Mountains, Glaciers, & Bears
On Thursday morning, we left the Westmark in Fairbanks and boarded Holland America’s McKinley Explorer. These two-level observatory cars are attached to the familiar blue and yellow Alaskan Railway trains.
Ready to board the McKinley Explorer
Shortly after the train was in motion we were led downstairs for breakfast. Hazel chose a breakfast burrito while I went with some delicious flapjacks with fresh blueberries and a side of bacon.
Hazel At Breakfast Onboard The McKinley Explorer
After breakfast we returned to the second level to soak in some great Alaskan scenery. Forests and lakes dominated the first three quarters of the trip. We traveled through a few sleepy towns as well as the top-secret facility that monitors North America’s skies for incoming ballistic missles. As we neared Denali, the scenery changed to rocky mountains and gorgeous. From the train we spotted a few brave soles rafting in the rushing Nenana River.
Scenic Vistas From The Train
We arrived in Denali right on time and checked into the McKinley Chalet. Our second-floor room was decorated in a rustic lodge motif. It was located on the end of the building, overlooking the river. Each night we left the windows open and were lulled to sleep of the rushing river below.
The View From Outside Our Room In Denali
We had dinner at Prospector’s Pizza. This restaurant, located directly across from the hotel offers many speciality pizzas. Hazel’s had fresh Alaskan Salmon and cream cheese on it. Mine featured ground elk and reindeer sausage.
We originally had a self-drive Jeep excursion scheduled for Thursday night. However, we found out at the last minute that the excursion had been cancelled. It was too late to find another excursion, so we just relaxed and took a walk down by the river and then called it a night.
Denali Hiding Behind Mid-day Clouds
On Friday we woke up early again, had an ordinary breakfast at one of the restaurants here at McKinley Chalet. We then boarded a bus for an eight-hour Wilderness Tundra Tour. This tour takes you 35 miles into the park. Unless you have a camping or climbing permit, you can not get any closer to the mountain. During our trip we spotted Dall sheep climbing on a distant mountain peak, caribou just feet from the bus, and a total of ten grizzly bears. This included a showdown between a large male bear and a mother bear protecting her Spring cubs that looked like it was straight out of Animal Planet. Wild bears were something I had been hoping to see in Alaska, and this trip did not disappoint. We also got a decent view of Denali which is ofen obscured by clouds. Our guide managed to navigate the large 52-passenger bus along very narrow shelf roads while educating on local flora and fauna as well as teaching us about animal behavior.
A Mama Grizzly Bear In Denali
Shortly after we returned from this excellent trip, the shuttle bus from Era Helicopters picked us up for our next amazing excursion. After donning some specially made glacier boots and attending a short safety briefing we boarded the helicopter. Our pilot then lifted off and headed out across the tundra.
Hazel, Arctic Explorer
I had never been on a helicopter before and didn’t know what to expect. The ride was smooth and the scenery was stunning. Soon, the tundra gave way to rocky snow-covered mountains. After about 25 minutes, we touched down on the Yanert Glacier and stepped out onto the frozen ground. It was just Hazel and I, another couple, and the pilot standing alone in some of the most spectacular scenery anywhere.
An Arctic Expedition
The Yanert Glacier sits at the base of Mt. Deborah, a 12,000+ ft. summit that has only been successfully climbed a handful of times. We spent about 20 minutes on the glacier, taking photos, chatting with the pilot, breathing the crisp clean air, and drinking true glacier water right from the blue pools that dotted the surface of thr glacier. We then boarded the helicopter for a smooth ride back.
A View Of Mt. Deborah From The Yanert Glacier
Hazel and I closed out our Friday night with a late dinner at Alaskan Fish & Chips.
On Saturday, we headed to the Husky Homestead. This facility is owned and operated by Iditarod winner Jeff King. As soon as you arrive, they hand you a husky puppy to hold. The one we got was a cute little sleepy blonde colored puppy. Unfortunately, they don’t let you take the puppies home with you. We watched a demonstration of the dogs being hitched up for a practice run. Then we headed inside to listen to Jeff King talk about life in Alaska and his experiences running the Iditarod.
At The Husky Homestead
After the Husky Homestead, we boarded the train bound for Anchorage. On board we had lunch. I chose the reindeer chili in a bread bowl, which was pretty tasty. Hazel chose the seafood salad sandwich. The ride is eight hours long and travels along the Alaska range, the Talkeetna mountains, and then ends close to downtown Anchorage. We then were shuttled to the Westmark hotel, which while had clean beds looked like it has not been updated since it was built. I guess the thought process is that you are only there for a few hours so they don’t spend money on upgrading the hotel. However, they should completely remodel both this Westmark and the one in Fairbanks.
This morning, we will take a two-hour motorcoach ride to Seward. From there we will board a boat for a six hour cruise of the Kenai Fjords. After this, we will board the MS Statendam for the cruise portion of our trip.