Standing 30 feet from Katmai's brown bears

It's 11:47 PM and the temperature outside the truck reads -8°F. The wind has finally laid down across Cleary Summit, and the camera is already pointed north. This is the part of aurora chasing nobody really tells you about: it's mostly waiting in the dark, with the heater on, refreshing forecast pages every ten minutes.

Then it starts. A pale, almost imperceptible green ribbon arcs across the bottom of the sky and within forty seconds it's overhead, brightening, twisting, throwing shadows on the snow. I stop trying to shoot for a moment and just stand there, breath fogging.

Where to set up

Cleary Summit is the easiest reliable spot from Fairbanks — about 25 minutes north on the Steese Highway. Murphy Dome is darker but the road can be sketchy after fresh snow. For something quieter, try the pull-offs along Chena Hot Springs Road past mile 30.

What to bring

Beyond the obvious camera kit: chemical hand warmers, a thermos that actually seals, a sit pad, and a backup pair of mittens. The cold finds the gaps in your system fast.

When to come

Late September through early April. Avoid full-moon weeks if you want stars in your shots, and budget at least four nights — the aurora is a probability game, not a calendar event.