Best places to see the Aurora Borealis

Hekotat

Hekotat

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I feel like I need to start checking shit off my bucket list so I'm trying to find the best candidates for viewing the Northern Lights in the US this winter. Ideally I'd be looking for a cabin as far away from any major light pollution as possible, are there any hidden gems in the US worth renting for a weekend?
 
BrutulTM

BrutulTM

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I think anything in the continental US would be a total crap shoot. I don't know if you can reliably see it in Alaska but I'm pretty sure you *can't* bet on seeing it or even have a 50-50 chance on any given day in the lower 48. Here in MT even though I am away from light pollution 365 days a year and I see the northern lights maybe 2-5 times a year and it's pretty random when it happens. I have seen really impressive northern lights here probably less than 10 times in my life, maybe closer to 5 times.
 
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Adam12

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We started seeing them at Denali almost nightly starting in late August (as soon as the sun started going back down again). It was the basic green waves (still amazing) and we were told that the more spectacular shows start in October.
 
Hekotat

Hekotat

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I specify US due to money constraints but I figure somewhere near Canada or in the mountains you might get a good show. Brutul, you have broken my heart.

In this day and age I thought we'd be able to pinpoint such amazing events pretty far out, I really didn't expect prime time to be around October if that's what you're insinuating Adam. I figured it would be more around late Nov/Dec for my timeline.
 
Famm

Famm

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Its your "bucket list", YOLO! ISS IMO.

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Adam12

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Hekotat_sl said:
I really didn't expect prime time to be around October if that's what you're insinuating Adam. I figured it would be more around late Nov/Dec for my timeline.
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October isn't primetime, that's just when the craziness begins. I don't know if science backs it up, but the thought in Alaska is that the colder it is, the better. So that'd leave Dec - Feb as "primetime."
 
Hekotat

Hekotat

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I guess I'm gonna have to look into some pricing for an Alaskan trip.

I'm gonna haunt the fuck out of you guys if my dog sled breaks down and I die.
 
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Mr. Clean_sl

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I lived in Fairbanks, Alaska for 3 years and now in Anchorage. While in Fairbanks, at least when it was dark enough to see the stars, the aurora was almost a nightly event out our bedroom window. I spent many nights at 2 am peeing off the porch at -30F in awe of the spectacle before me. Up the road from Fairbanks is Chena hot springs, where they have snow cat trips up to the ridge top to see the lights. Fairbanks is optimally located so that even weak auroras can be seen. The magnetic pole is moving swiftly, though, towards Siberia so this will not be the case for many more years.
 
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