Sleigh Ride Under the Northern Lights Along the Alta River

The best odds of seeing the aurora in Alta come from being outside under the sky as many evenings as possible. This is the slow version of that: a sleigh ride through the forest and along the Alta River, at walking pace, in company. The ride ends at a wilderness shelter, where a late light dinner is served around a fire. The shelter's half wall keeps the weather off while you eat. There are local stories to go with it, and if conditions are right, a chance to photograph the aurora before heading back. Slow is the argument here. A minibus chase covers ground looking for a gap in the cloud; a sleigh stays put and lets the sky come to you, which on a clear night works just as well and is a good deal warmer around a fire.