The Last Great Frontier
A “bucket list” stop for DJ and I was a two-week trek to Alaska in late May/early June. After a much-delayed flight, we had a quick four-hour stay in Anchorage before boarding a bus to Denali National Park and Preserve. The vast, rugged landscape of the park triggered a sense of awe, curiosity and wonderment as we explored the exceptional beauty of the last great frontier. The wilderness [also known as the bush) is home to moose, bear, caribou, and bald eagle.
As we traveled to Mount McKinley Resort, we spotted in the backdrop the former Mount McKinley, now called Mount Denali (meaning “the high one”). The massive formation towers over 20,300 feet and is the highest peak in North America. The 24-hour stay included hiking with a professional guide and survivalist who had a wealth of information about the bush, wildlife and vegetation native to the area.
The next stop was a 4-day stay in the town of Denali with a population of 4,000 people during the tourist season running from May 15 – September 15. In contrast, the town’s population dwindles to just 400 people who brave the cold weather and nearly 24 hours of darkness each day during non-tourist times of the year. This quaint small community boasts many shops filled with native relics and keepsakes: totem poles of all sizes from a few inches high to more than ten feet tall; wood carvings sculptured in the likenesses of moose, bears, caribous, bald eagles, whales, and sea lions; hand-made jewelry; rocks and crystals; and, of course, the customary souvenirs like the Alaskan-branded tee-shirts and hats … to name a few. Besides shopping, we hiked the trails, ventured out on a covered wagon trail ride for an evening feast while we took in the night-time sky with full sunlight beating down on us at midnight. On one hike, our group encountered two moose crossing the path we were on and just a few yards or so away from us. These magnificent creatures loomed more than 7 to 8-ft tall … and that’s just to the top of their shoulders and does not include the added height of their head and antlers. Remember: This is a wild animal that you do not want to cross paths with at any time. And they just crossed our path! Phew!
We then took a nine-hour, glass-dome train ride to reach our destination in Whittier to hop aboard a Princess cruise ship for the following week. But as we trekked across the massive and sprawling landscape by rail, DJ and I were awe-struck. It was beyond anything I could imagine. We traveled through the Alaska mountain range spanning over 600 miles long. I’ve been to Colorado, Montana, and Utah to experience the mountains, but this was simply magnificent and beyond anything I had ever encountered in my life.
Once we boarded the ship, we quickly settled in to our new cabin quarters. Stops were made as we docked at ports in Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan. I will say the highlight of the trip was a helicopter ride from Juneau to the untamed and enchanting beauty of Mendenhall Glazier that connects to the vast Juneau ice fields. We were told that the ice was nearly 1000 ft deep. Outfitted in hypothermia clothing, ski boots with bear claw-like cramp-ons, a helmet, an ice pick and other rigging, we were ready to tackle the massive ice surface for a two-hour hike atop the ice. We sampled a taste of the ‘bluer than blue’ water that pooled from melting ice that, according to our guide, was over 100 years old. No impurities and the best tasting water ever! One of our guides chipped off pieces of “diamond-like” ice from the land mass for each of us to hold and examine. It was simply beautiful.
An added bonus to the trip was the people we met. Some resulting in lasting friendships of those we’ll keep in touch with and discover more new adventures with them.
What an incredible experience to explore the Juneau Ice Field, a vestige of the last ice age! An unforgettable trip we will always treasure!
A Pearl of Wisdom:
Life is precious. Take in the beauty of this earth around you. Hike the trails near your home or far away. Breathe in the fresh air and pause to reflect on your surroundings. You never know what you might discover along the way.