Face The Outdoors

Face The Outdoors

  • (907) 590-1567
About Our Fairbanks Aurora Guide | Face The Outdoors

About Face The Outdoors

Your Fairbanks aurora guide is a NatGeo-featured native Alaskan, born and raised under the aurora oval, who runs small-group northern lights tours from a private wilderness lodge — capped at 10 guests, ever.

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⭐
5.0 Across 274 Reviews
Google (146) · TripAdvisor (128)
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National Geographic
Recommended Tour
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Max 10 Guests
Always One Group
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Under the Aurora Oval
Private Lodge + Mobile Chase

Experience Alaska's Aurora with a True Local

At Face The Outdoors, your Fairbanks aurora guide does not just show you the northern lights — he invites you into his world. Michael Schultz is a native Alaskan, born and raised under the aurora oval, who has spent 46 years learning to read these skies before turning that knowledge into commercial aurora tours in 2021.

We believe the aurora is best experienced from a private lodge under the aurora oval, with photography coaching from the owner himself, and the flexibility to chase clear skies when clouds move in. Whether you are here to witness the lights for the first time or capture them with your own camera, our lodge and guide are ready for you.

Our small-group tours fill up fast. Maximum 10 guests, ever. Each tour is a special event with structured pacing, hot drinks and snacks, photography coaching on whatever gear you bring, and watermark-free aurora portraits delivered within 24-48 hours — often the next morning.

If your travel plans change, you have a full year to rebook at no charge — the most flexible reschedule policy of any aurora tour operator in Fairbanks.

Face The Outdoors private wilderness lodge near Fairbanks Alaska under the aurora oval
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Michael Schultz - Native Alaskan aurora guide and NatGeo-featured photographer
🌌 Born & Raised in Alaska

Meet Your Fairbanks Aurora Guide

Michael Schultz — NatGeo-Featured Native Alaskan Aurora Photographer

Michael was born and raised in Alaska, with 46 years of life lived under the aurora oval. He started running commercial aurora tours in 2021 after decades of personal experience reading these skies — the local cloud patterns, the seasonal aurora behavior, the Interior microclimates that determine which night ends in clear-sky overhead displays and which night requires moving 50 miles to find a hole in the cover.

Growing up in Alaska's Interior, he watched the aurora illuminate the night sky from his own backyard — no crowds, no light pollution, just the raw, silent reality of the northern lights. That direct experience is what built Face The Outdoors. The lodge he runs his tours from is the same kind of place — quiet, dark, set up for direct overhead aurora viewing with a chase vehicle ready when conditions require repositioning.

Whether you arrive with no camera, an iPhone, or a DSLR you just bought, Michael meets you where you are. He helps first-timers understand what they are seeing, helps phone shooters get sharp aurora photos, and works with hobbyist photographers on long-exposure settings, focus, and composition. His NatGeo-featured aurora photography credential means he knows exactly how to help you get the shot — and he captures professional aurora portraits of every guest, delivered watermark-free within 24-48 hours.

NatGeo-featured aurora photographer
Native Alaskan, born and raised
46 years living under the aurora oval
Photo coaching for any skill level — phone to pro camera
NG
Recommended by National Geographic A recommended Fairbanks aurora tour outfitter in National Geographic's 2025 guide. Read Full Article →
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What Makes Face The Outdoors Different

Seven specific things you get with FTO that no Fairbanks competitor combines.

1

NatGeo-Featured Guide

The only Fairbanks aurora tour operator with a current National Geographic feature credential.

2

Native Alaskan Owner-Operator

Born and raised in Alaska. 46 years living under the aurora oval. The same person guides every tour.

3

Lodge + Mobile Chase

Private lodge under the aurora oval with a chase vehicle ready when clouds require repositioning. The only Fairbanks operator marketing this hybrid.

4

Watermark-Free Photos in 24-48 Hours

Aurora portraits captured during your tour and delivered watermark-free within 24-48 hours, often the next morning. No paywalls. No upsells.

5

Maximum 10 Guests, Ever

The cap is structural, not marketing. One guide, one group, one night. No second van, no overflow, no exceptions.

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Free Reschedule Up to a Year

If your plans change, you have a full year to rebook at no charge. The most flexible policy of any aurora tour operator in Fairbanks.

