To get to the Spirit Lights Lodge in Bettles, the owner Annie arranges the flight from Fairbanks through the Wright Air service. Having never been on a prop plane, this was a great experience in itself. Upon arriving, I was enthusiastically greeted at the plane by owners Annie & Bernard, and proceeded on the short walk to the lodge. After a quick tour of the lodge, I was treated to what was the first example of Annie's excellent cooking! From her soups for lunch with homemade bread, to her fabulous dinners and amazing desserts, you will definitely not go hungry. While I am merely a cereal & coffee person for breakfast, Annie did also fix quite a spread for the other guests for breakfast. (I plan on asking for a recipe or two)
Annie & Bernard are extremely personable, friendly, laidback people who just want to make sure you have a great experience in Bettles, and that you get the opportunity to see the northern lights. I was introduced to some of the 26 full time residents of Bettles, and taken on a tour of the area. Annie arranges for some of the residents to join you at dinner each night, during which I had some great & entertaining conversations with Steve and Doug:)
When it comes to seeing the northern lights, Annie or Bernard will make sure to wake you up once the lights are seen. The first night there, I witnessed the lights around 7 am. The second night however, around 3 am, the lights were visible and AMAZING. Even with my simple Olympus digital camera, I was able to get some really good pictures. That experience was perfect & made the whole trip alone worth it!
Annie & Bernard will also arrange for snowmachining and dog sledding if you're interested. While I did not go dog sledding myself, other guests did, and after seeing the pictures and video, I know I will be including that on my next trip to Bettles. I did however, go snowmachining, and while I learned it's evidently a skill that I don't quite possess (poor Steve had to dig me out 3 times & I did a really good face plant!), it was well worth it just to see the views! Steve took me across the frozen Koyukuk (?) River, closer to Brooks Range, and showed me animal tracks in the snow, like moose and lynx. It is such a beautiful place & an exhilarating experience.
I can't say enough about the owners, Annie & Bernard. For them, it's not just about running a business. In fact, it feels more like your staying at a friends house (a friend who happens to cook every incredible meal for you). They want to make sure that whoever comes to Bettles has a great time, and I have to say, what made this so great for me was while this was the first time I had vacationed by myself, I was never lonely. I had a fabulous time chatting with Annie or Bernard during the meals, or just hanging out with them. I wish I had spent more than 3 days there!!! This was definitely a worthwhile experience and I do plan on returning!! I can't recommend Spirit Lights Lodge enough!

In the middle of nowhere, Bettles is a tiny village right on the arctic circle.

Spirit's host couple were ABSOLUTELY AMAZING - TRULY GREAT. Thanks once again guys!

Great food (home-made soups, breakfast), great activities (dog sledding, snowmachine ride) and an amazing supper with local eskimos on christmas' eve. Such a wonderful experience!

Should I not forget to mention the view at the aurora! Green and blue lines in the sky, in the middle of the night...

Remembering these moments always make me to want to go back...

It is not crazy to spend New Years north of the Artic Circle. Make plans to go to Spirit Lights Lodge and stay with Annie and Bernard for a truly personal, warm, and fun experience. There is a super large suite that would easily sleep 6 or keep it to just the two of you. You can be cozy and warm and watch the nortnern lights from your room, or venture out in -20 degree temperture dressed in the nice warm boots and jackets provided for you. Check out the web site for photos. www.spiritlightslodge.com. It was a great way to ring in the new year. Annie prepares great home cooked meals; We went dog sledding, snow shoeing, partied in front of a bon-fire, saw wolves close up, met an expert in polar bears, found native arts and crafts.

Summer is a great time to go too. Lots of outdoor sports and wild animals.
Carol from Signal Hill, California

I stayed at Spirit Lights Lodge this past February. My experience was a wonderful combination of close family warmth and arctic cold excitement. Unfortunately, I was only able to stay for 2 nights, which there is usually a 3 night minimum, but they were nice enough to accommodate my travel plans. The owners of the Lodge and their friends that come to visit and/or stay for dinner are just so nice and couldn't have been happier to have me as their guest. One night our dinner companion was a local Indian Chief who was more than happy to answer any questions we had and offered lots of Alaskan history. After my warm welcome I was outfitted with an Arctic parka and boots that kept me warm during the middle of the night Aurora shows as well as our trip out on the snowmachine. I was also given a quick tour (the town has only 26 residents) where we saw a wolf running right down the road! I saw the amazing Aurora both nights, went on a fantastic snowmachine excursion, had plentiful and delicious food, and met fascinating people!