Adventure-Crew.com

The Talkeetna Ranger Station is open all year from 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (907-733-2231). To visit the Talkeetna Ranger Station turn at mile 98 on the George Parks Highway at the Talkeetna turnoff. Drive 14 miles to the town site on the Talkeetna Spur Road (paved). At the end of Main Street turn left onto B Street (about 4 blocks. The Talkeetna Ranger Station is the first building on the left. There are interpretive programs on the history of climbing at Denali and other topics of interest as well as Bradford Washburn’s photos of the Alaska Range. Denali National Park Visitor Center is located at mile 1.5 of the Denali Park Road. It is closed in the winter from September through late April, but the Murie Science and Learning Center is open during the winter from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm daily. Annual Winterfest takes place in early spring; usually during March. Call Park Headquarters for details at (907)683-2294. Information about how to travel safely in the backcountry is obtained at the Visitor Center during the summer time. The Murie Science and Learning Center will issue backcountry permits and give information during the off season.

The primary visitation season runs from May 1 to September 15. Visitation is lowest in winter months. There are both permanent and temporary wildlife closures every year in Denali. These areas are restricted to all entry and exist for the mutual protection of humans and critical wildlife species. Ask a ranger at the Backcountry Desk for recent closure information. Failure to avoid closures may result in a citation.

Mt. McKinley National Park was established in 1917. Its name and size was changed to Denali National Park and Preserve in 1980 and became an International Biosphere Reserve in 1976.

From earliest times, for at least 11 millennia, humans have been seasonally attracted to this remote and elevated country because of the concentrations of game animals. The migratory bands of caribou and sheep, the numerous moose and bear, and, in those earliest times, the relict bison and elk at the end of the last great ice age, have spurred human migration to the Denali region despite its isolation and forbidding terrain. In traditional times, a century and more ago, the people came from camps and villages on the many rivers fed by Denali’s glaciers: Susitna, Chulitna, Kahiltna, Yentna flowing south; Kuskokwim flowing southwest; Kantishna, Toklat, Teklanika, Nenana flowing north. Some of the hunters cut the arc of the Alaska Range, traveling westward 200 miles from the Copper River basin. Others congregated from the Tanana or portaged from the Yukon. These people came to hunt the high, sparsely forested slopes and valleys and the funneling narrows of the passes. They came by boat as far as shoaling streams allowed, then overland to the killing sites. After the hunt, their meat and skins in tow, they left Denali’s shelterless flanks and returned to the forested lands of the big rivers where logs for building and fuel, and migrating salmon for sustaining food, allowed survival through winter darkness and cold.

It was this gathering of wildlife, and fear that market hunting would destroy it, that inspired hunter-naturalist Charles Sheldon in the early years of this century. The park was established as Mt. McKinley National Park on Feb. 26, 1917. Sheldon’s vision of a park-refuge where visitors could view plentiful wildlife against the backdrop of stupendous mountains shaped the park’s founding legislation; it inspired the policies and practices of the new park’s first stewards and their successors through the years; it still determines the management philosophy and the visitor expectations of the expanded Denali National Park and Preserve.

In the distant reaches of the great Interior a few small steamboats plied the Yukon, whose forested banks opened occasionally for a log trading post or an Indian fish camp. Beyond the river, only scattered bands of hunters and the rare prospector roamed. Of government there was none. Over most of the Interior, for all one could see of “man sign,” it was the world of Genesis before God’s final creation. The Denali region and its approaches remained a blank space on the map, except for rough indications of mountains sighted from afar.

By the late 1880s the Arctic Mountains (later named the Brooks Range) had been partially explored—also the polar seas and coasts, the Yukon and its main tributaries, much of Southwest Alaska’s delta lands, and, excepting mountain fastnesses, most of the Pacific rimlands. But at the center lay terra incognita.

In the main, the Russians had stayed near the coast. Beginning in the 1830s, having exhausted the populations of sea otter whose pelts had sustained the Tzar’s enterprise in America for nearly a century, the Russian-American Company got serious about the Interior fur trade with establishment of posts on the lower or middle reaches of the Kuskokwim and Yukon rivers. Denali-region Indians participated indirectly in this trade via Indian middlemen who were based closer to Russian stations on the rivers and the coast.

British traders of the Hudson’s Bay Company intruded Alaska in 1847 to establish Fort Yukon, far northeast of Denali on the upper Yukon River, and hundreds of miles from the nearest Russian post on the lower Yukon. Americans took over these posts after the purchase, linking the upper and lower river with additional stations along the middle Yukon, including several in the vicinity of the Yukon-Tanana confluence.

In time, direct contact began between American traders and the Indians of Denali, who floated downstream to trading posts and camps on the big rivers. The traders were content with this arrangement. There was no reason to labor up shallow rivers if the Indians would bring their furs down them. No other economic motivation existed to push settlement beyond the riverine highways—until the ever-roving prospectors began to find color around the outer margins of Denali.

The first recorded reference to the Denali massif occurs in the 1794 journal of British explorer George Vancouver, who spent a month in Cook Inlet charting its waters—enough time for a break in the weather that gave him a view to the north. In his May 6 entry Vancouver named Cook Inlet in honor of his former captain on this same coast, James Cook, and noted “distant stupendous mountains covered with snow and apparently detached from each other,” a certain description of McKinley and its consort, Mount Foraker, from the inlet. In 1834, during explorations for a trade route between the Kuskokwim drainage and Cook Inlet, the Russian Creole explorer Andrei Glazunov portaged from the Yukon and ascended the Kuskokwim and Stony rivers seeking a pass across the Alaska range. When his Ingalik Athabaskan guides turned back to their Kuskokwim homeland, Glazunov was forced to turn back toward his base at St. Michael near the mouth of the Yukon, but not before noting on March 7 that he “saw a great mountain called Tenada, to the northeast.” At his location on the Stony River, Glazunov was nearly 200 miles from the mountain. His rendering of its name, Tenada, is traced to the Ingalik Dengadh. (The Koyukon name, Deenaalee, is the source of the modern Denali; all Athabaskan variants north of the Alaska Range mean “The High One.”)

