Catch a season or a solstice
In September, the weather is already starting to get cold. The leaves begin their change from vibrant greens to rich yellows and oranges. By the end of October, it will be full-blown winter. In spring, the meltdown begets raging rivers, while summer has long, warm days and nearly no night (the Midnight Sun, as it's known). Winter, though, is long. There's plenty to do in the winter, but you need to be into the extremeness of it all - and the darkness. Come the shortest day of the year, the winter solstice, there's just a few hours of sunlight: in Juneau, about six hours; in Fairbanks just three. And in Utqiaġvik (also known as Barrow) there's no direct sunlight at all. None. The sun sets in mid-November and they won't see it again until mid to late January, people. That's a lot of 67 days of darkness. (Don't worry, they're paid back with the opposite effect come the summer solstice: a never-setting sun).
