On Sept.4.2009, Andrew and I flew up to Anchorage, Alaska to spend several days in Denali National Park and Preserve. We arrived at the park entrance where we chatted with Backcountry rangers and decided upon a region of the park to explore. We picked a spot at the western end of the 90 mile park road where the old mining town of Kantishna lies nestled in the valley of Moose Creek. Sourdoughs or old-timers began exploring the area in 1905 for gold. As a result while being inside the park, the area is dotted with cabins belonging to the descendants of these prospectors. Also there are some old roads, which facilitate travel, and many streams area contaminated with heavy metals, making locating drinking water an issue. I picked the Kantishna Hills because they lie due north of Mt McKinley and other peaks in the Alaska Range, offering potentially incredible views. There are basically no trails in the park so it was up to us to find our way around. We picked a route up an old mining road onto Quigley Ridge and along the Hills to Spruce Creek where we descended cross-country to Moose Creek. We followed another old road along the creek, fording the extremely frigid creek 24 times on our way back to the main park road.
Denali/Mt McKinley, 20320ft
Getting started on our four-day hike through the Kantishna Hills, an old mining district in the park on the north side of the Alaska Range.
Our first night's camp, with Mt McKinley on the horizon. We were able to find ample spring water in the hills.
This was the highest point on our trip: Glacier Peak, 4310 ft. Incredibly, treeline lies between 2500 and 3000 ft at the park's latitude of 63 degrees.
Rainbow over Spruce Peak in the Kantishna Hills.
A view of the Alaska Range, the mountains that surround Mt McKinley
Our second night's camp on the slope's of an unnamed peak.
As I was getting ready to go to sleep, fog began to enshroud the mountain with a misty aura.
Morning Tea.
Bacon for breakfast.
This is the bear resistant food container we stored all our goodies in.
Every morning I take care of my feet with No-Blister Care: hockey tape on my heels.
The Denali caribou herd, 2000 members strong, reigns throughout the park.
Our third night's camp on a bench above Moose Creek.
I picked bog cranberries and cooked them in brown sugar to top the oatmeal.
Fording the heavy-metal contaminated, freezing Moose Creek. We did this 24 times. Brrrr.
Uh oh!
Wet boots!
Dry socks.
We saw a Grizzly mother and her two spring cubs near Sable Pass on the bus ride back to the park entrance.
Moose on the main Anchorage-Fairbanks highway.
Home of Sarah Palin!
On Sept.4.2009, Andrew and I flew up to Anchorage, Alaska to spend several days in Denali National Park and Preserve. We arrived at the park entrance where we chatted with Backcountry rangers and decided upon a region of the park to explore. We picked a spot at the western end of the 90 mile park road where the old mining town of Kantishna lies nestled in the valley of Moose Creek. Sourdoughs or old-timers began exploring the area in 1905 for gold. As a result while being inside the park, the area is dotted with cabins belonging to the descendants of these prospectors. Also there are some old roads, which facilitate travel, and many streams area contaminated with heavy metals, making locating drinking water an issue. I picked the Kantishna Hills because they lie due north of Mt McKinley and other peaks in the Alaska Range, offering potentially incredible views. There are basically no trails in the park so it was up to us to find our way around. We picked a route up an old mining road onto Quigley Ridge and along the Hills to Spruce Creek where we descended cross-country to Moose Creek. We followed another old road along the creek, fording the extremely frigid creek 24 times on our way back to the main park road.
Denali/Mt McKinley, 20320ft
Getting started on our four-day hike through the Kantishna Hills, an old mining district in the park on the north side of the Alaska Range.
Our first night's camp, with Mt McKinley on the horizon. We were able to find ample spring water in the hills.
This was the highest point on our trip: Glacier Peak, 4310 ft. Incredibly, treeline lies between 2500 and 3000 ft at the park's latitude of 63 degrees.
Rainbow over Spruce Peak in the Kantishna Hills.
A view of the Alaska Range, the mountains that surround Mt McKinley
Our second night's camp on the slope's of an unnamed peak.
As I was getting ready to go to sleep, fog began to enshroud the mountain with a misty aura.
Morning Tea.
Bacon for breakfast.
This is the bear resistant food container we stored all our goodies in.
Every morning I take care of my feet with No-Blister Care: hockey tape on my heels.
The Denali caribou herd, 2000 members strong, reigns throughout the park.
Our third night's camp on a bench above Moose Creek.
I picked bog cranberries and cooked them in brown sugar to top the oatmeal.
Fording the heavy-metal contaminated, freezing Moose Creek. We did this 24 times. Brrrr.
Uh oh!
Wet boots!
Dry socks.
We saw a Grizzly mother and her two spring cubs near Sable Pass on the bus ride back to the park entrance.
Moose on the main Anchorage-Fairbanks highway.
Home of Sarah Palin!
