Touristy Touring Tourists
Denali has been at the top of our list since the moment we decided to include Alaska in our Pan-Am route. Everything we have seen and heard was wonderful, a little research later had us changing our expectations. The park is mostly closed to traffic, requiring pricey shuttle passes for exploration. We weren't entirely enthused about being mostly confined to a bus for an 8-9 hour tour. A discussion with Brad and Oksana (Perky Mog) gave us a lead on a pass that would allow us to ride the shuttle buses as much as we wanted as long as we didn't backtrack past the Teklanika campground. Only problem was, we don't make reservations and that campground required a three day minimum stay. On a whim, Mandi checked the online reservation system and we luckily scored a site. A phone call later and we had the shuttle passes, $70 for the both of us.
Sometimes reducing, or reality checking, our expectations sets us up for a positive experience instead of a disappointment. With our reservation and passes secured we checked the weather, uh oh. Cold and rainy, not the best for the crown jewel of Alaska. Whatev, we were excited to get the chance at possibly seeing Mount McKinley and whatever wildlife decided to brave the unfavorable conditions. It would also be nice to park the van for three days and leave things on the counter for a change.
Our first day we caught the 7:15AM bus going to Wonder Lake, the place where most of the iconic photos are taken. It was raining and foggy and visibility was nonexistent in several places. The stop that would have allowed us to see McKinley in its entirety totally skunked us, even the base was lost in the fog. Really, not one inch of North America's tallest mountain could be seen, our driver made many jokes and the mood of the bus was great. The cold rain and wonder of Denali was not lost to any of us. The random Caribou awed all, then it snowed. It snowed really hard, transforming the park before our eyes to give us a glimpse of an entirely different Denali. Magical could never describe the reality, entirely an understatement when we began to see the grizzly bears.
On our second day we decided to catch a much later bus, 3:10PM, to try our luck at the evening hours. This one only went as far as the Eielson visitor center making for an almost 6 hour tour. It was still overcast but visibility was much better. Mount McKinley made a brief and somewhat obscure appearance, it was great to get a glimpse. Moose, sheep, caribou, and lots of bears were spotted. The landscape was completely different than the day before. Denali did not disappoint.
The Teklanika campground was sold out the day we originally planned to leave, our efforts to extend our stay thwarted, so we slowly headed out of the park stopping to watch moose along the way. We wanted to drive the Denali highway, over 100 miles of gravel, even though hunting season was already open. It was almost a total bust, only a couple of squirrels were seen, mostly it was locals tear assing about on four wheelers looking for caribou to shoot. Every single pull off was crammed full of makeshift hunting camps so we opted for a campground to escape the melee. Being berry season, we hung around to five minutes until checkout to pick over a pint of blueberries, pick a pint of crow berries, and to have some fresh blueberry pancakes. The cranberries weren't ready just yet.
We were told by many Alaskans that the drive to Valdez was beautiful so we took a couple days to head that way. The mountains of the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park ushered us along, pirate camping one night with Mount Drum as our backdrop. The drive into Valdez is very beautiful with many gravel side roads to explore. We took one to try and get a better view of a glacier which resulted in an unexpected watershed that was exquisite. Momma always said, sometimes you gotta take a back road... well maybe not one of our mommas but somebody's we're sure. It was a long drive but the last 60 miles or so are really rewarding, it might be smarter to ferry to Valdez and drive out or yo-yo it and ferry out.
Over the past few weeks we had been toying with the idea of visiting McCarthy and Kennecott, an old copper mining town. We were really close so we went for it. The road in was the worst we've driven so far, the Denali highway a close second. Apparently the State of Alaska isn't willing or able to maintain all of its roads. It's sad in the case of Kennecott, one of the gateways into Wrangell-St. Elias (the largest US national park). Couple that with privately owned land and structures mixed into federally owned ones, the result is one bureaucratic mess. While Kennecott was neat, we're still undecided on whether it's worth the effort to visit. Maybe fly in or rent a car/RV to make the voyage, save your vehicle for other wild explorations.
The joke about Alaska is that it's "miles and miles of miles and miles", that is not an understatement. Sometimes it takes days to get to a place that is just a stop before driving to another place. Some roads are stunning while others are mundane. To understand its sheer size Alaska must be driven. The cost of Alaskan beauty is in time spent in the cockpit. Sometimes rounding a corner is the most wonderful experience as the landscape unfolds. It then takes hours to drive 40 miles because you just can't stop pulling over to marvel at its wonder. When you feel you have a handle on it, it snows and wonders you all over again. There are times it will make you road weary, just stop and remember the bears.
Where are we now
Look Rock, TN
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