An Alaskan adventure we won't soon forget - cruise and land tour - June 25 - July 7

[jmele999]

Day 2 - Friday, June 26 - Road trip to Denali with a stop to visit Matanuska Glacier

 

After a long travel day and night, we woke up around 8:00 am and enjoyed a complementary breakfast at the hotel (Hampton Inn Anchorage). My in-laws had arrived a day before and were joining us on our adventure to Denali National park. Since their retirement, they have visited a number of national parks and they were really interested in visiting Denali. The other two couples did not join us on the trip to Denali as one of them had already visited Denali on a previous cruise to Alaska and were not going to be arriving in Anchorage until Saturday Afternoon.

 

After breakfast, we packed up the SUV and headed to Walmart to pick some essentials for our road trip and the cruise.

 

The first stop on our road trip to Denali was a visit to the Eklutna Historical Park, which is located about 30 minutes from Anchorage. Here is a description about the historical park and the spirit houses that you are going to see in the pictures below.

 

About Eklutna

 

Eklutna is one of the oldest inhabited areas in the Municipality of Anchorage. Archaeological evidence suggests it is more than 800 years old, although the first non-Native settlers didn’t arrive until the 1840s. Those first settlers were Russian Orthodox missionaries, and their influence remains visible today at the Eklutna Historical Park cemetery. In a blending of Dena’ina Athabascan and Russian Orthodox traditions, graves are covered with brightly painted spirit houses, providing shelter to the spirits of the dead.

 

Spirit Houses

 

The interior of Alaska is home to the Athabaskan Native Peoples. Specific to the Eklutna area are the Danaina or Tanaina, Athabaskans. These colorful spirit houses are a uniquely Athabaskan tradition; according to cultural beliefs. Spirit houses were built by the family after the person’s death. A wonderful and unique mix of this native tradition with the practices and beliefs of Orthodox Christianity can be seen in the cemetery. The graves of the Athabaskan people are marked not only with their traditional spirit houses, but also with an Orthodox Christian Cross. There are also graves marked only with crosses, honoring the resting places of the Orthodox non- native members of the church.

 

We arrived at the Eklutna park around 10:45 am and were immediately drawn to the spirit houses.

 

 

 

 

Here is the burial site of a baby

 

 

[jmele999]

Day 2 - Eklutna cemetery and park

 

Some of the spirit houses are very simple while some of them look like real houses.

 

 

 

This was the most impressive house we saw. If you look inside you can actually see a figurine of the man building this house - he built it for his wife and he is buried next to her.

[jmele999]

Day 2 - Eklutna cemetery and park

 

There are two churches in the park.

 

The first one is the old Saint Nicholas Church which was constructed in Knik around 1870 although it may have been done as early as 1830. It was moved in around 1900 to Eklutna where it was actively used until it was replaced by the new church. The old St. Nicholas church is the oldest standing building in the greater Anchorage area. It is kept up for historical purposes and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

 

 

Here is the inside of the old Saint Nicholas Church.

 

 

The second church is the new Saint Nicholas Church.

 

The new St. Nicholas church was built in 1962 by the people of Eklutna. The project was headed by the Athabaskan Chief Mike Maxim Alex. It is still used regularly; we hold weekly services Saturday at 5 pm, Sunday at 9 am and Thursday evenings at 5 pm.

 

You can see the outside of the new church in the picture below.

 

 

And here is the inside of the new church.

 

 

There is a $5 ($3 for seniors) fee to enter the park and there is a tour guide available.

[jmele999]

Day 2 - Drive from Anchorage to Denali

 

Before continuing with the review, I wanted to post a map so that you can see the places we visited on the way to Denali National Park.

 

Please note that the drive to Denali is long, but the scenery is worth the drive.

