The Wild Things – Denali National Park, Alaska

The Wild Things
From exploring North America’s highest mountain to getting
up close and personal with grizzly bears, Denali National Park
in central Alaska takes adventure, literally, to a whole new level.
WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHS BY CHERINA HADLEY
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DESTINATION ALASKA
DESTINATION ALASKA
B
efore I can fully take in
a view of the pristine
mountain range outside
my window, our plane
lurches forward. For
the third time in ten minutes, I pull
out the paper bag from the seat
pocket in front of me and hurl like a
disgruntled baby.
As we continue our bumpy ascent,
my head swirls a dizzying 360
degrees – this certainly wasn’t how I
had planned to spend my first day in
this subarctic wilderness. But when
I awoke to brilliant blue skies earlier
that day, the thought of soaring over
Mount McKinley and the 600-mile
long Alaska Range was too tempting.
You may hear it referred to as
Mount McKinley – after thenU.S. President William McKinley
– or by its indigenous Athabascan
name Denali, the ‘High One.’ But
to Alaskans, the highest peak in
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“Alaska is the size of
France, Spain and
Germany combined;
if cut in half it would
still remain the largest
state in the US. ”
North America is simply called
‘The Mountain’. And at a colossal
20,300 feet (6,187 meters), there is
no confusion as to exactly which
mountain one is referring to.
Thankfully I’m easily distracted and
am soon transfixed by the undulating
landscape below me, thoughts of
motion sickness quickly fading away.
We rise even higher above the
clouds, seemingly close enough to
reach out and touch the stark white
peaks of the mountains. The textures
and colors of the landscape are so
defined from the air and the sweeping
paths of the glacier-carved valley
seem to move and curve along with
the wind. I have no idea where to
look first.
For one blissful hour, we linger
over the snow-capped peaks of the
Alaska Range and finally approach
and circle Mount McKinley, the
palpitating heart of Denali National
Park. Six million acres of unspoiled
wilderness sprawl across the Alaskan
plains, into the edgeless horizon.
Alaska is the size of France, Spain and
Germany combined; if cut in half it
would still remain the largest state in
the US. What we see before us is just
a tiny fraction of the entire state – and
it’s already tipping my scale out of
proportion.
© gordon__shumway
Dramatic Landscapes: The 600-mile long Alaska Range
Bottom: A grizzly bear amidst the shrubs.
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DESTINATION ALASKA
Left to right: Autumn colors of Denali; the scenic Alaska
Railroad; the stunning Alaska Range as seen from above
Bottom: A moose grazing amidst red shrubs
“I feel as though I’ve been plunged straight into a wildlife
documentary. A quiet voice-over by David Attenborough
would come as no surprise.”
Face Off
On my second day in Denali, our
green shuttle bus trundles along the
only paved road into and out of the
park. After just an hour of weaving
through the red carpet tundra, our
driver Kelsey stops the bus and kills
its engine.
“See the giant female grizzly at ten
o’clock?” Kelsey eagerly points out our
first bear. The opening and closing of
camera shutters fracture the silence
as passengers attempt to capture the
essence of this wild and extraordinary
creature. I, however, stand frozen,
sweaty palms motionless by my side.
I realize I am holding my breath and
move only to wipe the condensation
on the window that appears once I
finally exhale.
The walls of the bus fall away
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and I feel as though I’ve been being
plunged straight into a wildlife
documentary. A quiet voice-over by
David Attenborough would come as
no surprise.
“This one is a female as you can see
from the shape of the face. Her eyes
are closer together and her nose is
shorter than that of a male,” explains
Kelsey.
“She’s probably around 1.9m and
150kg.” Denali National Park has a
healthy population of over 200 to
300 grizzlies, all of which feed on a
variety of berries, roots, fish and small
mammals.
The bear seems oblivious to our
presence, and continues nonchalantly
scratching at the ground and
munching on berries, her brown
fur glistening in the summer sun. A
grizzly bear’s sense of smell is around
100,000 times stronger than that of a
human. As we make good use of our
dominant sense by watching her, she
is absolutely using hers also: I have
no doubt she knows where, when and
probably even how many of us there
are.
And she cannot care less.
“Does anyone know what to do
when you ever see a bear while
walking in the wild?” Kelsey
challenges our group. One of my
group mates shout, “Run for your
life!”