In 1897, as Denali-Mount McKinley began its transformation into the dominant symbol of Alaska, the Klondike Gold Rush became an international phenomenon. Gold mining in the American West at the turn of the 20th century will forever be remembered for its sudden and feverish stampedes. In the 1890s, after thousands rushed to Canada’s Klondike goldfields, many miners headed west to try their luck in Alaska. Stampeding became a way of life for many frontier adventurers, and when Alaska’s boomtowns became too crowded or the pay-dirt too scarce, these wanderers followed rumors of gold into uncharted and exceedingly rugged territory. The Kantishna Mining District, deep within Denali National Park and Preserve, is one such place where hundreds of miners left the relative security of Dawson, Fairbanks, and Nome to seek their fortunes in the wilderness. Those men and women who staked the first Kantishna claims on the best land found wealth literally at their feet. The so-called sunburnt gold, resting on the surface of gravel streambeds, could be collected with an inexpensive gold pan. At a time when most miners were content to pan $5 in a day, some prospectors were finding $10 or even $25 in a single pan of Kantishna gravel. This stampede lasted from 1904-1906. Though Kantishna would never see another stampede, the land continued to sustain a small cadre of rugged miners for decades to come.

Although Mt. McKinley can be seen from Anchorage on a clear day, its base is deep in the Alaska Range. Explorers in the early 1900s used river boats, mules, and dog sleds to gain access to the mountain’s glaciers in order to establish base camps. Beginning in 1932, plane access to climb Mt. McKinley began saving the mountain climbing and ice climbing folks a few months travel time. That same year, bush pilot Joe Crosson set the “Cosmic Ray” Party down at the 5,700-foot level of the Muldrow Glacier. Twenty-two years later, in 1954, pilot Don Sheldon flew the first commercial flight from Talkeetna to Kahiltna Glacier. This has become the norm for most McKinley mountain climbers beginning their expeditions. 1903 is the earliest recorded attempt to climb the mountain, beginning a history of challenging the mountain and elements that continues today.

Towering 18,000 feet above the neighboring lowlands, the mountain, otherwise known as Denali, an Athabaskan Indian name meaning the “The High One”, rivals the vertical relief of the world’s greatest mountains. Mt. McKinley is possibly the highest granitic pluton in the world, which is undergoing continual tectonic uplift. The majority of the rest of the mountains and rocks in the park are sedimentary, a testament to the millions of years that central Alaska was an open seaway.

A major fault system, known as the Denali Fault runs in an arc through the Alaska Range and is the source of thousands of earthquakes that rumble through the area each year. These earthquakes, although frequent in number, generally go unnoticed by humans due to their remote location. The surrounding peaks of the 600-mile long Alaska Range are no less impressive than McKinley itself, and provide the scenic backdrop to the six million acres of pristine wilderness that make up Denali National Park. From the Alaska Range’s perpetually snow covered flanks glaciers flow radially, spilling out of the mountains like ribbons of ice.

Descending down from the realm of rock, snow and ice, you encounter open tundra expanses dotted with small lakes and ponds, remnants of a glacier covered landscape. Large turbid glacial rivers, run in wide, braided floodplains with clear water streams flowing in from lower tundra covered hills north to the Yukon River or south to the Susitna River. At lower elevations in the park the boreal forest, a mixed spruce forest with aspen and birch, winds its way up into valleys and along river corridors. The interior mountains support complex and diverse habitats resulting from variation in elevation, geology, slope, and exposure.

First and foremost, there’s the Mountain…all 20,320 feet of it, and still growing, at about 1 millimeter per year. In the process of plate tectonics, (the Pacific plate is diving beneath Alaska, or the North American Plate) land surfaces in Alaska are continually compressed and folded, which pushes up Mt. McKinley, as well as the rest of the mountains in the Alaska Range. Although surrounded by many glacier-clad mountains of similar grandeur, Mt. McKinley (or Denali, as the Athabascans call it), is primarily made of granite, which is very hard and resists weathering much better than its sedimentary (shale, limestone and sandstone) neighbors. As Denali is pushed up, it remains, like a resistant sentinel, above the others, which wear down faster through the eons of freezing, thawing, and glaciers grinding and scraping.

That sedimentary neighborhood is a long history of geologic puzzle pieces thrown together to form the park, and most of Alaska, as we know it. The Pacific plate has been acting like a conveyor belt for hundreds of millions of years, bringing bits of islands, ocean floor, and slivers of other continents northward to form accretionary terranes, which are pieced together like a jigsaw puzzle. This accretion of land is an ongoing process today, as the Pacific plate moves northward, colliding with Alaska at about 5 centimeters per year. New “additions” to Alaska are, of course, a very slow process, and to most people, even the most recent addition (the Yakutat block, along the southeast coast of Alaska) does not show any obvious evidence of collision and accretion. However, most of the terranes are identified as packages of rocks that are surrounded by faults, and have different rock types, fossils, and other physical properties, unlike their neighbor terranes.

The oldest terrane and rocks in the park are found near the park entrance, and are called the Yukon-Tanana rocks. These are shallow sediments with volcanic flows and intrusions (molten injections of rock) that formed in a very young Alaska. These rocks have been buried very deep for a long time, and subjected to heat and pressure that changes the rocks into metamorphic kinds (schists, gneiss, phyllites).

Over time ocean environments continued to dominate the site of Denali, where marine shelf, slope and basin materials accumulated or accreted to become the shales, limestones and sandstones of the Farewell terrane. These ocean sediments hardened into rock to form many of the great mountains in the eastern portion of the park, such as Mount Pendelton and Scott Peak. Fossils found in the Farewell terrane suggest that at least some of this period of time, the climate was very tropical, and lush coral reefs and other warm water fauna flourished.

Among the exotic terranes in Denali are those referred to as islandarcs(volcanic island chains, like the Japanese islands), which are identified by having volcanic and marine sedimentary rocks on top of each other. The Pingston and McKinley terranes are possibly from an island arc environment. Along the park road just west of Eielson Visitor Center, pillow basalts (lava extruded under ocean water, forming pillow shaped blobs) can be seen in the road-cut.