 

[jmele999]

Day 2 - Eklutna Native Village to Matanuska Glacier

 

As we get ready to leave the Eklutna Park I looked at my watch and realized that it is almost 11:30 am and that we had spent too much time at the park. At that point, our goal (well, mine) is to get to Matanuska Glacier as soon as possible so that we can have enough time to hike to the glacier. However, as we get ready to get back on the highway, my FIL sees a sign for the Eklutna lake and asks if we could visit the lake. The OCD planner in me is saying that we should not go, but I agree just to make everyone happy. As we drive down the curvy road, we see a sign saying that Eklutna lake is 10 miles away. As you can imagine I begin to worry because this side trip is going to take another 30 minutes from our precious Matanuska Glacier hiking time. :( However, when we got to the lake we were rewarded with a beautiful lake.

 

 

After a few minutes at the lake we get back on the highway and start driving towards Matanuska Glacier. The drive from the lake to the glacier should have taken us no longer than 75 minutes, but due to construction it took us almost two hours - finally reaching the Matanuska Glacier State Recreational Site (Glacier viewing point) at 2:00 pm.

 

 

 

After viewing the glacier from the recreational site, we decided to drive down to the Glacier entry point to inquire about hiking to the glacier. The entry point to the glacier is on private property and you have to pay a $20 fee per person to drive down to the glacier. After paying the fee you can drive and park close to the glacier and then walk another 15 minutes to reach the glacier. I was really looking forward to walking on the glacier, but at the end we decided not to do it because it was getting late (2:30 pm) and we still had a long drive to Denali National Park ahead of us. :(

 

Next - The long drive to Denali National Park and where can we eat?

[jmele999]

Day 2 - The long drive from Matanuska Glacier to Denali National Park

 

With a sad face we started driving away from the glacier towards Denali National Park. Along the way, we encountered several stops due to construction. Whenever we reached a construction site, the highway became a single lane, and we had to wait until all of the incoming traffic had passed before we were allowed to drive on the same single lane. A leader car directed the traffic during the stops and this process was repeated more than five time during our drive to Denali. At times we had to wait more than 20 minutes for all of the incoming traffic to pass before we were allowed to continue driving. :mad:

 

At around 3:30 pm we finally reached the city of Wasilla where we were hoping to find a place to eat. However, we missed a turn and ended up at the Wasilla High School instead of a restaurant. We drove for another 20 minutes and came across the Cadillac Cafe, which at first we were not sold on because it was located at a gas station. However, our lunch/early dinner was very good as we all enjoyed fish (halibut) and chips or my favorite - fish tacos (below).

 

 

After lunch we drove for another 4 hours - yes there was lots of construction - until we finally reached Denali National Park.

 

[jmele999]

Day 2 - Our home in Denali - Alaskan Spruce Cabins

 

Prior to our trip I researched a variety of hotels for our stay in Denali. Since we were only going to be spending two nights in Denali, we decided to share a room with my in-laws, but most hotels wanted between $400 - $700 per night for four adults in one room. During one of my searches, I came across the Alaskan Spruce Cabins (http://www.aksprucecabins.com) at a cost of $200 per night. There are only three cabins available and so we booked a cabin as soon as reservations opened in September 2014.

 

Here are some pictures of the cabins.

 

 

Each cabin has two queen beds, seating area and a full kitchen.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 10, 2015 by jmele999

[jmele999]

Day 2 - Alaskan Spruce Cabins

 

 

 

 

Each cabin also has a private balcony.

 

 

 

[jmele999]

Day 2 - Alaskan Spruce Cabins

 

The owner also lives on the property with his daughter and they take really good care of the cabins. They also have two very friendly dogs.

 

 

 

After settling in our cabin, DP and I decided to go to the store to get some supplies (wine for us, beer for FIL and wine coolers for MIL). Initially, we did not want to go into the store, but they had what we needed.

 

 

After a long day of driving it was time for me to enjoy a glass of wine and enjoy the view from our balcony. Note that the picture below was taken at 9:58 pm.

 

 

We really enjoyed the cabin as it was very clean, comfortable and spacious. We went to bed early that night as we had to be up at 5:00 am for our Denali tour.

 

Next - Day 3 - kantishna Experience in Denali National Park.

Edited July 10, 2015 by jmele999

[jenseib]

What a fantastic review! I am pretty sure I have read at least one other review by you as you both look familiar.

