Day  1     The adventure begins at 8AM, meeting in downtown Anchorage at the Susitna Place B&B (727 N Street), unless otherwise previously arranged. From here we'll head northward with a quick stop in Wasilla at the headquarters for the 1000 mile Iditarod Sled Dog Race. The displays and short video here give a good insight into dog mushing in general, as well as the lifestyle and the commitment it takes to train for and run the Iditarod itself. Pushing northward towards the beacon of North America's highest peak Denali (also still referred to as Mt. McKinley), we'll enter into the great Alaska Range of mountains which serves as the divide between the vast drainages of the Yukon to the north and the Matanuska-Susitna Rivers to the south. The location of our hike this afternoon will depend upon recent weather and trail conditions, but will certainly feature some wonderful scenery and the possibility of coming across wildlife such as moose or caribou. Our alpine camp for the next two nights is a private one on a bluff overlooking Jack River, with The Great One, Denali, hopefully deigning to fill our tents' doors . . .

Day  2     In the morning we'll drive the last 30 miles northward to the entrance of Denali National Park. A stop at the Visitor's Center will better acquaint us with Denali, and it is here that we will board a Park Service bus to travel into the Park, as the vast interior is closed to private vehicles. The round trip is a full day, and opportunities are some of the best anywhere for wildlife viewing. And then there's the scenery . . . chances are very good to see bears, caribou, moose, and possibly even wolves. Photographic possibilities are excellent, as the bus will stop at any desired location at the group's request. In the late afternoon when we exit the Park, our legs will most likely demand a stretch and a variety of trails await. Should the weather be cooperating another option is flightseeing from a nearby airstrip (costs approx. $275-285/person). It's a truly indescribable experience to witness the stark and formidable higher elevations from this perspective --and if "The Mountain" is "out", then there's just no question. It's then back to our camp for dinner and an evening tundra exploration.

Day  3     After breakfast we'll pack up and turn east to cross the spectacular Denali Highway. It is a 135 mile gravel road across wide valleys, alpine tundra and haunting scenery that is open only in the summer months and the only road through this remote area. Crossing glacial river and lake country, wildlife viewing opportunities abound in this large stretch of wilderness inhabited year-round only by the occasional trapper and wilderness hermit. We'll stop along the way at a couple of the unique establishments to mingle with some of the locals. After crossing the beautiful Maclaren River we will gradually climb up to Maclaren Summit (elev. 4082 ft), the second highest point on the Alaska road system. Here we will leave the van for a great ramble above treeline, walking north towards the impressive Maclaren Glacier and mountains of the Alaska Range. This alpine tundra hike is spectacular, allowing for expansive views in all directions. Numerous kettle lakes dot the landscape and the possibility of seeing migrating caribou is good. After reaching Paxson, we will turn north on the Richardson Highway and depart the road to reach the base of the imposing Gulkana Glacier for a quick hike across a swinging bridge and onto the glacier's terminal moraine. A few miles south we'll find our lodging in the comfortable rooms of the scenic Meier's Lake Roadhouse.

Day  4     The Richardson Highway, following the old Valdez-Eagle trail, leads us southward through Glennallen to the Visitor Center of our nation's largest National Park, Wrangell-St. Elias. An undeveloped jewel, the Park coupled with the adjoining Kluane National Park of Canada, is the largest piece of protected wilderness on the planet. We'll pick up a one-lane abandoned railroad grade at the confluence of the Copper and Chitina Rivers, that leads us 60 miles into the center of the Park and the near ghost towns of McCarthy and Kennicott. The road ends at the Kennicott River, with public access to McCarthy limited to a footbridge. We though, will utilize a private vehicle bridge to access our own private facility on the island between the Kennicott River and McCarthy Creek. It's truly a fantastic spot with views in all directions, from the towering icefalls up high, to the glacial creek tumbling just out front. Legs and palates will no doubt demand a short walk to the tiny ghost town of McCarthy (possibly wetting whistles at their unique tavern/watering hole) followed by an "untrailed" hike over the glacial moraine below where the Kennicott and Root glaciers join. It's an eery landscape seemingly of another planet, and darned beautiful. Working our way back along one fork of the Kennicott river to the confluence with McCarthy Creek, leads us back to camp for dinner and surely an evening fire on the river gravel bar right in front of our tents.

