Fairbanks Alaska Real Estate Specialists Jesse & Kathy Clifton 907-699-6024

It's not a common sight in Fairbanks. While there are quite a few small-scale horse ranches in the Interior, watching a dozen or so go galloping by is rare enough to stop you in your tracks. A couple of days ago I was taking some progress photo's of a new construction project for a client. I was just about to put my camera back in it's case when out of the corner of my eye I spotted these beauties running across the field behind the house.

It was late afternoon and as happens in Interior Alaska as we creep into the depths of winter, daylight was dropping fast. I managed to get a dozen or so shots as they raced out of range. At first I wasn't all that happy with them, but now I kind of like the ghostly feel.

I haven't been on horseback in more years than I care to remember (these days it would take the Budweiser Clydesdale's to carry me around) but I do love to watch them run. Here's hoping you have a blessed Sunday!

Denali Estates - Fairbanks Condominiums

Built in 1982 by Jerry Sadler, Denali Estates is one of the most sought after condo addresses in Fairbanks. Many owners have resided in their condominium since it was built and take a great deal of pride in the building. Denali Estates encompasses forty units over three floors. 75% of the units have assigned indoor parking and separate indoor storage areas. The remainder of the units have off-street assigned parking.

While not a new development Denali Estates has been very well cared for with most units showing very well. We lived in Denali for two years during the design/plan/build stages of our new home. We both loved the building and our great neighbors. The only drawback for me is that I did miss having a workshop to tinker in and not being able to keep our RV on site. Although several owners do keep their RV's on site, we didn't have the room for our coach plus two vehicles. If that's a major bone of contention, a Fairbanks condo might not be the ideal home.

Why Denali Estates?

* Convenient Location: No store is more than 5 minutes away and you can be anywhere in Fairbanks in 10 minutes or less, including Fairbanks Memorial and the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Fort Wainwright Army Post is roughly 10 blocks to the south making it very convenient for servicemembers who want or need to be close to Post.

* Near Maintenance-Free: The association maintains the exterior of the building, including lawn care and snow removal [photo] (that I did appreciate). Interior maintenance/upgrades are the responsibility of the individual unit owners.

* Peace & Quiet: Some called it "tomb like" and in fact is is a very quiet building with little internal noise.

* Security: Denali Estates is a secured building with intercom/unlock panels in each unit. Lock and Go. If you travel like we do, it's nice to know you can lock your unit door and leave knowing that should the boiler go down, someone will be there to make sure it's brought online before (hopefully) major damage could occur.

* Financial Health: One of the most important considerations when buying a Fairbanks condo, at least in my opinion, is the financial health of the association. Denali Estates has a long history of financial solvency. Most, if not all, owners are current on their HOA does (as of the last resale cert I reviewed) and the board is very proactive when budgeting for repairs, regular maintenance items and future upgrades. For owners, that means surprise assessments are rare.

All units feature two-bedrooms with two full bathrooms, including a generous master ensuite and a 7' x 19' private balcony. View floorplans for the first, second and third floor (large .jpg files). Find Denali Estates on a map.

Market Stats for Denali Estates Condominiums

If you're in the market for a comfortable, centrally located, well maintained Fairbanks condominium, Denali Estates should be on your short list. Have questions? Call us at 907-699-6024 or contact us online.

Hope Alaska: A Jewel in Alaska's Recreational Crown
Camping & Outdoor Recreation

Literally at the end of the road on the beautiful southern shore of Turnagain Arm lies Hope, Alaska. Founded in the late 1890's after gold was discovered on nearby Resurrection Creek, Hope is a charming window to the past and a favorite playground for Alaskans.

There are no WalMart's, no 7-11's and no Golden Arches. What they do have an abundance of, however, is natural beauty. The 17 mile Hope Highway winds through towering spruce and stands of birch and aspen giving visitors spectacular views of the Chugach Mountains and the blueish gray waters of Turnagain Arm.

Pull-outs are plentiful and believe me you'll want to stop at every one. It took us more than an hour and a half to make the drive to Hope from the Seward Highway cutoff.

Although a large portion of the nearby community of Sunrise was destroyed by the 1964 Good Friday earthquake, several buildings original to Hope City remain. Built in 1902, the Social Hall remains the heart of the community. The first day we arrived a town potluck was in full swing with locals and visitors alike joining in the festivities. The original 1938 school house is now the town museum and should be one of your first stops.

