Alaska Vacation part 2

by the Wizard 2010-07-06 13:03:09 (edited 2010-07-21 13:18)

June 14-16 ? Denali National Park

After our visit to Talkeetna, we made our way north for a several hour drive to Denali National Park. I had mapped out this entire journey back in March, and securing accommodation for the Denali section turned out to be one of the most challenging and costly aspects of my planning. In the end, I chose the Denali Park Hotel, situated about 10 miles from the park's entrance in Healy. It would be more accurate to classify it as a motel rather than a hotel, albeit a decent one at that.

Before delving deeper, I'd like to clarify that June 21 marks the summer solstice, which is the longest day of the year. During this period in this location, the sun rises around 3:30 AM and sets around 12:30 AM. Even during the supposed 'night' hours, which last for about three hours, the brightness remains quite intense. It was more than sufficient for reading or taking pictures without needing a flash. Throughout my entire visit, I never encountered what could be described as true darkness.

The first three days, I felt a bit delirious from the sun, staying up late and rising very early. However, on June 14, after arriving at our accommodation in Healy, I finally reached my limit. We got there around 2:00 PM, and I intended to take a short nap, which unexpectedly turned into a deep sleep lasting five hours. After a brief interlude for dinner, I returned to bed and slept another nine hours.

The only significant experience from June 14 that stands out was our dinner at a local spot. It was nestled among various businesses that had a rather tacky appearance along the highway near the park's entrance. Given the limited number of dining options, my expectations were rather low. Generally, when competition is scarce, quality tends to decline. That said, I was pleasantly surprised by Prospector's. They offered an extensive menu featuring gourmet pizzas and a notable selection of draft beers. Despite the bustling crowd and somewhat slow service, our waitress was friendly and shared that she was spending her summer there after answering a job ad on Craigslist. This somewhat compensated for the disappointment of missing the Moose's Tooth Pizzeria in Anchorage, which I had been looking forward to. Prospector's Pizzeria & Alehouse The next morning, before venturing into the National Park, we enjoyed breakfast at the Denali Salmon Bake. I had the impression that Alaskan salmon bakes were generally buffet-style, but this one was different. Nevertheless, I highly recommend it. Up until this point, I believed that legal gambling in Alaska was restricted to tribal bingo and certain activities extensively covered on my dedicated page. However, I spotted a flyer at the Salmon Bake advertising a poker tournament held on Monday nights. I hadn’t seen any promotions for poker nights anywhere in Anchorage or Fairbanks. If it can thrive in Denali, I bet poker would do quite well in the larger Alaskan cities. part 1 of my travelogue.

The remainder of the day was dedicated to discovering Denali National Park. Typically, I'm quite adept at planning vacations, but I fell short of my usual thoroughness on June 15. My expectations for national parks were shaped by experiences in locations like Zion and the Grand Canyon (South Rim), where comfortable, free shuttle buses frequently transport visitors up and down park roads, allowing passengers to embark and explore various attractions at their leisure. I had envisioned something similar for Denali, with curious wildlife like bears and moose approaching the bus along the way. However, the reality proved to be quite different. pull-tabs In contrast to Zion and the Grand Canyon, both of which are relatively easy to navigate and well-developed, accessing Denali involves traveling along a 92-mile twisting dirt road. Additionally, rather than traveling on free, comfortable shuttles, we had to endure older green school buses that required an extra fee. There were some better-looking buses available, but I believe they are reserved for those participating in packaged tours of Alaska. Spending an entire day on an old green bus along a bumpy dirt road is not how I envision a relaxing vacation. It’s possible I was fortunate to even board one, as there is a limited number of buses and they are often booked to capacity. I suspect most travelers purchased their tickets ahead of time. My round-trip quest to the Eielson Visitor Center, located 66 miles down the dirt road, was an experience to remember.

Although I’ve expressed my grievances about the buses, what about the stunning landscapes and wildlife within the park? I won't criticize the park just yet—it was perhaps the most untouched area in America that I have ever encountered. Most often, it was expanses of rolling hills and small peaks, with the majestic Alaska Range and Mount McKinley visible in the distance. However, for a hiker, having to observe all this beauty from a school bus was disheartening when the park permits hiking and camping almost anywhere. There are no set trails, just nature at its finest. Sadly, being on a bus diminishes that sense of freedom and adventure.

