AK on the GO

Nancy DeWitt of Fountainhead Hotels shows AK Kid where a beaver lodge sits at the edge of Wander Lake

One of AK Fam’s prime directives this week is to discover attractions and/or experiences that will provide a bit of insight into the flora and fauna making Alaska unique. Staying at Wedgewood Resort  off College Road in Fairbanks, access to all that and more was right at our doorstep.

Wedgewood Wildlife Sanctuary, property owned by Fountainhead Hotels and adjacent to the Wedgewood and Bear Lodge facilities sits adjacent to the Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum at the end of the resort. A 75-acre trail system, lake, and sanctuary to a number of species of native wild and plant life, the sanctuary is just the place for a family, regardless of age or ability, to enjoy a bit of Mother Nature without booking a tour.

Nancy DeWitt, Historian and a Manager for the company and a stellar bird scientist was our guide for a late morning walk among the forest and grasslands of the sanctuary. With the purpose of educating visitors a bit as to the ability of Interior Alaskan animals to survive the harsh winters, the sanctuary provides a number of informative and interesting interpretive signs along the mile loop that brushes the sides of quiet Wander Lake. The Taiga Trail Loop takes walkers, runners, and even snowshoers through an ever-changing landscape, from spruce forest to wetland lakefront, teaching all the while. DeWitt showed us “slides” left by beavers only the night before as they tugged and pulled and pushed trees up and over a muddy embankment on their way to the lake; we could even see their muddy paw prints on the trail. A family of Grebes slowly floated their way around the lake, never venturing far from the center, and even though there were a few other people walking the trail, we never felt a bit crowded in our little swath of paradise.

The trail is hard-packed gravel, just right for joggers (even a sturdy regular stroller would do fine) and wheelchairs, and AK Kid had no trouble hiking the entire loop. Brand new viewing decks and benches were carefully placed around the lake and along the trail, strategically arranged so as to not impede anyone’s view. The trail also connects with Creamer’s Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge, a wonderful place to visit as well, especially with hundreds of Sandhill Cranes making their way to Fairbanks. But, do remember the BUG SPRAY.

Stop by the Alaska Bird Observatory on your way in or out of the trail, too. On the Wedgewood property, the Observatory provides checklists of birds found in Fairbanks and is a great place to gather more info, as will AK Fam when we do a little bird banding Sunday morning!

Don’t forget, too, to make a stop at the Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum, also on resort property. We last reported on this incredible place March 2010, and since our previous visit the museum has added a box of cars and a mat for kids to play on, and a table with some kid-friendly books in which to browse. Kids also have a chance to dress up like the adults in the far corner of the museum and try on driving dusters and sit in the coolest auto ever. It’s still spotlessly clean, playing old-time tunes, and displaying beautifully restored autos and a collection of vintage clothing that will, pardon the pun, knock your socks off. Don’t miss. I mean it. Guests of Fountainhead Hotels receive a $4 (half off the usual $8 adult admit price).

The sun came out for a good while today, and while the rain squalls continue to pop in and out, we are having a wonderful time enjoying these little hidden hideways among the city of Fairbanks. Visitors would do well to explore them. One handy web site connects you to all of the above, and is highlighted in the beginning of this post.

Check out the view while exploring Alyeska Resort's trail systems

Ski season is over and there is no good reason to go to Alyeska anymore, right? Oh no, no, no, my AKontheGOers, there’s still plenty of mountain fun at the Girdwood resort’s miles and miles of open terrain, and most of it is perfect for the fam.

While attending a trade show a month or so ago, Marketing guru Amy Q. of Alyeska Resort was quick to hand me their new and improved Summer Trails map. In it is a lovely drawing of the mountain (similar to what you grab before heading out to a day on the slopes), and a description of the new trails and trail extensions the resort has been working on for some time. I was hooked.

Whether your own fam is like mine in that we hike, we pick berries, we bribe AK Kid, we eventually reach our destination, or like my friend’s in that her kids are powering up the hill in record time and are on their way down before the grownups can catch their breath, Alyeska’s got a trail for you. From the Winner Creek Trail (one of the most popular) to the new Blueberry Hill to Race Trail, they’ve got your family covered.  The map thoughtfully breaks up hikes into family-friendly and intermediate-advanced sections to avoid any miscommunication whatsoever, a nice touch, and one appreciated for out-of-town visitors who are not so familiar with the terrain or resort’s layout.

Where to start? If you have small kids, perhaps the Girdwood Paved Path is a good place to start. Paved, with level ground and a plethora of blueberries in late summer months (yes, we too resort to bribery), kids and parents with strollers can amble or even jog their way from the Resort Hotel to the town of Girdwood, or in reverse. We sometimes take the bikes and ride into town and Chair 5 Restaurant and the famous Girdwood Playground. For Fathers’ Day, we’re thinking of doing things in reverse and parking at the playground’s lot and riding to the resort and their special brunch. Any way you do it, it’s a good first step.

Another fun hike, and now a longer one, is the Winner Creek Trail and Extension, taking hikers from the actual ski area all the way to Crow Creek Mine via a cool hand tram that will thrill even the most passive teenager. From the Alyeska Hotel the tram is 2.5 miles, Crow Creek is 3.5 miles. The tread is packed gravel and boardwalk and is really quite lovely, with only a small elevation gain, making it suitable for most hikers. The Extension section is at the other end, near the ski area, via Taos Road or Arlberg Road, where it will connect to the Verbier Bike Path. Fuel up the kids at the Bake Shop near Olympic Mountain Loop and explore this new area.

Pretty nice, Alyeska. Kudos to your directions and descriptions. There are still other trails and paths to explore at the resort, so visit their website to view the map!