During the birth of Mt. McKinley long ago when molten magma solidified deep beneath central Alaska, volcanic activity (eruptions at the surface) was also occurring in the park, and produced red, yellow and brown basalts, rhyolites, and other volcanic rocks. These rocks can be seen along the park road, particularly at Polychrome Pass, named for the colorful volcanic rocks exposed there. Things again heated up at Denali about 38 million years ago, when another period of volcanic activity resulted in the basalts and andesites found exposed at Mt.Galen, and along the park road at the west end of Eielson Bluffs. Similar to Mt. McKinley, another granitic blob crystallized at depth beneath the surface to become Mt. Foraker, the second tallest peak in the park at 5303 meters (17,400 feet).

As a final tribute to the active tectonics of Alaska, a series of faults have fractured the park and most of the state in the last 100 million years. In Denali, this group of faults is known as the Denali fault system, which arcs East-West through the park (and most of the state) for 1200 kilometers (720 miles). Portions of the fault trace are visible within the park at Bull River divide, Easy Pass, and other locations.

Glaciers cover one million acres, or one-sixth of Denali National Park. Like the many arms of an octopus, glaciers flow away from the mountains transporting hundreds of thousand of tons of ice each year. This ice eventually melts in the lower reaches of the glaciers and rapidly fills rivers with turbulent muddy water that flows into the oceans. The most massive glaciers in the park drain snow and ice from the flanks of Mount McKinley. Glaciers play an important part in the development of the landscape of Denali National Park and Preserve.

Hundreds of unnamed glaciers and at least 40 named glaciers flow from heights as high as 19,000 feet and descend to elevations as low as 800 feet above sea level. The Peters Glacier flows from the north and northwest portion of the mountain, whereas the Kahiltna Glacier is situated on the southwestern side of Mount McKinley and shares the southern slopes with an arm of the Ruth Glacier. The Ruth Glacier primarily occupies the southeast side Mount McKinley. From the very top of the mountain, Harper Glacier dumps snow and ice into the upper reaches of Muldrow Glacier, which carries snow and ice off Mount McKinley’s northeast slopes. Of these glacial systems, the Ruth, Kahiltna and Muldrow Glaciers are the longest glaciers in the park; each is more than 30 miles long. The Kahiltna Glacier, which is not only the longest glacier in the park but also in the entire Alaska Range, is 44 miles in length.

There are five major terrain categories in the Denali Backcountry, with no maintained backpacking trails. Gravel River Bars: these flat, rocky surfaces characterize most major rivers in the park and provide fast, easy travel. Wet Tundra: this terrain is marshy and interspersed with hummocks. Dry Tundra: dry tundra exists at high elevations and affords good, solid footing for fast, easy travel. Brushy Tundra: accessing many backcountry units requires bushwhacking. Brush can exceed six feet in height, and thickness often limits visibility. Glacial Moraine: located at the base of glaciers and often denoted on maps by stippled areas, a moraine consists of ice covered with dirt and debris.

Denali’s subarctic wilderness is home to more than 1,500 species of vascular plants, mosses and lichens. These organisms form the foundation of the park’s ecosystems and define the habitat characteristics for all of the more famous and recognizable denizens of Denali National Park such as moose, wolves, eagles, caribou and grizzly bears.

Alaska stands at a floristic crossroads between Asia and North America. During the past two million years, this area has been predominantly associated with the biota of northeastern Asia as opposed to that of North America. This is because the periodic formation of continental ice sheets thousands of feet thick (which covered most of Canada and parts of the northern continental U.S.), has separated Alaska from continental North America on many occasions during this period of time. At the same time, the exposure of the Bering Land Bridge allowed plants and animals a wide dispersal corridor into Alaska from northern Asia. For this reason, many of the plant species of Denali occur in Alaska and northern Asia, but not elsewhere in North America. These plants are known as Beringian endemic species – species that occur only within the large region that was free of ice during the Pleistocene glacial advances.

Trees tend to grow best in the lowlands where it is warmer and sunnier and along rivers where the flowing water has melted the permanently frozen ground. In fact, trees dominate the landscape in many lowland areas of the park. Forests blanket the river plains and lower hills in the park where the growing season is longer and warmer, and conditions are more predictably favorable for plant growth. As you start to climb out of the valleys up to the ridges where it’s often cold and windy, you will notice that trees (and even lower shrubs) become fewer and farther apart, and the vegetation is lower to the ground with fewer woody species and many more grasses and forbs.

Denali National Park is located north of sixty-one degrees north latitude. There are only a handful of tree species that are able to grow and reproduce naturally this far north. In fact, if you go a few hundred kilometers even further to the north, you will reach the arctic tundra biome, where there are virtually no trees at all. There are eight species of trees that occur in Denali National Park. Three of these are coniferous (cone-producing) plants from the pine family (black spruce, white spruce and larch) and the other five are flowering plants from the willow and birch plant families (quaking aspen, balsam poplar, black cottonwood, paper birch and Alaska birch).

Like trees, shrubs are also woody plants, but shrubs tend to be shorter than trees when mature, and have multiple stems that are smaller in diameter as compared to the single, larger stem (or “bole”) that characterizes tree species. Shrubs are very abundant in Denali, including many of the areas often frequented by visitors along the park road. Shrubs are widespread on the landscape of the park, and are absent from only the highest alpine areas, and from only some of the very wettest wetland plant communities. Shrubs tend to occur most abundantly in subalpine regions where trees are less common, in riparian areas along streams, (where many species of willows and alders like to grow). Shrubs are also common in the understory of some of the boreal forest types in the park. There are a few species of shrubs that occur above the elevation where trees are absent from the landscape, even at elevations up to 5,000 feet.