We chuckle, amused by the
animated voiceover. Kelsey retorts
with a serious look, “People have been
killed by bears in this area before.
So you have to be careful with this.
The first rule is to NEVER run! Make
as much noise as possible to scare it
away.”
I shudder at the thought, my fears
creeping in once again as I imagine
staring down the beast, eyeball to
eyeball.
We journey farther into the
park, navigating the red and yellow
autumn vegetation, breaking out into
a snapping frenzy at each wildlife
sighting. In just four hours, we spot
four out of the ‘Big Five’: a giant
grizzly swaggering through the
colorful shrubs chewing on berries, a
herd of caribou grazing by the river,
an antler-toting moose sniffing us out
just fifty meters away, and a Dall sheep
with curly brown horns staring us in
the eye before being swallowed by the
vastness of the park.
Only the gray wolves elude us there are currently approximately 18
packs of wolves (around 100 wolves in
total) in Denali, and they are generally
wary of humans. Even a wolf ’s howl is
hard to come by. On the contrary, Dall
sheep sightings are plentiful but often
consist of small, indistinguishable
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white dots scurrying up jagged cliffs
in the distance. Occasionally these
skittish big-horned sheep overcome
their shyness and edge a little closer
to Park Road and an assertive holler
from fellow passengers brings the bus
to a screeching halt.
By the end of our third day in
Denali, we have seen more grizzlies
than ever in one location, watched
a group of over 100 moose wade
through the shallow waters of a
running stream, caught a very rare
glimpse of a coyote, and marveled
at dozens of caribou galloping along
the tundra terrain. These wildlife
encounters have a hypnotic power
over us – the yawn of a bear, the
sniffing sounds of a hoary marmot or
the whistle of a red fox – can have us
dizzy with delirium.
Singing our Way Down
Cathedral Mountain
With my initial fear melting away
after the impressive wildlife sightings,
I awake with new-found confidence
on my last day and barely flinch when
I learn that we are off to explore
Cathedral Mountain – on foot. At
only 4,551 feet (1,387 meters), it
is dwarfed significantly by Mount
McKinley but makes for a more
realistic alternative and the perfect
day hike.
Indeed, Denali is essentially a trailfree wilderness with unlimited hiking
opportunities – and the low-lying
tundra means you can begin a hike
anywhere along Park Road, with the
convenience of being able to get off
and on the green buses any time you
like.
Meandering my way through
flat plains, I am invigorated by the
fresh air and freedom in the wilds of
Denali; and yet, as we trudge through
the valley and up into the mountains,
the possibility of a close encounter
with wild animals is still gently
niggling in the back of my mind.
Sure enough, this time there is no
bus between myself and yet another
grizzly bear – all of its black, furry
back, thick limbs, and deep green eyes
a mere 200 yards of brilliantly colored
tundra away from me. And strangely
enough, I completely forget that I
should be afraid.
Because in all her massive,
enormous bulk, this grizzly is running
away from us! Just as fast as those
chunky legs will carry her. I stand in
bewilderment, almost about to burst
into laughter had it not been slightly
nerve-wrecking.
Our grizzly disappears over the
ridge, presumably into the valley
below, exactly where we are headed.
After some debate about safety we
I am reluctant to leave Denali,
was from the air – and now here I
decide to push on – singing, clapping
especially as I’ve only just begun to get am, leaving with the muddy earth of
and shouting to be sure this grizzly
to know her.
Denali still clinging to my boots. I
knows we’re coming. Thankfully, we
My first encounter with the park
wouldn’t have it any other way. 1
never see her again.
As we begin our steep descent from
the top of Cathedral Mountain, Denali
dazzles with an explosion of colors
and a spectacular display of Mother
River Rafting
Earth’s artwork. Vibrant russets and
White water rafting on the Nenana River is an experience to be remembered.
reds, golden tinges of yellow and
All levels of rafting are available. Your guide does the paddling for you, or for
orange stretch for miles across the
the more experienced, you can paddle yourself.
tundra, more blindingly colorful
Dogsled Tour
than anywhere else I have ever been.
There are free dogsled demonstrations each day at National Park kennels.
Although it’s August, I soon learn fall
Dog-lovers will enjoy watching the quintessential Alaskan art of dog mushing
comes early here – and with it, vivid
on these kennel tours.
hues over Denali.