Every hour or so, the buses make a brief 10-minute stop. You can choose to either reboard the same vehicle within that timeframe or gamble on finding a seat on the next bus. Worrying about losing our seats, we decided to disembark early after about three hours, reaching the Toklat Visitor Center at the 53-mile mark. At this point, my family was growing increasingly irritable with the experience and starting to lose faith in my travel planning skills. So, I proposed we take a break where we were, rather than continue another hour to our intended endpoint: the Eielson Visitor Center. Air Force base outside of Fairbanks, was $30.75.

The Toklat Visitor Center resembled a tent structure, not unlike the one in Southern California, albeit on a much smaller scale. Inside, it mainly featured a gift shop along with a few educational displays. Outside, a wide riverbed ran through the area, with flowing water in some parts. We spent about an hour near the river, mostly tossing rocks into the water. The current was too swift and the water too cold to consider crossing. The first bus we tried for our return journey didn’t have five available seats, but luckily we managed to find a bus with seating on the next one.

How about the wildlife? Numerous postcards of Denali National Park depict buses halting for bear families crossing the road. Even the guidebooks highlight Denali as one of America's premier wildlife viewing destinations. At the start of our journey, the driver encouraged everyone to shout 'stop!' if they spotted any wildlife. This happened twice for us. The first time was for a mountain goat, which an astute passenger spotted high on a rocky cliff nearby. I must admit, we caught a good glimpse of it, particularly through my camera's zoom lens. The second stop was for three bears—a mother and her two cubs—far off in the distance on a hill. Someone must have had excellent binoculars to see them. I could only make out the mother bear lying down as a tiny dot in the far distance. Without being informed it was a bear, I would have had no idea.

Speaking of binoculars, I neglected to voice my frustrations earlier in my Alaska travel journal about how my lovely binoculars were stolen by baggage handlers at Alaska Airlines! They were a nice pair, almost new and made by a well-known brand. I had packed them in an unlocked suitcase, despite having some Department of Homeland Security approved locks stored away. My oversight! When I reached Anchorage, I was surprised to find that the straps on my suitcase had been unfastened, though the zippers were still zipped. It was later that I noticed the binoculars and my iPad charger were missing. Thankfully, I had taken the iPad itself with me on the plane. I used it to locate an Apple store in Anchorage and purchased a new charger. If you’re contemplating flying with Alaska Airlines, note that they charge $15 for each checked bag, and there’s no complimentary food, entertainment, or even music. How frustrating! They charge you for a suitcase on a lengthy trip, only to have items stolen from it. Pauma Casino Returning to Denali, if I had a chance to do it all over again, considering I'm traveling with three children aged 3 to 12, I would opt for my own vehicle and drive up the park road to Savage River for about 15 miles. I would allocate more time for activities near the park entrance and take the opportunity to hike at Savage River. Private vehicles cannot proceed beyond that point, but in my view, the scenery doesn’t change significantly beyond there. If you're planning ahead and wish to explore further than Savage River, I advise trying your luck with the special limited permits available for private vehicles.

In conclusion, I want to express my belief that Denali may be somewhat overrated. For adventure seekers and backpackers keen to explore untouched wilderness, it’s undoubtedly a treasure. However, for the average tourist who prefers not to walk more than half a mile, the experience might be less than thrilling. This conclusion is especially true for those accustomed to the breathtaking views offered by other national parks, such as Yosemite, the Grand Canyon, and Zion. You don’t have to travel far to discover something more captivating. During my first Alaskan trip, my wife and I visited a stunning national park near Seward, which I would choose over Denali any day. dall sheep On the morning of June 16, I completed my usual morning jog and spotted a miniature golf course (often referred to as 'putt-putt golf' on the East Coast) and a lake where canoes were available for rent. The miniature golf course was part of a 'midnight sun' golf course, which I would have loved to take a spin at. We enjoyed a delightful breakfast at the clubhouse, which included complimentary miniature golf. Although the miniature golf course was a bit worn down, with grass sprouting in the holes, the Alaskan-themed designs made it enjoyable all the same.

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Exciting slot competitions featuring huge cash prizes road lottery After our visit to Talkeetna, we traveled north for several hours to reach Denali National Park. I had arranged this entire journey back in March, and securing accommodations for the Denali segment proved to be quite challenging and costly. In the end, I opted for the Denali Park Hotel, which is situated around 10 miles north of the park entrance in a town called Healy. It’s a bit misleading to refer to it as a hotel; it resembles a motel more, but it’s certainly a decent establishment.