There is a much higher diversity of shrub species in Denali as compared to trees. There are fifty species of shrubs representing 10 different plant families that occur in Denali National Park and Preserve. The willow (Salicaceae) and heath (Ericaceae) families contribute the most species of shrubs to our flora, with 17 and 11 species respectively. Other plant families that are represented by shrubs in our flora are the Rose, Birch, Currant, Honeysuckle, Dogwood, Oleaster, Cypress, and Bayberry families.

Much of the subalpine zone on the south side of the Alaska Range Mountains in Denali National Park is covered with impenetrable tickets of alder shrubs. These shrubs thrive in the moist, maritime-influenced climate of this area. Frequent disturbance from avalanches and rockslides in the steep terrain favors the alder species, which are often colonizers of disturbed ground and bare mineral soil. The roots of alders have small nodules that provide a home for the symbiotic bacterium Frankia to grow. Frankia is capable of fixing gaseous nitrogen from the atmosphere into a mineral form available to the alders for plant nutrition. In return for this nitrogen subsidy, the alders provide a protective shelter as well as sugars from photosynthesis for the well being of the bacteria. Many plant species that grow early in succession sequences have formed similar symbiotic relationships with nitrogen-fixing bacteria.

Dwarf shrubs are perennial woody plants that grow very close to the ground, generally below the blanket of snow that insulates and protects them during the harsh weather of the winter months in the subarctic. In part due to this strategy of staying below the snow pack, many dwarf shrubs are evergreen throughout the year. This is possible because their leaf tissues are protected from the extremes of climate. In contrast, the great majority of tall shrub species that occur in the park, whose branches venture out into the sub-zero subarctic air above the snow are deciduous, which means they lose their leaves each autumn. A deciduous habit is favored in tall shrubs because of the difficulty inherent in protecting the sensitive photosynthetic tissues from the scouring cold and dry winds that occur during the winter months. Instead, each fall these deciduous plants translocate many of the nutrients contained in their leaves to storage organs that are more protected, and then seal off the connection to the leaves, allowing them to wither and fall.

Dwarf shrubs such as Mountain Avens (Dryas spp.), Diapensia, and Cassiope are characteristic of the alpine tundra blanketing the ridges and slopes of Denali above approximately 3500 feet in elevation. These hardy perennials are the dominant component of many tundra types found in the park, particularly in some areas of late-lying snow in saddles and protected slopes. Mountain Avens (Dryas spp.) tundra is perhaps the most familiar and welcome vegetation type to hikers in the Alaska Range, because it is very common and it usually affords solid footing, dry feet and fast traveling. A surprise for many of our visitors from the south is the dwarf willow shrubs that adorn the mountains of Alaska. These diminutive tundra-dwellers that reach just a few centimeters in height are in fact very close relatives (in the same botanical genus – Salix) of the familiar “weeping willow” tree (Salix babylonica) found in the lower-48 states.

There are twenty-five species of dwarf shrubs that occur in Denali National Park, representing five different flowering plant families. The families with dwarf shrub representatives in our flora include: Heath family (11 species), Willow family (7 species), Rose family (5 species), and Crowberry and Diapensia families (1 species each).

Forbs are herbaceous flowering plant species. This category includes those plant species people think of as “wildflowers” such as goldenrod, gentian, fireweed, forget-me-not, larkspur, lupine, monkshood, poppies, and violets. This is the most species-rich group of plants in the Denali National Park flora, including about 450 species of plants from 54 families of flowering plants. The families with the largest numbers of forbs in the Denali National Park flora are Aster family (59 species), Mustard family (45 species), Buttercup family (32 species), Pink family (31 species), and Saxifrage family (31 species).

Forbs occur in all habitats across the park from aquatic communities to the driest, most windswept scree-slopes and ridges. The dazzling diversity of forms and colors within this group reflects a similar diversity of physiological adaptations and life history strategies. Consider, for example, the ecological biographical, morphological and physiological spectra represented by just three of our 450 species of forbs – Scamman’s Spring beauty (Claytonia scammaniana), Yellow Pond Lily (Nuphar polysepalum), and Round-leaved Sundew (Drosera rotundifolia).

There are many activities to be enjoyed at Denali. Check at the visitor’s center to see what is recommended by the staff at the time you are visiting. Enjoy camping, hiking, backpacking, fishing, mountaineering, bike riding, wildlife viewing and photography. While summer is the most popular time to visit Denali, winter offers many recreation and sightseeing opportunities such as cross-country skiing, dog mushing, snowmobiling, ice climbing, and camping.

Hike an entrance area trail. Each of these trails provides opportunities to explore the taiga (boreal forest) and observe wildlife. Go on your own or join a ranger-guided walk. Hike down to Horseshoe Lake or to the Mt. Healy Overlook. The Horseshoe Lake trail is an easy to moderately strenuous hiking trail 1.5 miles long. You will see spectacular views of Horseshoe Lake and Nenana River as well as wildlife sightings. Mount Healy Overlook Trail is a strenuous 2.2 miles one-way hike with dramatic views of the park entrance area, as well as the Nenana River valley, and alpine ridges. Join a ranger for a Discovery Hike. There are ranger lead walks & talks every day. You must sign up in advance at the main Visitor Center for Discovery Hikes.

The Tundra Wilderness Tour (six to eight hours roundtrip during peak season) and the Denali Natural History Tour (five hours roundtrip) provide formal interpretive programs and a way to see the park. Both tours provide a snack or box lunch and hot drinks. The Denali Natural History Tour is a fully narrated cultural history tour that includes a visit to the historic Savage Cabin and an Alaska Native interpretive program. There are several highlights to see along the way. Polychrome Pass & Rest Area offers a spectacular view of the colorful Alaska Range. The Polychrome Glaciers are nestled in the hills to the south, while bears and caribou often wander on the river bars below. For a day hike, walk along the ridge behind the rest area and enjoy alpine scenery. Buses run as far as Polychrome from June to August. Toklat River is an area of braided glacial rivers and towering cliffs where Dall sheep are often seen. Grizzlies sometimes graze on the riverbed’s soapberries. Buses run as far as Toklat from May 25 through Mid-September weather permitting.