Backcountry
I reach the end of our hike ahead
If backcountry hiking, camping, climbing or fishing is your thing, then Denali
of the others. The sun disappears and
is the place to be. Take a break from the buses and have a local guide fly you
I feel the first few drops of rain begin
into the backcountry near Denali for a real Alaskan wilderness adventure.
to fall. In these last quiet moments,
standing at the base of the mountain,
Left to right: A Dall sheep
grazing; aerial view of
Denali National Park.
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!
Getting There
Traveling by the Alaska Railroad
from Anchorage will take you right to
the outskirts of the park. The train ride
is 8 hours and costs around US$145. It
is the most scenic option as the railroad
branches away from the usual traffic
route. On a clear day, you will have a
phenomenal view of Mount McKinley
and the Alaska Range for the last couple
hours of your journey.
You can also reach Denali by bus on
the Park Connection from Anchorage,
Seward or Talkeetna, or by hiring a car
in the cities of Anchorage or Fairbanks.
Remember you will not be able to take
your car into the park past Mile 15.
+ Getting Around
Some hotels offer a shuttle
service to the park entrance. If you are
hoping to explore areas outside the park
on your own, you will need your own
vehicle.
You must use the park bus system
to venture past Mile 15 into Denali
National Park. These buses can be
booked ahead by phone, online or in
person at the Wilderness Access Centre
or Riley Creek Mercantile.
Buses usually fill up a day ahead so
booking in advance is advisable to
ensure a place on your chosen bus.
Take enough food and water for the day
and don’t forget to charge your camera
batteries!
ú When to Go
The buses into Denali National
Park only run in summer and offer
full services from early-June to midSeptember. Some bus options are
available just outside of those times.
Fall comes early in Alaska so if you
want to see the colors in all their glory,
mid-August to mid-September is the
best time to visit. For experienced
mountaineers wanting to climb
Mount McKinley, plan your trip well
in advance and bear in mind that the
climbing season only runs from late
April to early July.
Ö
Cost of Travel
The entrance fee into the park
is US$10 per person and is valid for
7 days. It can be paid when you book
your bus tickets. An annual pass for
Denali is $40. The green shuttle buses
vary in price depending on how far into
the park you plan to go. An adult fare to
Tolkat at Mile 53 (6 hours return trip)
is $24.50, Eilson Visitors Centre at Mile
66 (8 hours) is $31.50 and Wonder Lake
at Mile 85 (11 hours) is $43.25. You can
save money by purchasing a special
3-day fare. There are several bus tours
on offer that range in price from $64 (5
hours) to $159 (12 hours). Scenic flights
with Kantishna Air Taxi start from
$235.
V Packing
In Alaska, it is best to be
prepared for all kinds of weather, even
in summer. Bring warm layers, fleece,
gloves, hat, rain gear and hiking boots
(or sturdy walking shoes). You are sure
to have endless photo opportunities
so a camera, extra batteries and extra
memory cards are essential. A good
pair of binoculars is recommended for
wildlife viewing. There is no access to
food and drinks inside the park so when
traveling by bus bring a small backpack
with enough food for the day.
W Accommodation
There is plenty of
accommodation in and around the
nearby towns of Healy and Cantwell as
well as several options in surrounding
areas.
The Mountain Morning Hostel is
located in a picturesque area 13 miles
south of the park entrance and offers
private cabins, camping and dormitory
style accommodation. The hostel has
free shuttle buses running to and from
the park entrance (two daily shuttles
each way, approx 20 minutes). The
Creekside Café opposite the hostel
offers casual dining and a packed lunch
option. Prices start at $32 in a shared
dorm.
For something a little more glamorous,
the Denali Crow’s Nest has lovely log
cabins with stunning panoramic views
over the Alaska Range and is located
just a mile from the park entrance. All
rooms have a private bathroom and
access to the resort’s hot tub. Enjoy the
view and some delicious food on the
deck at the Overlook Bar and Grill.
Rooms start at $189/night.
There are six campgrounds in the park.
Entrance fees for a single site range
from $9-$28 and bookings are made
through the Wilderness Access Centre
or Riley Creek Mercantile. Advance
bookings are advisable, especially in
peak season when the campgrounds fill
up quickly.
M Websites
Here are some helpful links:
Travel Alaska
National Park Service: Denali
National Park
Lonely Planet Alaska
Photo by EyeCatchLight
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