The interior is one of the coldest regions in Alaska and to add to that fun fact, we also have a natural phenomenon known as temperature inversions--This is when warm air rises to mountain tops and cool air sinks to valleys in the winter time.  

Two Rivers is located in Pleasant Valley. If you're making the trip to Alaska anytime between January - February, be prepared for temperatures between 20 to 30 below Farhenheit. If your truly lucky, you might experience a cold snap of 40 or 50 below (though uncommon now-a-days). Do not worry! We provide winter gear (parka, bibs, boots & hats) for our travelers who are not experienced in dressing for the extreme cold. And if the weather outside is too frightful, we will try our best to reschedule or cancel, if need be.

 December and March tend to be a touch milder, with temperatures hovering between 10 above and 10 below. During spring days in March, we can see temperatures as warm as 40 above, though it can still drop to 20 below at night.  

Travel on the safe side and pack your warmest clothes! Visit our What to Wear section for more tips on how to stay warm in Alaska.

It is not always dark in the winter months in Fairbanks! During our shortest time of year, the month of December, we get a short amount of day light in the afternoon between 11 - 2. December 21st is Winter Solstice and Alaska’s shortest day of the year. On this day we only get 3 hours 43 minutes of official daylight! We know that sounds rough, but there are trade-off’s! Because the sun does not rise high above the horizon, the rays of sunlight are soft and paint a picture perfect sunset for hours across the sky.  The alpenglow during this time of year is magical.

Another bonus to more hours of darkness than daylight—Northern Lights viewing! The more dark, the better chance you have at witness the Aurora Borealis!

Yes! Alaskan Huskies have been breed to run and pull for centuries. They are one of the word’s leading mammals in endurance and with the proper training, they can run upwards of 100 miles in a day.

How do we know for sure they like what they are doing? This is definitely one of those scenarios that you need to see it to believe it. But trust us when we say, sled dogs love their job! They actually jump up & down and squeak with excitement as soon as it is time to be picked for the team. And if they did not want to run, well they would just sit down. And we would be going no where fast. As the saying goes, “You’re only as fast as your slowest dog!”

But are we too heavy? No, do not put yourself on a diet before your vacation! We have the best interest of our dogs in mind but to ease your mind, let’s talk about runner plastics. The sled runners have special plastics on the bottom of the runners. The, plastic material is similar to the bottom of cross country skis and therefore are super slick. Once the dogs take off and the sled moving, each dog in the team is only doing a fraction of the work— Every 2-3 seconds the dogs are expressing a 3-4 pound tug against their harness—Momentum and the runners do the rest!

We also have a 400-lb capacity per sled, but that maximum weight is set more so with your comfort in mind. However, if we found it necessary, we could always add more dogs to the team.

We have a 2 person capacity per sled, or a 400-lb weight limit. Only members from the same booking are seating together.

5 people per cart. The side-by-side is equipped with seat belts, roll bars and padding.

Sled dogs have been breed for the cold temperatures of Alaska. Alaskan Huskies are in fact a Northern breed. They have double coated fur the thickens in the winter months and thins in the summer. The out layer of guard hairs protects them from the elements and sheds snow and rain. The inner layer is comprised of a very thick down-like fur that keeps them warm. They internal temperature is also much warmer than our human body temperature, at ranging between 101○F - 102.5○F.

Most sled dog kennels sleep their sled dogs outside year round in insulated houses with straw bedding for insulation. Every couple of weeks the straw is refreshed, so it stays lofty and warm. Many mushers also bring their dogs inside if it is an especially cold night, in either their own house or a dog barn. The saying, “3-dog night” is actually a way to describe how cold it is outside! Last night, for instance, was 10 below and we had 10 dogs inside; Thus it was a “10-dog night” for us at The Mushing Co-op!

Fairbanks is located under the “Auroral Oval”—An elliptical shaped zone where aurora activity is concentrated. Additionally, our low precipitation and distance from large bodies of water provide consistently clear nights.

Aurora season is between August 21st through April 21st. Seeing how this is a large timeframe to plan around, we recommend coming as close to the winter solstice as possible—The less amount of daylight there is increases your chances of witnessing the Northern Lights.

The best time to watch for aurora is the 3-4 hours around midnight. Since clear sky and darkness are both essential to see aurora, the best time is dictated by the weather and by the sunrise and sunset times. The moon is also very bright and can make it more difficult to view the aurora, so lunar cycles should be taken into account.

Yes, if the sky is clear and the Auroras are out, they will be visible from the yurt, as well as certain vantage points on the trail.

1. Book your lodging outside of the city lights which causes light pollution. 2. Book your stay for at least 3-days (we recommend 5-days)

Scientifically speaking, the aurora borealis is actually dancing in the sky year-round, but we can only see them in the winter when the skies are dark enough to view the phenomenon. On average, they can be seen 4 out of 5 nights, if the sky is clear and dark enough.