Day  5     A post breakfast van trip up the remainder of the road four miles to the abandoned company town of Kennicott overlooking its glacier namesake, allows an almost unbelievable exploration of an entire town sitting much the way it was when the mines closed in 1938. It is almost eery to find items in the store still on the shelves, a hospital with patient records still in the attic, dozens of other buildings, and the incredible 14-story mill building itself. Kennicott is truly a ghost town without equal, with its remoteness dictating that many things were not worth transporting out, coupled with a fortunate lack of vandalism. We'll continue onward by foot paralleling the glacial moraine to reach the face of the Root Glacier itself. If careful, it's possible to walk up onto the face for a little ways. It truly is another world. Heading back down, possibly by the manual method along the old Wagon Road, brings us back to McCarthy for a drink or appetizer in the local restaurant. The contrast between the two towns is now very apparent, with Kennicott the regimented company town, and McCarthy, the nearby free wheeling outlet for all of the those lonely miners . . . Another evening camp dinner and creekside fire with views all about is definitely in order.

Day  6     Today feels a bit more leisurely, with the morning open to explore such options as fantastic flightseeing (cost approx. $150-200/person), hiking, or just plain relaxing. In the afternoon we'll reluctantly be on our way, winding out of the park and back to pavement to the Tok Cut-off just north of Glennallen, where we find another spectacular campsite (private again!). Situated on the edge of a great bluff overlooking the Copper River and its huge valley, Wrangell-St Elias Park stretches in nearly all directions. The volcanoes of Mt. Sanford and Mt. Drum dominate the view, with the wide plain below just begging for binoculars to spot the wildlife movements. It's a spot that eagles seem to frequent, as the 500 foot bluff directs their flight path on eye level with our tents.

Day  7     Today the road leads southwest, leaving the basin of the Copper River and climbing to the divide of Eureka summit, with the Talkeetna Mountains to the north and the Chugach to the south. It's a beautiful mountain drive through to the huge valley of the Matanuska and Susitna rivers, home to most of Alaska's agricultural industry. We'll take a short hike either here or further along past Anchorage, depending on trail conditions. Beautiful views abound as we round Turnagain Arm along the Chugach Mountains and onto the Kenai Peninsula. Turning off the main road and following along the south side of the Arm leads to the little end of the road community of Hope. The second oldest gold rush town in Alaska, Hope is still predominately built of log, from the tiny church to the old Social Hall, still hosting weddings, dances and community functions. It's a very special place and it is here that we'll lodge for the next two nights in cozy log cabins overlooking Bear Creek. We'll dine at the local establishment with possibly a campfire and hot tub to cap the day?

Day  8     Blueberry pancakes for breakfast should give a good start, before heading out on our hike. We'll leave right from our cabin door, heading up Bear Creek Valley to high alpine country, taking our picnic lunch along. You'll have earned dinner by the time we return, and a leisurely barbecue is planned on the deck overlooking our cabins. Afterwards, if you still feel spry, you might be inclined to sample a bit of the "wildlife" at the local watering hole down by the ocean at the Seaview Bar.

Day  9     Leaving the Kenai Mountains and skirting the Chugach while winding back around Turnagain Arm brings us to Girdwood, home to the Alyeska Ski Resort situated here due to a much higher level of precipitation than even the adjacent valleys. It is a microclimate that gives rise to a temperate rainforest with flora quite different from Hope, just a couple dozen miles away. Lush ferns and undergrowth along with large spruce trees are dominate on the trail up Winner Creek to its beautiful little gorge and hand tram. It might be a late lunch but worth it at the The Bake Shop upon return. And then it's on back to Anchorage in the late afternoon, each of us probably just a bit different than when we left, and most likely figuring out just when we can return and find out what's over one of those ridges spied earlier . . .