Denali National Park, AK
August 2014. After a wet and stormy kayak trip in Northwestern Fjord, inside Kenai Fjords National Park, Jeff and I decided to road trip and rent a car in Anchorage. We headed north for drier weather. With a 6+ hour drive towards Denali National Park, we arrived in Healy, AK.
Our road trip North revealed layers of landscape that stretched vertical and horizontal with amazing scale and beauty. We met interesting characters along the way as we visited scenic sites and vistas. A photographer taking a 67' VW Bus from San Diego to Inuvik, to a Harley rider from Charlotte with his loyal companion. On our way back to Anchorage we stopped at Wal-Mike's in Trapper, AK. It provided opportunity to trade marine flares for a leather coat Jeff couldn't resist. "Jeremiah Jeff" was duded out. He prized the leather for projects but found soul in the jacket that challenged original intentions. Opportunity to car camp inside the park was not possible due to capacity. After a visit inside the park, it was clear why. We found a campground 10 miles north of the park entrance, next to 49th State Brewery… go figure, whose to complain with that set up? Recognize the bus? Being north of the park was like entering Eastern Washington. Weather was dry and delicious. The crazy part? It doesn't even get close to being dark until after midnight. Inside the brewery, entertainment doesn't start before 11:00 PM. Outside a stage is setup, frisbee golf is in place as well as horseshoes and more. This place is setup to parteeeee! And the barley pops they craft? Like the vistas… Big! We spent a day inside the park and were greeted with views of McKinley opening up. Weather systems would float above the mountain and mask it's grandeur. Other times it fully revealed. We later learned it opened up only 17 times with full visibility so far for the year. This was my first time in the park. The set up and management plan is encouraging. One road to access 6 million acres (compared to Mount Rainer National Park which is 243,00+ acres). The dirt road is serviced by a variety of buses and travels 92 miles punching the interior. Personal cars are only allowed the first 15 miles if you have a reservation at one of three vehicle campgrounds. Inside the park you have access to anywhere the bus system travels. You can ask the bus driver to literally stop and drop you off at any point. Additionally you can flag a bus down and get picked up anywhere along the way. You don't need to wait for a trail head or formal stop. Literally "Into The Wild". Along the way, wildlife revealed. We traveled to the Elelson Visitor Center at Mile 66. Just 25 miles from Mt. McKinley. From there we hiked to an upper ridge system to cruise plateaus and high ridge lines. It was splendid to combine a sea level trip with edges that touched the sky. Views, wind and silence cut through clutter of past tense. The National Park Service has done justice with this area. They really encourage visitors to wander off and explore. They challenge you to experience the wilderness… find how precious and fragile it is. Wildlife was abundant as we traveled. We saw grizzly bears, dall sheep, fox, caribou, moose, arctic ground squirrel and varieties of bird. The terrestrial part of our AK Adventure was kind. But like Kenai Fjords National Park, I'm sure this area can roar as well. With backdrops of tundra and exposure, deep wilderness, more experiences await for a visit with stories to share. I feel a compelling need to come back and spend more time in the park. Ski lines looked incredible and I found myself researching ski tours as soon as I got home. It's a big, big place that offers chewy experiences to take in. |