The scenery is fabulous and I am loving all the pictures. Too bad about all the construction...that would drive me crazy as well. But you seem to be making the best of it!

[jmele999]

Thanks for following along. I will continue posting tonight pictures from Denali National Park.

[sjbdtz]

Day 2 - The long drive from Matanuska Glacier to Denali National Park

 

With a sad face we started driving away from the glacier towards Denali National Park. Along the way, we encountered several stops due to construction. Whenever we reached a construction site, the highway became a single lane, and we had to wait until all of the incoming traffic had passed before we were allowed to drive on the same single lane. A leader car directed the traffic during the stops and this process was repeated more than five time during our drive to Denali. At times we had to wait more than 20 minutes for all of the incoming traffic to pass before we were allowed to continue driving. :mad:

 

At around 3:30 pm we finally reached the city of Wasilla where we were hoping to find a place to eat. However, we missed a turn and ended up at the Wasilla High School instead of a restaurant. We drove for another 20 minutes and came across the Cadillac Cafe, which at first we were not sold on because it was located at a gas station. However, our lunch/early dinner was very good as we all enjoyed fish (halibut) and chips or my favorite - fish tacos (below).

 

 

After lunch we drove for another 4 hours - yes there was lots of construction - until we finally reached Denali National Park.

 

 

 

 

Question: Could you see the former Governor (who lives in Wasilla) from the Diner? :cool::eek::p

 

 

 

Stephen

 

 

.

[jmele999]

Question: Could you see the former Governor (who lives in Wasilla) from the Diner? :cool::eek::p

 

 

 

Stephen

 

 

.

 

Unfortunately, she declined our invitation to lunch.

[jmele999]

Day 3 - Denali National Park

 

Before continuing with the review I would like to provide a quick description about the park, which will hopefully explain why we were so looking forward to spending the day at this national park.

 

More than a mountain

 

Denali is six million acres of wild land, bisected by one ribbon of road. Travelers along it see the relatively low-elevation taiga forest give way to high alpine tundra and snowy mountains, culminating in North America's tallest peak, 20,320' Mount McKinley. Wild animals large and small roam unfenced lands, living as they have for ages. Solitude, tranquility and wilderness await.

 

Below is a picture of Denali (Mount McKinley), but the park is more than a mountain as described above.

 

 

Visiting Denali National Park

 

There are only two possible ways to fully experience the beauty of Denali National Park - 1) A park shuttle or 2) A private tour.

 

1) Explore Denali by shuttle bus

 

92 miles long, the Denali Park Road parallels the Alaska Range and travels through low valleys and high mountain passes. It is the only road in the park. Along its route, beautiful landscapes can be seen at every turn, and there are many opportunities to view Mount McKinley - if the normally cloudy skies permit. Wildlife can often be seen, too, though sightings are not guaranteed - they are, after all, wild animals roaming an unfenced land.

 

During summer, roughly late May through early September, private vehicles may drive the first fifteen miles of this road, to a place called Savage River. The road to Savage River is paved, and features numerous pull-outs for folks to stop and snap some scenic photos. Mount McKinley can be seen as early as Mile 9, if the day isn't too overcast, and animals of all sorts can sometimes be seen on this stretch of road - although chances to see wildlife increase greatly with a bus trip farther down the Park Road.

 

Beyond Mile 15, the road turns to gravel and traffic is primarily restricted to buses. We encourage all visitors to take some kind of bus trip while in Denali, as it is a great way to experience the park and build lasting memories.

 

2) Narrated Tour Buses

 

Unlike shuttle buses, which are not narrated, tour buses feature a trained naturalist who both drives the bus and narrates during the trip.

 

Tour bus trips begin and end at various locations around the entrance of the park - they do not pick up at campgrounds along the Park Road, and they are not set up for passengers to disembark and re-board. Shuttle buses are a better option for passengers who want to get off the bus to hike, picnic, etc.

 

There are three different bus tours from which to choose. All tours are conducted by certified driver-naturalists who will provide a guided, informative trip into the park. Tour buses are tan-colored, to help them stand out from a distance.