If you have only ½ a day to explore the park, participate in one of the sled dog demonstrations conducted three times daily during peak season (May — September). Free bus transportation from the Visitor Center is offered. Hike an entrance area trail. Each of these trails provides opportunities to explore the taiga (boreal forest) and observe wildlife. Go on your own or join a ranger-guided walk. Watch the orientation slide program at the Visitor Center, and hike down to Horseshoe Lake or to the Mt. Healy Overlook. Ride the Savage River shuttle bus to Mile 15. Keep a lookout for moose, caribou, wolves and ptarmigan. In clear weather, Mt. McKinley may be seen in the distance from Mile 9. Once at the Savage River Day Use Area, hike the Savage River Trail.

If you have a full day, take a shuttle bus to Fish Creek at Mile 63 on the park road. From this location enjoy tremendous views of Mt. McKinley. Plan your own hike. Topographic maps, guidebooks, and knowledgeable staff can assist you in planning a trip. All are available at the Visitor Center.

If you have a few days… you have the opportunity to create more Denali memories to carry home. Plan in advance to camp at one of the park campgrounds or hike and enjoy an interpretive program. For the adventurous, obtain a backcountry permit and take a few days to explore Denali’s vast backcountry.

Visit Denali’s Talkeetna Ranger Station, located 100 miles south of the park in the town of Talkeetna. This is a spectacular road trip that goes through Denali State Park and provides ample opportunities for viewing the mountain on clear days.

People have been climbing Mt. McKinley for over 100 years. Mountaineering is an exciting and potentially dangerous endeavor. Make sure that you are experienced before attempting to climb the mountain. There are guide services available. You must be registered with the park service to obtain permission to climb Mt. McKinley.

Subsistence hunting is permitted in the 1980 land additions to the park, and sport hunting is permitted in the preserve portions of Denali. Local people harvest many different species of animals for food including moose, ptarmigan, grouse, and fish. They also harvest fox, marten, lynx, wolverine, beaver, and wolves for their fur.

Because of active plate tectonics, earthquakes are frequent in the Denali area. It is estimated that there are some 600 seismic events per year within the park boundaries at magnitude 1 (M1) or greater. Most of these earthquakes (about 70%), average between M1.5 and M2.5, and often occur near the surface (0-15 km/0-9 miles deep) at locations all over the Park. But these events are not usually felt by anyone because of the low magnitudes. A large share of earthquake activity is right under Mt. McKinley, frequently, at very deep locations (90 – 125 km/54-75 miles deep), providing few people the opportunity to experience them. This seismic activity at the root of Denali suggests that uplift of the mountain continues to this day. Numerous faults, including the Denali fault (a major fault system), demonstrate a long history of active plate tectonics and associated earthquake activity.

Generally, the highest magnitudes events that occur in the park in any given year are in the neighborhood of the mid to high M4’s, and again, are often right under Mt. McKinley or near the Kantishna Hills on the Northwest side of the park. Larger magnitude events (>M4.5) are not common in the park, but records show that a few have occurred. On May 21, 1991, a M6.1 earthquake occurred at a depth of 112 km right under Mt. McKinley, and was noticed by climbing teams on the mountain who reported numerous massive snow and ice avalanches. In November and early December of the year 2000, two earthquakes occurred on the north boundary of the park at M5.7 and M5.0, which shook local residences, and was felt as far away as Fairbanks. Historically, seismic events have not been known to damage man-made structures within the park.

On October 23, and November 3, 2002, the park and most of central and southern Alaska experienced a foreshock of M6.3, and a main shock of M7.9. The M7.9 was the largest earthquake to occur in the interior of the state in recorded history. The epicenters (point on the earth surface where the quakes originate) of each of these large earthquakes was about 50 km (30 miles) east of the park, on the Denali fault. Although the park area only suffered spilled shelf items and a few road sags, at other locations about 166 km (100 miles) east of the park, roads were fractured, several homes were jostled off their foundations, and the Trans-Alaska oil pipeline lost some of its support members.

The Park supports active research on seismic activity, and collaborates with the Alaska Earthquake Information Center (AEIC) and other groups to better monitor and understand the seismic activity in and near the park. Three seismometers are located within the park, and other efforts to install portable seismometers or instruments regarding the movement or nature of the earth’s crust are ongoing.

The future of trumpeter swans is promising yet tenuous. While populations appear to be slowly on the rise, many dangers still exist and the National Audubon Society lists trumpeter swans as a conservation priority on their nationwide Watch List.

The most serious threats to trumpeter swans include habitat loss resulting from expanding human populations, increases in human disturbance, and lead poisoning. Habitat loss is especially prevalent on the winter ranges. There is increasing interest to develop visitor facilities and new access points in the southern portions of Denali. Because trumpeter swans are highly sensitive to disturbance, park managers must protect swans and their habitat in this area. Working cooperatively with US Fish and Wildlife Service researchers, Denali scientists are conducting surveys to locate nesting and pre-migratory staging swans and describe their habitats in the southern portion of Denali. Using this data, park managers and others will be able to locate new visitor facilities and access routes away from important swan habitat.

Summer comes quickly to the park with warm days in late May or early June, which melt any remaining snow and allow the vegetation to turn green. June tends to be a drier month than July or August and, although it may snow during any month of the year, the first snows signaling fall may come as early as late August or early September. The park itself does not tend to get as much snow as many other parts of Alaska; seven feet of snow for a winter tends to be average. Through the early season, the skies stay light almost all day, and for summer backpackers, darkness does not become a concern until mid-August. The weather from day to day and week to week tends to be fairly unpredictable, as the mountains tend to create their own weather.

