15th day CHENA HOT SPRINGS

AURORA from top of mountain at Chena

AURORA

AURORA from outside our room at Chena

Tired from the late hour last nite. Up for brunch. Then on a geothermal tour. This is a self-sustaining community leading the world in low-temperature geothermal power. The heating systems at Chena are run by geothermal energy. Chena Hot Springs began with a small test greenhouse in 2004 to explore the challenges of year-round greenhouse production in the extreme Alaska conditions. Today, utilizing the geothermal water, they heat a 7,060 sq ft greenhouse maintaining a 75 degree indoor temp, even when it drops below -50. A 125 degree difference. The Chena power produces fresh lettuce, tomatoes, and herbs year-round for use in their restaurant. We had salad every day!! They are currently working on producing
a large quantity of Alaska Grown "Chena Fresh" lettuce to sell to the public this summer. The "growing houses" use hydroponic technology. They had varieties of each herb. The one I found interesting was the Christmas basil. Wonderfully fragrant. Will have to check up on this one.
Engineers from all over the world come to study the latest technology here.
In 1905, Robert Swan was looking for a place where he could ease his rheumatism. He went in search of the hot springs that the US Geological Survey team, a year before, thought might exist in the upper Chena River area. The time to travel from Fairbanks to the Chena area was about 20 hours by dog team so the development of a bathhouse or resort was a slow process. Word spread of the hot springs and James Wickersham (I lived in Wickersham Hall when I went to the Univ of Alaska), Alaska's delegate to Congress, asked the Dept of Agriculture to analyze the waters. They concluded that the water was "different from any American hot springs which they had examined". The waters consisted of sulfate, chloride and bicarbonate of sodium. Similar to the waters of the Felsenquelle, a famous spring at Carlsbad in Bohemia. The waters bring people from all over the world to bathe in the curative powers of these hot waters. We did partake in those waters. Very hot but wonderfully soothing. The pools were outside and at -25 degree outside temp we soaked for some time!!
After dinner we put on our winter gear and went back up the mountain in the snowcat to view, hopefuly, the aurora again. The cost for this snowcat trip was $75 per person EACH TIME. I do think that was much too pricey. This time felt a little warmer or are we just getting used to the cold temps?
We did see bands of the green aurora but not like the nite before. It still was exciting and again, magical. This time we were earlier back down 2am!! Then to bed.