Aurora Bear — Local services in Alaska

We took a different route for our chase this time, that is by taking a photography class instead. Packed some good lens, did my beginner camera setting research, stayed a little longer, and timed it right in the year. Sure, the photos were dope uhh-mazing but what was more meaningful was the immersion and very warm welcome of our instructors Frank and Miriam, not to mention the 5 lovely furry friends which leveled up the whole experience.

For a small group of seven, they took their time catering for us, answered our questions not just about photograhy but all about Alaska, wildlife, nature, and everything under the sun. Frank was extremely knowledgeable and did not run out of ideas/ trivias (he honestly sounded like a natgeo narrator lol) while Miriam, on the other hand… did not run out of warm food and drinks to make sure we were comfortable and toasty all night. It was not your ordinary cookies and vendo black coffee but we’re talking about quality soup, gourmet bread, barista quality coffee/ latte, wine, unlimited options and unlimited serving. It felt as if we were some good old friends they invited to come over and just listening to their inspiring stories that they openly shared to us was just even more priceless.

The tour took place in this cabin, their very own home, on a -28°C (-18°F) night. This is how I will remember Fairbanks — with lady Aurora “not” as the highlight but more of a bonus of this Alaskan experience. Cannot thank the couple enough for being so thoughtful and hospitable! It was definitely worth...

We had one of the most amazing experiences with Frank for aurora viewing. We were booked with Frank for one of the days which was going to be partly cloudy. Frank called us and gave us an option to cancel for refund if we wanted. We were surprised to see how deeply Frank cared about giving a great experience to customers. We decided to wait and then make a call if we should continue with the tour. Fortunately the sky cleared up and we continued with the plan. Frank and Miriam welcomed us and made us feel extremely comfortable at their house. Frank is extremely knowledgeable and told us so much about the physics of Aurora. Even the kid understood it and remember it. He is an amazing photographer and gave me some great tips. We got to see Aurora for 15 mins or so and Frank took some amazing pictures of us with Aurora in the background.

I would highly recommend...

I first met Frank when I was serving in the Army and dabbling in dog mushing on the weekends with a mutual friend. We got to know each other over the next few years, often on some winter trail while Frank was calmly taking photos and I was trying not to fall off a dogsled. The friendship endured after I left Alaska, and I’ve since had the opportunity to experience Frank and Miriam’s hospitality multiple times at their scenic home on Nepal Drive. I know that their guests for tours and aurora photography workshops are given the same warm welcome, and I can personally attest to Frank’s dedication to his craft. To anyone looking to hone their photography skills or experience Alaska at its best, I highly recommend paying Frank and...