How to Plan an International Trip: Travel Tales and Tips : Alaska Trip Report, DAY 6, Talkeetna Flightseeing of Denali, Drive to Denali

Day 6, Sep 4, 2018:

Mckinley flightseeing, SOUVENIR shopping, Drive to Denali National Park

TALKEETNA ACCOMMODATION:

We stayed 1 night at Talkeetna Roadhouse, 100 year old historically significant Alaskan frontier roadhouse. Full of antiques and

beautiful hand made quilt curtain. I had to restrain myself from fixing the couple of flowers that had come off and were dangling.

DENALI FLIGHTSEEING:

We headed off to Talkeetna airport, 2 minute drive from our hotel. we had a Mckinley flightseeing tour booked at 9 am with Talkeetna Air Taxi. We had booked just a week prior and availed the 15% discount on their website. There was a group of 8 Japanese with us.

As usual we were the first at the checkin office at the airport. When we were being weighed and checked in, we had told the reception girl we wanted to be seated near the pilot. This is because I had had a great experience sitting near the pilot on our helicopter ride over Victoria falls in Zimbabwe, Africa. The girl said it may not work out on the plane as the propeller will block the view for the camera. This turned out to be true.

We waited in the open deck near the lovely gas heaters

We were the first to board our plane. Son did sit in the pilot cabin first but found the windshield too high and the side window too small. The passenger seats are just one on each side each with a big window. much better windows than the copilot seat.

We sat on the first seats, buckled up, put on the ear phones.

It was one of the best experience of entire Alaska trip, and we cannot praise it enough. The pilot was excellent.

As we rose above the clouds, the sky was crystal clear. Both the north and south peaks of Denali were in very clear view.

It was a robust introduction to Denali and the Alaska Range. We followed the river systems of Talkeetna across the Susitna Valley into an incredible landscape of icefalls, glaciers and snowy peaks.

We saw Denali's massive sister peaks: Mt. Foraker at 17,402 ft (left), and Mt. Hunter at 14,500 ft (middle) by the side of the mighty Denali (right).

We flew over and along the Great Gorge of the Ruth Glacier, mile high granite walls filled with a 4,000 foot thick river of ice, and the deepest canyon in North America.

We viewed the Don Sheldon amphitheater. There were Stunning snow-capped peaks, Intense blue meltwater pools, Cascading icefalls.

We circled the mountain for a full hour, great value for $200. In Hawaii, we had paid the same amount for a 20 min helicopter ride in Big Island a few years ago.

The Japanese guy who sat near the pilot was struggling to get pics on his tablet without the propeller blocking half the view.

We came back from our terrific flight seeing, had a light lunch. We checked out, walked to the Talkeetna River park

Denali and other Alaskan ranges were NOT visible... no issues!

We then strolled the main drag and bought some lovely souvenirs. They were at 30% discount as the season was coming to an end.

We then drove on to Denali

This was our route: https://goo.gl/maps/TYTt4SgfSG42

Wilderness access center:

Reached the wilderness access center. We collected the Denali shuttle passes for the next 2 days.

DENALI VISITOR CENTER:

We visited their lovely visitor center, enjoyed the exhibits

We then drove further to our hotel at Healy.

DENALI PARK HOTEL, HEALY:

All rooms including our have mountain views with the lovely sight of 3 glaciers. The hotel sign on the road has 2 Alaskan train coaches and the check in office is also in a coach!

The room has lovely moose quilts/comforter. We stayed 3 nights and enjoyed our stay.