 

Tour bus descriptions are below; information on ticket prices and reservations can be found elsewhere.

 

 

Denali Natural History Tour (DNHT)

Offered mid-May - mid-September

 

Focusing on the rich natural and cultural history of the park, this 4 ½ to 5 hour tour travels to Primrose Ridge (Mile 17).

 

Several interpretive stops enhance the experience, beginning with a stop at the Wilderness Access Center for a viewing of the film "Across Time and Tundra" which depicts early visitor experiences within the same area traveled by DNHT passengers. A stop at the still-used ranger cabin - called Savage Cabin - provides a living-history glimpse of the folks who might have used the cabin at one time. At the Primrose Ridge turnaround point, you will experience a memorable Alaskan Native presentation that will enlighten you regarding how this land has been used for nearly 10,000 years.

 

A snack and hot beverages are provided. Wheelchair accessible buses are available, and all stops are wheelchair accessible.

 

 

green hills bisected by a road and gravel-lined river, tall mountains in the distance

Natural History Tour buses turn around about two miles west (i.e., farther in the park) of the Savage River.

nps photo / nathan kostegian

 

Tundra Wilderness Tour (TWT)

Offered May 20 - mid-September

 

Variations of this tour have been in existence since 1923, with the first concessioner offering bus trips as far as the road extended at that time.

 

Today, the TWT is a 7-8 hour excursion into the park with a certified driver-naturalist. Going to at least Toklat River (mile 53), this tour provides in-depth information about the history of the park, while maintaining a keen eye in search of wildlife and photography opportunities.

 

A box lunch and beverages are provided. Wheelchair accessible buses are available, and all stops are wheelchair accessible.

 

In spring and fall, a shortened version of this tour, called the Teklanika Tundra Wilderness Tour, travels 30 miles into the park to the Teklanika River rest stop. This option is only available when the full-length Tundra Wilderness Tour is not running.

 

Kantishna Experience

Offered June 8 - mid-September

 

Follow the trail of pioneer Fannie Quigley to the old gold town of Kantishna on this all-day adventure to the end of the Park Road. Your driver is a Certified Interpretive Guide and a National Park Service interpretive ranger joins you roughly halfway through your journey on this immersive experience. You will spend time in Kantishna learning about its interesting history and role in Interior Alaska.

 

This trip lasts 11 to 12 hours, traveling the entire 92 mile road and back over the course of the day.

 

The Kantishna Experience includes a lunch, snack and beverages. There are two daily departures. The tours pick up from area hotels in the early morning and depart from the Wilderness Access Center at 6:30 am and 7:30 am. They return roughly twelve hours later, and are a unique experience in the park that you don't want to miss! Specific hotel pick-up times are available from the bus company.

 

And here is a map of Denali National Park.

 

Edited July 11, 2015 by jmele999

[jmele999]

Day 2 - Denali National Park

 

After researching different tour options, we decided on doing a narrated bus tour. The cost is $175 per person, which includes entrance to the park and lunch at the Kantishna roadhouse.

 

In order to be able to go 92 miles into the park, the tour starts at 7:00 am and lasts 12 - 13 hours. The morning of the tour we woke up at 5:00 am and enjoyed the nice view from our balcony.

 

 

On the way to our tour meeting place, we passed by one of the two major hotels in Denali - The McKinley Chalet Resort

 

 

The other major hotel in Denali is the Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge, which was also our meeting place for the Kantishna Experience tour.

 

 

This is a very nice hotel and I can appreciate why the prices are so high at this hotel (below is a picture of the lobby of the lodge)

 

[soaringfalcon]

Thank you so much for all of the detail you're putting into this review. Our daughter has asked for an Alaskan cruise for her graduation in 2018 so I'm researching now.

[mimmy52]

You are doing my favorite kind of review, one with lots of pictures. You sound like fun people to travel with. I like planners.

[jmele999]

Thank you so much for all of the detail you're putting into this review. Our daughter has asked for an Alaskan cruise for her graduation in 2018 so I'm researching now.

