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DENALI NATIONAL PARK:

NORTH AMERICA'S KIND OF MOUNTAINS AND SO MUCH MORE

Denali--it was ‘The High One” to the Athabascan Native Americans centuries ago and it’s still North America’s highest point. It’s a part of the Alaskan experience that shouldn’t be missed.

But Denali is much more than the name given to the crown of the 600-mile Alaska Range. It’s also the name of the huge national park and preserve that is the quintessential Alaskan interior experience.

This immense preserved and protected area all started with about two million acres in 1917 as Mount McKinley National Park--it was named for then senator (and later President) William McKinley. In 1980, park boundaries were enlarged by four million acres and the name was changed to Denali National Park and Preserve (the highest peak is still known officially as Mount McKinley). At its current six million acres, the park is actually larger than the entire state of Massachusetts.

Mount McKinley and its surroundings are preserved today much to the work of one man. Charles Sheldon, a conservationist, naturalist, and hunter, worked diligently to establish a park after exploring the area between 1906 and 1908 with guide Harry Karstens. Sheldon worked successfully for a decade to establish the park, while Karstens went on to make the first ascent of McKinley and become the park’s first superintendent.

Like then, the Denali experience is so much more than getting a glimpse of Mount McKinley and then moving on to other parts of Alaska. In fact, many visitors never even see Mount McKinley (it’s ‘out’ from the clouds only one in three days, on average). But with so much more to see and do, a Mount McKinley sighting is just the crown on one of the most beautiful bodies of land Mother Nature has ever created.

The Landscape

It all starts with the incredibly beautiful and diverse scenery. Sitting below the often cloud-shrouded peaks of the McKinley massif is a land of rivers and landscape unmatched in North America.

Situated about 240 miles north of Anchorage and less than half that distance south of Fairbanks, Denali National Park spreads to the west of bustling George Parks Highway and into a wilderness rarely matched in the world. Just nine miles or so down the Park Road, the views of Mount McKinley more than 60 miles to the southwest may begin (weather permitting).

Of course, Mount McKinley is an ever-present part of the landscape, even when visitors can’t see it. Measured from the lowlands near the end of the Park Road around Wonder Lake (to which some tours head), Mount McKinley rises more than 18,000 feet to its summit of 20,320 feet. This vertical relief is greater than even Mount Everest, the highest peak in the world, which rises only 11,000 feet from the Tibetan Plateau!

The formation of this majestic mountain and the rest of the Alaska Range began tens of millions years ago, thanks to a massive collision of two tectonic plates. Today, more than 75% of Mount McKinley is covered in snowfall and glaciers year-round and conditions are virtually always harsh. In fact, climbers can generally only attempt to scale Mount McKinley from late-April to early-July (and, last year, about half of the climbers who attempted the ascent made it).

Below McKinley and the other towering mountains, the plant life of the park has developed over thousands of years to the quite cold winters and short summers. But there are still more than 650 unique species of flowering plants and dozens of species of moss, lichen, algae, and more along the valleys and slopes of Denali.

It’s so cold for so long each year that many areas of the park are marked by ‘permafrost,’ which is permanently frozen ground with just a tiny layer of topsail that thaws each summer and supports growth. Along with this permafrost, Denali’s landscape below the permanent snowfall and glaciers basically consist of tundra and taiga (pronounced ‘tiga’).

Tundra is basically made up of small dwarf-like versions of shrubs and flowers that have adopted themselves to the short summers. There’s a wide range of colorful and interesting displays of plants and trees from spring to fall, including dwarf fireweed, saxifrage, dwarf birch, willows, alder, and forget-me-not, which is Alaska’s state flower.

Generally below the tundra (at about 2,700 feet) taiga is the unique evergreen tree growth of the north, near the Arctic Circle. Made up of white and black spruce, quaking aspen, paper birch, larch, balsam poplar, and many shrubs, this foliage can be seen predominantly in the valleys and especially along the park’s numerous rivers.

Thanks to legislation, most of Denali has been preserved as the Athabascans knew it. Entry to certain parts of the park is limited in scale and backcountry use is also regulated. While sport and subsistence hunting and trapping is generally not allowed (except in certain preserves), local rural residents can still pursue subsistence hunting, fishing, and plant gathering. Through decades of protection, the pristine landscape (and abundant wildlife reviewed below) is still there for all to enjoy.

In addition, one of the beauties of the park’s varied tour options is the ability to see much of this varied landscape in a single tour. From the taiga to the tundra and, perhaps, even Mount McKinley, the land can be as interesting as the wildlife you’re sure to spot within it!

The Wildlife

Many visitors remember their wildlife spotting long after spotting (or not spotting) Mount McKinley. Quite simply the sheer variety, uniqueness, and variety of Denali’s wildlife make each trip into the park a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

From spring to fall, wildlife viewing in Denali is simply spectacular. A list doesn’t do the experience justice, but any single trip could include any or all of the following: grizzly bear (and cubs); moose; caribou; and Dall sheep. In fact, these four animals are know as the ‘Big Four’ of Denali wildlife viewing and any tour that includes all of them is considered a big-time success.

Wolves, who usually travel in packs, are rarely seen. Park rangers concur that a wolf spotting makes a park visit much more special.

Of course, these are definitely wild animals and bears and moose can be particularly dangerous (especially when protecting young or territory)--park rangers urge all visitors never to approach or attempt to feed any animal!

Smaller animals often seen during a Denali visit include: red squirrel; ground squirrel; porcupine; beaver; hoary marmot; weasel; snowshoe hare; and more. In fact, there are 37 different mammal species in the park and preserve.

At 159 species, the birdlife is also incredibly unique, with birdwatchers traveling thousands of miles to add to their life lists. The possibilities include ptarmigan, Lapland longspurs, owls, eagles, and many other raptors. Many birds travel phenomenal distances to ‘summer’ in Alaska, with wheaters coming from Africa and arctic terns arriving from Antarctica and southern South America.

Seeing It All

Veteran visitors and newcomers alike have the opportunity to see much of the Denali area, thanks to a wide variety of tour options. From a simple hike in the shadow of Mount McKinley to a helicopter tour of the area, the options are seemingly as infinite as Denali’s landscape and wildlife.

There are still two tour favorites that provide a perfect Denali introduction. The ‘Tundra Wildlife Tour’ heads into the park in search of bear, moose, caribou, and Dall sheep, with tour participants rarely disappointed at the sightings. If Mount McKinley is ‘out,’ the views from Polychrome Overlook and elsewhere are unsurpassed. Another great option is the ‘Denali Natural History Tour,’ which, along with lots of wildlife spotting, includes a stop at an historic cabin and colorful stories about the region’s cultural, geographic, and indigenous people’s history. Along with these tour buses, additional shuttle buses provide transportation into the park for wildlife viewing, hiking, specific programs, and much more.

Of course, many further options await the adventurous visitor. Biking, hiking, river rafting, plane tours, helicopter flights, fishing, naturalist activities, and more are among the choices. No matter what you choose, your visit to Denali National Park is sure to be a peak Alaska experience!