Along for the ride: Denali Flightseeing

We leave Chena Hot Springs feeling refreshed and hoping to return some day. Back in Fairbanks we stop at the local Fred Meyer, Peter's favorite store. In the parking lot, we see a car that sums up a common Alaskan mindset. BTW some Alaskan drivers are a force to contend with... far too many drive way too fast, spewing gravel right and left, often towing a large trailer or boat (or both) acting like they completely own the road. Unfortunately, a number of them seem to take the same view of the environment - everything exists for theirs to take rather than to take care of.


Road back to Fairbanks

No comment

Since we had been unable to make a reservation at one of the Denali Park campgrounds by either phone or online (both of which only seem to work during regular office hours), we show up in person to get a campsite only to learn we can get a site we want, but starting tomorrow. We agree and head half an hour south to Cantwell RV Park to spend the night.

Road south of Denali

Humm... wonder if we'll get any good weather

Much to our surprise, the next day dawns nice and sunny (weather reports are notoriously unreliable in these parts... impressionistic at best). We decide to go flightseeing while the weather's cooperating. The manager at our RV park suggests we try Ray Atkins, Guiding and Flying. We call Ray and he's available and ready to go. Ray turns out to be a classic bush pilot who's been flying for over 40 years. He lives next to the airstrip in town and owns two planes, a float plane and a tail dragger for land.

2 satellite dishes on small camper

Ray Akins Flightseeing

Ray fuels up his plane

After a photo or two we're all ready to go.

We poise in front of Ray's plane before taking off

Ready for take off

and we're off!

Ray first takes us over the foothills and we see several Dall's sheep, but aren't able to get good photos of them.

Foot hills surrounding Denali

Gold mining

many peaks look volcanic.

Higher and higher we climb.

Above the tree line

Look - our first glacier!

Wow - you can see the blue ice.

The valley looks smaller and smaller below us as we touch the base of the clouds then punch through.

Once over the clouds we can clearly see all the tall peaks around us.

Some of these are pretty tall

Many have glaciers flowing out of them

streaked with debris scraped from the sides of the mountains.

Many of the glaciers look like taffy candy they have so many streaks of gravel.

Ruth Glacier (?)

this one looks muddy on top

glacier covered with a thick gravel layer

Ray sets his course directly for the two peaks of Denali (aka Mount McKinley). Of all the climbing stories of the early pioneers on this mountain, the Sourdough Expedition is the best. In 1910 four locals decided that Alaskans (instead of "foreigners") should be the first to summit despite any previous climbing experience. They carried only a bag of doughnuts each, a thermos of hot chocolate, and a 14 foot long spruce pole. They climbed up the north peak, only to realize too late, it was the shorter of the two peaks. For many years afterwards, many disputed their claim of obtaining one of Denali's summits. However, many years later another climbing party found the Sourdoughs' spruce pole planted on the north summit.

Denali's two summits

a closer look at the peaks.

Cheeze - I don't see how they climb some of these peaks.

Denali's snow fields are mesmerizing and look very cold beneath us.

Beautiful but cold

that snow is deep - very deep.

Pioneer Ridge the first route used to climb Denali

Before turning around at Pioneer Ridge, we get a final look at the magnificent peaks surrounding us.

Although Ray usually takes his clients entirely around the mountain, we make a U turn as it's starting to cloud up more and the tower recommends we head back up the valley.

Back down from the peaks and glaciers

over some caribou,

and braided river beds.

From the air we can better see the countryside.

Large lakes south of Cantwell

Looks like good Moose habitat

Milky blue of river running off glaciers

Before we know it, we safely land back at the airstrip.

It's a peak experience (pun totally intended), but I do agree with a sign seen posted on the wall:

The two best things about flying are:
#2 - Being above the clouds
#1 - A safe landing.

After profusely thanking Ray for a wonderful trip, we drive back up the road to Denali National Park to set up our camp in the Savage River Campground.