Alaska Personal Journeys: Denali Hike Paddle Tour

DENALI INTERIOR
HIKE, PADDLE & TOUR

The Alaskan interior is dominated by the Alaska mountain range. The entire region shows evidence of a time when glaciers covered everything. Today, broad river valleys, rolling foothills and the great northern boreal forest of spruce, birch and willow trees cover the landscape. Crystal clear streams with their payload of salmon, rainbow trout, arctic grayling and gold quickly disappear into the turbid glacial waters of the major rivers. Over 8 million acres of this vast landscape are protected within Denali National Park and Preserve.

There are many highlights to this trip in addition to viewing beautiful mountains and rivers. We will stay in a true Alaskan roadhouse and hike in the Alaska and Talkeetna Mountains. We will travel by bus into the heart of Denali National Park and Preserve to view grizzly bears, caribou, Dall sheep, moose and other wildlife. We will also paddle on pristine waters and hike along Kesuge Ridge. If we are lucky, we may see both the south face and the north face of Denali, the Athabascan name for Mt. McKinley. Denali or "The Great One" is the tallest mountain in North America.

LOGISTICS

This five-day sightseeing, hiking and paddling tour of interior Alaska begins when guests are picked up in Anchorage, Alaska, early the morning of the first day. Our ultimate destination is Denali National Park and Preserve. It will take us two days to drive the approximate 250 miles to the park entrance. Along the way, there is incredible scenery: the Susitna, Chulitna and Nenana Rivers and the Chugach, Talkeetna and Alaska mountain ranges. During our two-day trip north, we will take time out to look at salmon swimming upstream to spawn, stay in one of the few remaining Alaskan roadhouses, paddle wilderness lakes and hike above treeline in the Talkeetna Mountains.

Our adventure continues early the morning of the third day as we board a bus for a day of wildlife viewing deep within Denali National Park and Preserve. The next day, we will go back to the Park to hike in the backcountry and explore Denali up close and personal or we may elect to either canoe or raft a portion of the Nenana River.

On our way back to Anchorage the last day of the trip, we will hike along Kesuge Ridge. This ridge in the Talkeetna Mountains overlooks the Chulitna River, Ruth Glacier and the south side of Denali. We will arrive back in Anchorage in time to have a farewell dinner.

What We Provide. We provide meals beginning with lunch the first day and ending with dinner on the last day, fees (boat rental and Denali bus ride), camping fees and/or lodging fees in a roadhouse and cabins, transportation during the five days of the trip and at least one experienced guide/naturalist.

Your Responsibility. Guests are responsible for transportation to and from Anchorage, Alaska, light weight rain gear, comfortable foot wear that can get wet, water bottle, appropriate clothing for the season, hat, sunscreen, insect repellent and/or head net and lodging in Anchorage before and after the trip. If camping, guests are responsible for a tent and ground cloth, sleeping bag and pad. Tents, ground cloths, sleeping bags and pads can be provided for an additional fee.

Trip Fee & Reservations. The trip fee is $1,780 per person for shared accommodations or $2,010 for single accommodations. For those opting to camp during the week, the trip fee is $1,580 per person. Please call for rental prices for tents, ground clothes, sleeping bags and pads.

A $690 per person deposit is due at the time the reservation is made. The balance is due six weeks prior to the trip. Reservations made 30 days before the trip begins must be paid in full before the trip begins.

Cancellation Policy. Any cancellation made prior to 30 days before the trip begins will result in a $500 per person cancellation fee. Any cancellation made during the 30 days before the trip begins will result in a $690 per person cancellation fee. If the trip is canceled by Alaska Personal Journeys, the trip fee will be refunded. It is recommended that cancellation insurance be purchased through a travel agency in case the trip is canceled in order to cover non-refundable expenses such as airline and hotel fees.

Dollar-A-Day for Conservation. All of the courses and trips offered by Alaska Personal Journeys are intended to raise public awareness to the need to protect our environment. We hope you will consider contributing one dollar per day to support the work of local conservation groups doing their best to protect Alaska’s special places. Simply add one dollar per day to the Alaska Personal Journeys trip fee. We will make sure that your contribution gets to the most effective conservation groups and that the group or groups sends you a receipt for tax deduction purposes.

ITINERARY

The following itinerary may be modified due to weather and water conditions or wildlife viewing opportunities. The itinerary is intended to give guests a general idea of what to expect.

Day 0. Arriving guests are picked up at the Anchorage airport and transported to their place of lodging for the evening. Dutch treat dinner at local Anchorage restaurant.

Day 1. Early morning departure from Anchorage by van. Paddle the lakes of the Nancy Lake State Recreation Area. Look for spawning salmon in Willow Creek. Spend the evening at the Forks Roadhouse. Hike the road near Peter’s Creek.

Day 2. Continue drive to Carlo Creek. Short hike along Montana Creek to view the Chulitna River & the south face of Denali. Hike in the Talkeetna Mountains overlooking the Nenana River. Check into cabins at Carlo Creek.

Day 3. Day-long bus ride and wildlife viewing in Denali National Park & Preserve. Evening stay in cabins.

Day 4. Optional daylong activities include: canoeing the upper section of the Nenana River, rafting the canyon section of the Nenana River or hiking in Denali National Park & Preserve.

Day 5. Begin drive back to Anchorage. Hike along Kesuge Ridge overlooking the Chulitna River, Ruth Glacier and the south face of Denali. Arrive in Anchorage in time for a farewell dinner. Drop guests off at either the airport or place of lodging in Anchorage.