffee and cookies at their cabin. The short layover is delightful, hearing stories about the early days of flying in Alaska with the legendary Richard Wien.

Back in Bettles, I catch dinner and prepare for another night out in the cold chasing the northern lights. Tonight is special. It’s barely dark, and already we see green lights dancing overhead. I grab my gear and run out the door down to the banks of the Koyukuk River. There’s no guarantee how long the show will last, so every second counts. As I set up the tripod, the light display intensifies. I can hardly believe my eyes. The scene is surreal. Rivers of green light swirl overhead a winter wonderland of trees and snow as stars pop out one by one. Just when I thought the day couldn’t get any better. How do you top a day like this?

Having stayed up all night watching the aurora, I take the morning slow, processing my photos from the night before. After lunch, I sign up for a dogsled ride with the lodge. I meet Jake, the musher, and his eleven pups outside and hop in the sled. Wrapped in layers of blankets, we bolt off into the forest. Most sleds carry two guests with Jake, but today is just me and Jake so the dogs fly extra fast over the trail. It is obvious the dogs love every minute of this. We even catch air a couple times over some embankments.

Popping out from the forest, the dogs drop onto the frozen Koyukuk River and tear off at breakneck speed before looping back around and returning to the kennels. The entire ride which normally lasts 45 minutes is over in 20. It’s a bit of a disappointment to end the fun so soon, but the opportunity to ride hard and fast is worth it.

Back at the lodge, we eat our final dinner and once again gear up for the nightly light show. This evening, I choose a secluded area in the forest to catch the lights against silhouetted trees. Faint streaks of green are visible and not much else. But the camera reveals more. The entire sky is ablaze with pinks and purples, invisible to the eye but prominent on the camera. A magenta rainstorm washes over the trees punctuated by bands of green. Another rewarding display. I linger just as long as my tolerance for the cold allows me to before turning in for the night.

The next morning comes early as I must pack for the return flight to Fairbanks. It’s disappointing to leave so soon, but a quick look back on my time in the arctic tells me it was a full and favorable trip. Everything from flightseeing to dogsledding to clear colorful aurora sightings feels like a red carpet treatment. There is a lot to be thankful for as I wrap up not just my time in Gates, but officially conclude my quest to visit all the parks.