Before I delve deeper into the trip, let me clarify that June 21 marks the first day of summer and also the longest day of the year. During this period in this particular area, the sun rises around 3:30 AM and sets around 12:30 AM. Interestingly, even though there are three hours labeled as 'night,' it remains incredibly bright outside—so much so that you could easily read or take photographs without the need for a flash. Consequently, throughout the entire journey, I didn't experience anything resembling true darkness. Kenai Fjords Initially, during the first three days of the trip, I was a bit out of sync with my sleeping patterns, going to bed late and waking up quite early. However, that changed on June 14 when we finally arrived at our lodging in Healy around 2:00 PM. I decided to take a brief nap, but it ended up being a deep, restorative sleep lasting five hours. After a quick two-hour dinner break, I went back to bed and slept for nine additional hours.

The only noteworthy event from June 14 was our dining experience at the restaurant, which is conveniently located amidst several rather tacky businesses along the highway close to the park entrance. Given the limited dining options, I didn’t have particularly high expectations. Often, I find that a lack of competition can lead to a decline in quality. However, I was pleasantly surprised by Prospector's. They offered an impressive variety of gourmet pizzas and had an extensive selection of draft beers. The place was bustling, and though the service was somewhat slow, our waitress was friendly and shared that she was spending her summer working there after see a job advertisement on Craigslist. It somewhat compensated for missing out on the Moose’s Tooth Pizzeria in Anchorage, which I had lamented earlier. The next morning, before venturing into the National Park, we enjoyed breakfast at the Denali Salmon Bake. I had anticipated that salmon bakes in Alaska were merely buffet-style offerings, but this one was different; nonetheless, I strongly recommend it. Up until this point, I believed that the only legal forms of gambling in Alaska were tribal bingo and limited games, which I cover in detail in another section. However, I noticed a flyer at the Salmon Bake advertising a poker tournament held on Monday nights. Oddly enough, I hadn’t seen any promotions for poker nights in Anchorage or Fairbanks. If it succeeded in Denali, I can only assume it would thrive in the larger Alaskan cities. The rest of our day was dedicated to exploring Denali National Park. Typically, I pride myself on being well-prepared for trips, but I fell short of my usual standards on June 15. My expectations for national parks are largely shaped by experiences in places like Zion and the Grand Canyon (particularly the south rim), where there are comfortable, free shuttle buses that frequently transport visitors along well-maintained park roads, allowing guests to hop on and off at various scenic spots. I had anticipated a similar experience at Denali, with bears, moose, and elk curiously approaching the bus, but I was in for a stark reality check.

In contrast to Zion and the Grand Canyon, which are relatively accessible and user-friendly, gaining entry to Denali requires traversing a 92-mile long, winding dirt road. Instead of enjoying free and comfortable shuttles, visitors are subjected to taking old green school buses that come at an added cost. While there are other, more attractive buses available, I believe you need to be part of a packaged tour to access them. Spending a good portion of the day riding one of these green buses along a rugged dirt road is not my idea of a peaceful vacation. I might have been fortunate to secure a spot on one at all, as there are limited buses that fill up quickly, and most people tend to book their tickets in advance. My round-trip ticket, which took us to Eielson Visitor Center located 66 miles down the road, was not to be confused with the other center.

• Part 1 : Anchorage and Talkeetna.
• Part 3 Though I’ve voiced my frustrations about the buses, what about the incredible views of the park and the wildlife? I must say, I have no negative comments regarding the park itself (at least not yet). It was undoubtedly one of the least developed parts of America I have ever encountered. For the most part, it was just endless expanses of hills and minor peaks, with the impressive backdrop of the Alaska Range and Mt. McKinley lying further away. However, for someone like me who enjoys hiking, it was somewhat disheartening to experience the beauty from a school bus, especially since you're generally allowed to hike and camp virtually anywhere in the park without any designated trails—just vast, untouched nature. In today's America, such unencumbered freedom is rare. Unfortunately, riding on a school bus doesn't provide much of an opportunity to take advantage of this adventurous potential.
• Part 4 : Valdez.

Written by: Michael Shackleford