Where to stay

No hotels means you're probably staying in an RV or tent. A small campground (parking lot) can be found at the end of Main Street. For those looking for full hookups this is your only option. If you're in a tent or don't need hookups, Porcupine State Campground can be found a mile past Hope proper. While Porcupine is a primitive campground (i.e. no hookups) it is a breathtaking slice of paradise. Sites 1 through 11 offer unobstructed views of Turnagain Arm. Porcupine is even big rig friendly with most spaces able to accommodate up to a 40' coach and several allowing room for a 45' coach plus your toad. Site #2 is our favorite (140' pull through with amazing views) Advance reservations are highly recommended as it fills up fast in the summer.

What to see and do

Fishing: The Hope Pink Salmon Derby runs from mid July to Mid August. Sixmile and Resurrection creeks are both great spots for trying your hand at landing pink, silver and chum salmon.

Hiking/Mountain Biking: Gull Rock and Hope Point trails both begin at Porcupine Campground. Gull Rock is a relatively easy 5 mile trail that follows Turnagain Arm. Hope Point, at 2.5 miles, is a serious workout. It's been said you'll need to be part mountain goat to make it to the top of Mt. Hope (3,900') and I wholeheartedly agree with that. For those looking for a multiple day hike, Resurrection Creek Trail is a 38 mile hike through forested hills and alpine meadows over the mountain to Cooper Landing on the Sterling Highway.

Whitewater Rafting: Billed as one of the best whitewater rafting trips in the North America, NOVA River Runners offers 3 hour Class IV and a 4.5 hour Class V rafting trips. There are three steep canyons with narrow routes, steep drops, beautiful pools, and hang-onto-your-shorts rapids all in a gorgeous semi-rain forest. Operating under a permit from the US Forest Service, NOVA has been running these rapids for more than 25 years.

Gold Mining: It put Hope on the map, and as they say, there's gold in them thar hills. Records indicate that between the late 1880's and 1906 more than $1,000,000 in gold was mined from the area. Bring your gold pans or suction dredges (up to 4" with a permit from AK Fish & Game) and try your hand at mining.

Wildlife Viewing: In the few days we were there this year, we saw a handful of moose, several black bears, fox, ptarmigan and loads of ground squirrels. Just a reminder: Moose look slow and dumb, but they are agile and can run faster than you can. Porcupine Campground has been home to several black bears who are not the least bit afraid of you. Please use caution.

Photography: Granted, I consider all of Alaska a photographers paradise but it's hard to take a bad picture here (and yet thanks to a sensor that needed cleaning I managed to do just that).

Hope Alaska in Photo's

Downtown Hope, Alaska

Views of Turnagain Arm from Porcupine Campground

Discovery Cafe & Turnagain Arm @ Low Tide

The next time you're looking for a gorgeous area to explore or just somwhere peaceful to rejuvenate mind, body and soul, consider a trip to Hope, Alaska. It's certainly on our 'favorite places' list.

Fairbanks, Alaska - The city that almost wasn't

The late fall sun offered little warmth to the riverboat passengers standing on the well worn wooden decks. For most, there was little to do on the ardous journey up the Yukon and Tanana Rivers except watch the river slowly roll by. That the landscape was changing from the verdant greens of summer to the brilliant golds of fall was a fact lost on precious few on board. With an abundance of caution, Captain Charles Adams navigated the ship up the muddy Tanana River toward a destination some were sure they would never reach.

For one passenger in particular, expectations and indeed frustrations were high. A sizable fortune had been gambled on a dream almost as big as the territory of Alaska. Fueled by gold fever, and despite several failed attempts to reach his destination, 37 year old Elbridge Truman (E.T.) Barnette was not going to be easily discouraged. That mettle would come to serve him well in the coming years.

Then, as now, the Tanana River was a fickle mistress. With an ever changing channel, even experienced skippers found it difficult to navigate. Deckhands would have been sounding the river so as to help the Captain keep the low riding ship from running aground. Around midday the captain of the 150' steamer Lavelle Young announced that the water had become too shallow for the heavy laden vessel to continue.

This was not welcome news as Barnette was still hundreds of miles from his intended destination of Tanacross. Barnette convinced the skeptical Captain to turn back and try navigating the Chena River in hopes of bypassing the shallow rapids of the Tanana. Barnette was optimistic as the Lavelle Young labored up the Chena River approximately 20 miles until Captain Adams realized the shallow water would make continuing impossible.