Current Park Weather

For backpacking in the backcountry you can use this backpacking checklist: hiking boots (waterproofed) and wool socks, Neoprene socks and gaiters for river crossings, rain parka and pants (ponchos not recommended), and polypropylene, nylon, or wool clothing (avoid cotton). Be prepared for temperatures ranging from 30 ºto 80 ºF (-1 ºto 27 º C) in the summer months. Stove, fuel, cookware, water bottles, water filter (preferably equipped with silt stopper device), compass and map (maps available at Visitor Access Center), toilet paper and trowel, tent with rain fly and waterproof floor (bivouacking is not recommended), sleeping bag and pad (for any overnight summer trip, protection to 20 º F (-7 º C) is suggested), insect repellent and/or head net, emergency gear, such as first aid kit, knife, and a signaling device such as a whistle, signal mirror, or flare, and large plastic or waterproof bags to protect the gear inside your pack, are also recommended.
To keep the Denali backcountry in pristine condition for others, please take care in how you hike. Hike on durable surfaces whenever possible, such as gravel river bars. Avoid hiking single file; spread out and disperse to prevent the formation of social trails. Use the Leave-No-Trace principles.

Cyclists need to keep in mind some special considerations — there are no repair stations along the way so please plan to fix your own flats and other common problems. Also, make sure you carry water or have a filter or potable aqua tablets to make water from streams and rivers safe to drink. Obey all area closures and treat wildlife the same as if you were on foot. Remember that off-road biking is not allowed in the park. It’s best to plan for many types of weather at any time in the park. Sun, rain, hail, wind and even snow are all possible in the summer.

There are no bridges across rivers in the backcountry. You must negotiate your own river crossing and pack gear accordingly to keep dry in the event of an accidental swim. Water temperature is approximately 36 ºF (2 ºC), and a cold immersion may result in high risk of hypothermia. Try to cross where the river is braided and dispersed, rather than concentrated into a single deep, narrow channel. Due to the high silt content of the water, it is often difficult to ascertain the true depth of the water. River depths can also vary widely during a trip depending on rainfall and temperatures. Glacial rivers generally run lower in early morning hours, so plan accordingly.

Glaciers present numerous hazards and any form of glacier travel should be treated with respect and preparation. If planning a traverse over the upper ice and snow portions of a glacier, carry appropriate equipment, such as ice axe and crampons. Practice roped travel and know how to affect a crevasse rescue. If crossing the lower glacial moraine, be alert and use caution. While equipment is not required for this mode of travel, glacial moraine still presents many potential hazards, such as debris slides, ice caves, and uneven terrain. If your trip includes mountaineering, please plan accordingly and bring appropriate equipment, such as crampons, ice axe, prussiks, etc. Inform the ranger at the Backcountry Desk of your plan and complete a mountaineering permit application. Permits to climb these mountains cost $200 and applications must be received at least 60 days in advance of your expedition date. The special use fee offsets costs to the South District related to mountaineering, such as maintaining the high-altitude ranger station, staff, and mountaineering booklets. This fee is paid in two installments. A non-refundable & non-transferable deposit of $25 U.S. currency is due when you submit your completed registration form. The remaining balance of $175 U.S. currency plus park entrance fee will be due when you check in at the Talkeetna Ranger Station. In addition to the special use fee, a 60-day pre-registration regulation allows mountaineering rangers to have direct contact with climbers before they arrive in Talkeetna. In doing so, rangers are able to suggest appropriate routes for different levels of expertise and offer first-hand knowledge of conditions encountered in the Alaska Range. The National Park Service strictly enforces these regulations. Mountaineers that have climbed Mt. McKinley or Mt. Foraker since 1995 can request a “seven-day rule” exemption to the 60-day pre-registration period and instead register only 7 days in advance of the climb. Individuals seeking registration under the “seven-day rule” must be on record at the Talkeetna Ranger Station as climbing in or after 1995. This rule is applied on an individual basis — in order for the entire expedition to be eligible for the seven-day exemption, all members must qualify.

Denali National Park & Preserve Mountaineering Booklet, available in eight languages, covers mandatory requirements, search and rescue information, clean climbing requirements, high altitude medical problems, glacier hazards, and self-sufficiency. You should have a solid understanding of potentially serious medical problems and awareness of the extreme mental and physical stresses associated with high altitude mountaineering. To obtain a printed version of the Mountaineering Booklet in English, French, German, Russian, Spanish, Japanese, Korean or Italian, please call: Talkeetna Ranger Station (907)733-2231 or email to DENA_Talkeetna_Office@nps.gov.

The Talkeetna Ranger Station is staffed daily from April through September and Monday through Friday during the winter months. Mountaineering rangers live in Talkeetna year-round. The town of Talkeetna is located 114 road miles north of Anchorage on a highway that is well maintained year-round. Talkeetna has five inns, several bed and breakfasts and six restaurants. There are two campgrounds and two small stores. There is an ATM machine available for cash transactions.

Thirty nine species of mammals have been documented in Denali National Park and Preserve. Mammals here range in size from the 1200 pound moose to the 1.5 gram tiny shrew. A goal for many visitors to the park is to see the “big five”. On a ride along the park road visitors can see a moose browsing in a stand of willow, caribou resting on a snow patch to avoid insects, Dall’s sheep high on the hillsides, a wolf trotting across the tundra, or a grizzly bear feeding on ripening blueberries. Many other mammals in Denali are less obvious but no less interesting and important. Camouflage is an adaptation used by two of Denali’s mammals. To blend in with the summer vegetation, the fur of snowshoe hare and short tailed weasel (ermine) is brown. Their fur changes to white to blend with the winter snow.

Animal life and activity in Denali is dictated by the seasons. Winter is the longest season and the animals that are year-round residents are well-adapted to life in the subarctic. The brief spring season brings the return of 80% of Denali’s bird life, the waking of hibernating bears, and an increase in activity levels of wildlife. Summer is a time for raising young and preparing for migration, hibernation, or survival during the winter. Summer also brings hordes of insects, including mosquitoes. In late summer king and chum salmon run in the multitude of streams and rivers. In autumn, migrating birds fill the skies and bull moose gather their harems of cows for the mating season. Year-round residents include all the mammals, fish, about 18 species of birds, and the one lone amphibian, the wood frog. Mammals survive the long subarctic winters in many ways. Some species like grizzly bears, black bears, hoary marmots, and arctic ground squirrels hibernate. Other species like mice and voles live under the snow in tunnels and burrows. Caribou, Dall’s sheep, and moose are active throughout the winter and are constantly on the move searching for food and evading predators. Wolves are also active year-round, and like their prey, are constantly moving in search of food. Full time resident birds such as gyrfalcons, ptarmigan, black-capped and boreal chickadees, and redpolls are efficient at finding food and conserving energy, so there are always bird watching opportunities.