7

Premium Tour, Honest Pricing

$325 per person for small group. From $975 private. 15% off when you book 3+ nights. No tier pricing by month, no child discount, no gear-rental upsells. What you see is what you pay.

Our Mission: Quality Over Quantity

Our mission is simple: provide an unparalleled aurora viewing experience rooted in authenticity and respect for nature. The best aurora nights happen in small groups, where the focus is on connection — to the landscape, the sky, and each other.

My sons and I had the most amazing aurora experience with Michael from Face the Outdoors. He is so incredibly knowledgeable and we were able to have incredible experiences on nights with totally clear skies as well as a night where we had to chase clear skies. Michael was able to find places for us to see this spectacular site when other chaser groups couldn't.

— Joan-Marie Gimbel, Verified Guest Review

One note on the solar cycle

One thing worth clarifying about the solar cycle, because it gets misreported a lot: Solar Cycle 25 peaked in October 2024 and is now in its declining phase. Because Fairbanks sits directly under the aurora oval, we have the lights regardless of where the cycle is in its 11-year rhythm. What changes during a declining phase is how far south the lights push during major events — fewer headline-grabbing displays visible from Texas or Florida. Up here, the next 5 years are still excellent for aurora viewing.

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Why Choose Face The Outdoors?

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Authentic Alaskan Guidance

Your tour is led by a native Alaskan with 46 years of life under the aurora oval — not a seasonal hire learning as they go. Michael uses local knowledge and real-time aurora data to find the best viewing conditions every night.

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A Real Lodge, Not a Tour Stop

You are a guest in a warm cedar lodge with panoramic windows, a fireplace, hot drinks, snacks, and a clean restroom. Located under the aurora oval with no light pollution — the aurora appears directly overhead rather than on the horizon.

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Lodge + Chase — Only Tour With Both

If clouds move in, Michael takes the group mobile to chase clear skies — something no other lodge-based tour in Fairbanks offers. You get the comfort of a lodge and the flexibility of a chase tour in one night.

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Truly Small Groups

Maximum 10 guests. Ever. You will never be herded into a fleet of vans or lost in a crowd. Whether you want to learn about the aurora, just take it in, or get help with your camera, Michael has time for everyone.

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What It Is Like Under the Aurora in Alaska

Standing beneath Alaska's vast darkness, watching ribbons of green light ripple across the star-scattered sky — this is where the aurora borealis reveals itself not as spectacle, but as something alive.

At Face The Outdoors, we understand that witnessing the northern lights means stepping away from the artificial glow of cities. Our small groups and private tours are built for guests who want genuine connection with the night sky — quietly watching through the lodge windows with a warm drink, learning about the science behind what you are seeing, or working with Michael on the perfect long-exposure shot.

Our lodge sits under the aurora oval where true darkness lets the aurora's subtle colors emerge fully — pale greens deepening to violet, sudden bursts of magenta that take your breath away. To learn the science of those colors, see our deep-dive on what causes the colors of the northern lights.

Your evening begins with pickup from your Fairbanks hotel, then a scenic drive to the lodge as the city lights fade behind you. The lodge waits — warm, comfortable, surrounded by the kind of darkness that makes the aurora come alive overhead.

We keep our groups intentionally small because the aurora demands quiet attention. No rushing. No crowds blocking your view. Just space to take it all in however you choose — eyes, phone, or camera.

Guests viewing aurora borealis at Face The Outdoors private wilderness lodge near Fairbanks
Face The Outdoors private wilderness lodge under the aurora oval Northern lights display directly overhead near Fairbanks Alaska Aurora borealis view from Face The Outdoors private lodge Small group enjoying aurora viewing at Face The Outdoors Vibrant green aurora over Alaska wilderness near Fairbanks Northern lights Alaska wilderness aurora viewing Guest watching aurora from outside the lodge near Fairbanks Happy aurora tour guests at Face The Outdoors lodge in Alaska
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Ready to See the Northern Lights from Under the Aurora Oval?

Small groups. NatGeo-featured native Alaskan guide. Private lodge plus mobile chase. Watermark-free photos in 24-48 hours. Free reschedule up to a year.

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⭐
5.0 Across 274 Reviews Google (146) · TripAdvisor (128)
👥
Max 10 Guests One group, one night
🏠
Private Lodge + Chase Under the aurora oval

Questions? Call (907) 590-1567 or email us