Barnette was undeterred. He instructed the Captain to take him back to the confluence of the Chena and Tanana Rivers. From there he surmised he could continue his journey by a shallow-draft barge when the river ice melted the following May. Captain Adams was unwilling to risk grounding the loaded ship going downriver. Doing so would have made dislodging the ship against the current a herculean task.

Despite protests from Barnette and his sobbing wife, the Captain reminded him their contract stated Barnette, his wife, crew and 130 tons of supplies were to be unloaded at the farthest point the Lavelle Young could reach... and they were there.

At 4PM on August 26, 1901, on a heavily wooded cut bank of a narrow river deep in Alaska's Interior, Fairbanks was born.

Barnette's dream of continuing to Tanacross was permanently shelved the following summer when Felix Pedro discovered gold on a small unnamed creek just 13 miles north of Barnette's trading post. In 1903, US District Judge James Wickersham moved his judicial seat to Fairbanks from Eagle, further cementing the future of the fledgling community.

Few would have imagined that Barnette's Landing would eventually grow into one of the largest cities in Alaska.

Winter Preparedness for your Fairbanks Alaska home - A fall homeowners checklist

Although it's been a glorious fall, that lovely white stuff will soon start falling. If you're like me, you've been out enjoying the great weather and not paying all that much attention to your winter preparedness to-do list. I finished the last of my list today and thought I would share what I do to get us ready for the long winter.

Have a licensed technician clean and service your boiler or furnace. This should be done once a year and now is a great time as the tech will need to take the system offline for a couple of hours. Doing it at -40 can leave you with a cold house. An added benefit is you'll ensure your boiler is operating at peak efficiency.

Hire a chimney sweep (or buy a brush) and clean your boiler/wood-stove/fireplace chimney. I have our boiler stack cleaned once a year. If you're burning wood as a source of heat, make sure to only burn seasoned wood to reduce the amount of creosote building in the stack. No one wants a chimney fire in the dead of winter (or ever).

Change your smoke detector and carbon monoxide detector batteries. Many homes have hardwired systems, but will have a battery backup. This is a great time to vacuum each detector to eliminate any dust bunnies or dirt that might interfere with the operation. And, while you're at it, review (or create) an emergency escape plan.

Clean out your septic tank. Admittedly, this is one job I leave to the professionals. I have ours pumped every year even though we could probably get by with doing it every other year. Regular cleaning will also prolong the life of your system.

If so equipped, check and clean the filter on your Heat Recovery Ventilator (HRV) unit. Don't forget to check the exhaust and intake vents to make sure no little critters have moved in.

Clean out your gutters and downspouts. You would be surprised to see how much stuff can accumulate in one season. You'll thank yourself in the spring the water is running down, and not over, your gutters.

Turn off all exterior spigots, blow (or drain) the lines and cover them with a frost proof cover. Roll up your garden hoses and store them with your sprinklers and hose nozzles.

Cover and/or store patio furniture, grill and outdoor accessories. Unless, of course, you plan to have a cookout at -20.

Pick up, clean, sharpen and store your garden and other tools. I'm kind of an 'a place for everything and everything in its place' guy, but this will also keep you from tripping over the rake that got left out or running over an extension cord with the snowblower. Trust me, that just makes a mess. I usually sharpen the blades on the Deere as well as give it a wash and wax before putting it up for the winter. Don't forget to put some fuel stabilizer in as well.

Prepare for snow removal. Fire up the snowblower and make sure it's running and the blades engage. Don't forget to put your snow shovel(s) and ice spade where you can easily find them.

Weatherproof your home. Now is the time to seal up those areas around entry and garage doors and windows, add additional insulation in your attic and crawlspace. Homes with less efficient windows would benefit from a window film application.

If you park your vehicles outside, consider investing in a timer for your car(s). According to Golden Valley Electric, it costs between $30 - $75 per car to leave a car plugged in overnight. A well maintained car should only need 2-5 hours of heating to start (more for diesels). Over a 6-7 month winter the savings could easily be in the hundreds of dollars. If it's not already, don't forget to winterize your vehicle as well.

That's pretty much it. Preparing your Fairbanks home for the rigors of old man winter will help ensure you have a comfortable, hopefully trouble-free winter.