Arctic ground squirrels are the largest and most northern of the North American ground squirrels. This species is common in the ice-free mountainous regions of Denali. Arctic ground squirrels are obligate hibernators and spend 7 to 8 months in hibernation. Like many other arctic animals, arctic ground squirrels have unique physiological adaptations that allow them to survive during winter. Researchers at the University of Alaska at Fairbanks have shown that during hibernation, arctic ground squirrels adopt the lowest body temperature ever measured in a mammal. The body temperature of hibernating squirrels drops below freezing, a condition referred to as supercooling. At intervals of two to three weeks, still in a state of sleep, hibernating squirrels shiver and shake for 12 to 15 hours to create heat that warms them back to a normal body temperature of about 98 degrees Fahrenheit. When the shivering and shaking stops, body temperature drops back to the minimal temperature. This type of hibernation is rare among mammals and scientists are still studying this unique physiological behavior.

The black bear in Denali is typically confined to forested areas and is most often reported seen on the east end of the park, Kantishna Hills, and in the portions of the park on the south side of the Alaska Range. Their choice of habitat is usually one that keeps them away from contact with brown bears, a much larger competitor species. Most often black in color, black bears lack the shoulder hump prominent in grizzly bears. The tan muzzle is distinctive. They have strong curved claws that allow them to climb trees with agility, a talent grizzly bears lack. Unlike other tree-climbing mammals that descend head-first, a black bear walks down a tree with its rear legs in the lead.

The grizzly bear is characterized by a distinctive hump on the shoulders, a slightly dished profile to the face, and long claws on the front paws. Grizzly bears usually live as lone individuals, except for females accompanied by their cubs. Grizzly bears can be seen in close proximity in areas of abundant food, such as berry patches and salmon spawning areas. During the breeding season, a male may attend a female for up to two weeks for mating. Grizzly bears are omnivorous, eating a mixed diet of grasses, berries, roots, fish and small mammals. They are also predators of caribou and moose and their calves. They will scavenge carrion when available. The roots of pea vine (Hedysarum alpinum) are important spring and late fall food. Green vegetation is preferred through the summer. Berries, especially blueberries (Vaccinium uliginosum) and soapberries (Shepherdia canadensis) form the bulk of the diet starting in late July when grizzly bears go into a feeding frenzy called hyperphagia. During this time they eat nearly nonstop.

The range of the Denali Caribou Herd is almost exclusively within the boundaries of Denali National Park and Preserve. The Denali Herd inhabits most of the park east of the Foraker River and north of the Alaska Range throughout most of the year. During the summer the body of the caribou is generally covered by brown fur. Coloration is variable, ranging from pure white through tan to dark brownish gray, with lighter rump and undersides. In the winter the coat turns grayish to almost white in color and gets thicker and longer than the summer coat. The coat is made of two layers: a guard coat made of straight, tubular hairs and a wooly undercoat. Mature caribou stand approximately four feet tall at the shoulder, eight feet in length and weigh from 130 to over 350 pounds. Caribou hoofs are very large and form a nearly circular print – acting like snowshoes to keep the animal from sinking in the snow. Both males (bulls) and females (cows) grow antlers standing as high as three feet or more.

Collared Pikas are small mammals within the same order as rabbits and hares. They resemble small rabbits with very short ears and small limbs. Early naturalists called these little animals rock rabbits or conies. Cony is a generic term used to describe many small rock-dwelling mammals including pika and hyrax. Pikas are active year-round and live mainly in talus slopes and boulder fields. Their sharp “enk” call is a characteristic sound along the many talus and boulder fields in Denali. Pikas are highly territorial. While many pikas may inhabit a talus slope, individuals actively guard their territories and food caches. Pikas do not hibernate and they do not store much body fat. To maintain their year-round active lifestyle, pikas establish several food caches in their territories. Pikas forage throughout the short subarctic summer and store many different types of vegetation in their caches. Pikas will also forage on lichens and other low-lying vegetation under the snow during winter.

Snowshoe hare live in the boreal forests of North America and are active year-round. They gain their curious name from their very large hind feet that are lined with stiff hairs that form a snowshoe, supporting their weight on the surface of the snow. They blend in well with their surroundings because of their seasonal variation in fur color, from brown in summer to almost pure white in winter. The gradual shedding of the coat and replacement of the guard hairs occurs two times per year and is triggered by changes in day-length. In Denali, they inhabit the spruce forests as well as shrubby habitats in riparian areas. In many areas of the boreal forest, snowshoe hares are the dominant herbivore.

The diet of snowshoe hares is diverse. In summer they eat herbaceous plants and the new growth of woody vegetation. In winter, they eat twigs, buds, and bark. Snowshoe hares browse heavily on vegetation and often leave behind well-defined browse-lines (often referred to as “hare lines”). Hares will also re-ingest their feces to extract all of the available nutrients from their food.

Hares are well adapted for escaping their predators. They have keen hearing and upon detecting a predator they often freeze in their tracks. This, in addition to their camouflage coloration, tends to be an effective means of avoiding predators.

Dall’s sheep are prevalent throughout the high mountains within the eastern and western-most portions of the park. They use the ridges and steep slopes for feeding and resting, and the rocks and crags to elude predators. The population within the original park boundary is of great interest to wildlife managers because it is one of the few populations in North America that is not currently hunted and still shares its range with a natural complement of large predators. The diets of Dall’s sheep vary from range to range. During summer, food is abundant, and a wider variety of plants are consumed. Winter diet is much more limited and consists primarily of lichen and moss. Dall sheep visit mineral licks during the spring often traveling many miles to eat the soil at these sites.