 

Thanks for the kind words. An Alaskan cruise for a graduation present sounds like I great idea.

 

Enjoy the research, and planning.

[jmele999]

You are doing my favorite kind of review, one with lots of pictures. You sound like fun people to travel with. I like planners.

 

Thanks. Stay tuned for more.

[jmele999]

Day 3 - The Kantishna Experience in Denali National Park

 

Our tour bus arrived promptly at 6:45 am and we inpatiently waited a few minutes for other guests to arrive.

 

 

Even though it is a school bus, we found that the seats and the inside of the bus were very comfortable.

 

 

In order to maximize our chances of getting good pictures, DP and I sat on one side of the bus while my in-laws sat on the side of the bus directly across from us. We left the Princess Wilderness Lodge at 7:00 am and were inside the park within a few minutes.

 

The first few miles of the tour were not very exciting as we did not get to see any wildlife. During that time, our driver/tour guide was telling about his background, the history of Denali, and what we can expect to see and do while in the tour. He was doing a great job keeping us entertained when all of the sudden a guy screams "what is that over there" - He was referring to the snow-covered mountain in the distance as seen below.

 

 

At that point, everyone moves to the left side of the bus as the driver is trying to find a place to pull over so that we can take pictures of Mount Mckinley, which is the highest mountain in North America at 20,237 feet. We were all very excited to see Mt Mckinley especially this early in the trip. The tour guide told us that he had not seen Mckinley (Denali) in two weeks and that only 10% of guests who visit the park get to see Mount Mckinley. He also told us that he would find a better place for us to take picture as it was very likely that we would not be able to see Mount Mckinley in the afternoon. :eek: Not wanting to take any chances, DP and I chance the lens on the camera to try to get a better picture.

 

 

For the next 20 miles or so we continue to enjoy the beauty of the ever-changing scenery in Denali National Park.

 

Edited July 11, 2015 by jmele999

[languages1]

Awesome review. Did you happen to keep the dailies of the ship. I would love to look at them. We sail 8/10 from Anchorage also. I leave the 27th for the Kenai peninsula. Would love to get a look at their Dailies since we are on the same itinerary

 

thanks

[jmele999]

Day 3 - The Kantishna Experience in Denali National Park

 

Along the way we saw a fox and enjoyed more beautiful scenery.

 

 

 

At the beginning of the day, the tour guide informed us that we were going to be stopping everyone 90 minutes for bathroom breaks. Regardless of whether you are on a narrated tour or using the park shuttle buses, all buses stop at the same rest stops. Our first stop was at 8:20 am at the Teklanika River rest stop, which is located at mile 30.

 

Below is a picture of the different buses at the rest stop. The green buses are the park shuttle buses, the tan and white bus is for the Tundra Wilderness Experience, and our bus (Kantishna Roadhouse) is the red and white bus.

 

 

The scenery is great at this rest stop and it also has a large number of restrooms.

 

 

[jmele999]

Awesome review. Did you happen to keep the dailies of the ship. I would love to look at them. We sail 8/10 from Anchorage also. I leave the 27th for the Kenai peninsula. Would love to get a look at their Dailies since we are on the same itinerary

 

thanks

 

Thanks. Yes I have the dailies and will be scanning them and posting them for each day of the cruise.

[jmele999]

Day 3 - The Kantishna Experience in Denali National Park

 

Shortly after the rest stop, we spotted (in the distance) our first bear.

 

 

And also enjoyed a closer look at Mount Mckinley.

 

 

 

[jmele999]

Day 3 - The Kantishna Experience in Denali National Park

 

We also made a 10-minute stop at the Polychrome overlook (mile 46) to look at the Polychrome mountains. The mountains are spectacular.

 

 

 

 

Since I included a picture of us wearing jackets, I think that it is a good opportunity to tell you about the weather - It was sunny and in the the mid 60's all the day. A different times during the day we took our jackets off because it was getting too warm. So if you are planning on visiting the park, plan accordingly and wear layers of clothing as the weather can be unpredictable in Alaska.