Male Dall’s sheep are called rams and are distinguished from females, called ewes, by their massive curling horns. Adult rams live in bands that seldom associate with ewe groups except during the mating season, or rut, in late November and early December. The head butting that rams are known for is the way males establish their reproductive rank. These clashes occur intermittently throughout the year but are most dramatic during the rut when rams compete with each other to mate with ewes. As rams mature, their horns form a circle when seen from the side. Ram horns reach half a circle in about two or three years, three-quarters of a circle in four to five years, and a full circle or “curl” in seven to eight years.

Hoary marmots are large rodents that live mainly in alpine areas. Their loud, clear warning calls are a common sound in the mountainous regions of Denali. Marmots are burrowing animals and their lifestyles revolve around their burrows. Marmots live in loosely formed colonies made up of small family units (a pair of adults and their offspring). Colonies usually occur as “neighborhoods” of two or more family-based colonies. Marmots live in areas that provide good subsurface protection, escape from predators, food supplies, and relief from annoying insects. These areas often occur at high elevations near cliffs and rocky outcrops, and at the base of talus slopes. Hoary marmots are obligate hibernators. In Denali, they are usually active from May through mid-September, and they hibernate the rest of the year. Members of a family usually overwinter in the same burrow or hibernaculum.

Moose inhabiting Denali National Park and Preserve face many natural and human related factors that potentially affect behavior, distribution and population. These factors include weather, predation by wolves and bears, and human development. Moose in the park tend to live in forested areas that are often close to lakes and marshes and other bodies of water. Moose are also excellent swimmers. In the winter they remain in their territory, often in willow marshes, and form “yards”- they create paths in the deep snow as they paw for food. During the summer they graze on grasses, forbs, underwater vegetation, bushes, coniferous needles and deciduous leaves. Moose are very large, fast animals and are aggressive when disturbed.

Adult males are called bulls, adult females are cows and the young are called calves. Moose are not typically found in large herds, they are mainly found as single animals or in small groups. Moose are the largest member of the deer family. Adult males can weigh 900-1400 pounds and females can weigh 700-1100 pounds. They have extremely long legs and stand 5-6 ½ feet at the shoulder. They use their long legs to wade into bodies of water and eat plants off the bottom. Their legs also enable them to paw through deep snow to reach food in winter. Their body is covered with black or very dark brown hair. They have a very large head with a dewlap of skin, called a “bell,” hanging down from the jaw.

Moose breed in late September and early October. Bulls have large antlers that curve upward and back. The antlers are palmate; having a flattened area like the palm of your hand, with the fingers or tines pointing up. The bulls use these antlers to spar during the breeding season or rut. During the rut bulls and can be extremely aggressive and dangerous. The antlers are grown each spring and shed in early winter, after breeding season. The breeding season is one of the few times moose form small groups.

The red fox is abundant, widely distributed over the park, and frequently seen. Color phases other than red occur, sometimes even in the same litters. While the most common color is red, red fox can be black, silver or a cross between red and silver, known as “cross fox”. A prominent white-tipped tail is a distinguishing feature for all color phases. Underground dens are used for the rearing of pups. Dens may be found in the open, in forest, on slopes, or on flat terrain. Most are dug into the soil and may have several entrances. Red fox pups are born in the early part of May. They spend most of the summer in or near the den where they are provided food by the parents.

Small mammals including voles, mice, lemmings, arctic ground squirrels, and hares make up the bulk of the diet for most of the year. Red fox eat berries, especially blueberries and crowberries when they become available in July and sometimes through the winter if other foods are not readily available. Red foxes hunt by smell, sight, and sound. They have excellent eyesight, a keen sense of smell and acute hearing. Sometimes they wait patiently for the sound of a mouse moving along its path in grass or snow and then pounce; at other times, hearing movement underground, they dig quickly and locate the prey by its scent.

In Alaska, wolf populations (5,900 to 7,200 animals) are not considered endangered or threatened. There are approximately 14 packs of wolves in Denali with approximately 92 animals. Wolf groups, or packs, usually include dominant male and female parent (alpha pair), their offspring and other non-breeding adults. Wolves begin mating when they are 2 to 3 years old, sometimes establishing lifelong mates. Wolves usually rear their pups in dens for the first six weeks. Dens are often used year after year, but wolves may also dig new dens or use some other type of shelter, such as a cave. Pups are born in early spring and are cared for by the entire pack. They depend on their mother’s milk for the first month, and then they are gradually weaned and fed regurgitated meat by other pack members. By 7 to 8 months of age, when they are almost fully grown, the pups begin traveling with the adults. Often, after 1 or 2 years of age, a young wolf leaves the pack and tries to find a mate and form its own pack. Lone dispersing wolves have traveled as far as 500 miles in search of a new home.

Wolf packs usually live within a specific territory. Territories range in size depending on how much prey is available and seasonal prey movement. Packs use a traditional area and defend it from other wolves. Their ability to travel over large areas to seek out vulnerable prey makes wolves good hunters. Wolves may travel as far as 30 miles in a day. Although they usually trot along at 5 mph, wolves can attain speeds as high as 45 miles per hour for short distances. Indirectly, wolves support a wide variety of other animal populations. Ravens, foxes, wolverines, and even bears feed on the remains of animals killed by wolves. Wolves also help regulate the balance between ungulates (hoofed animals) and their food supply.

Denali’s lone amphibian, the wood frog, occurs across the forests and wetlands of interior Alaska. It is a rather small frog (1 to 7 centimeters long, nose to vent) and it breeds in seasonal ponds primarily in forested areas. The surprisingly loud calls of wood frogs are a sign of spring in interior Alaska. Subarctic areas are harsh environments for amphibians and very few species occur in these regions. Frogs are known as ectotherms, meaning that their body temperatures fluctuate with ambient air temperatures and their surroundings. Scientists speculate that wood frogs were able to adapt to the harsh environment in interior Alaska because they quickly change from tadpole to frog before the water freezes in the fall. But how do they survive during the long, cold subarctic winter?

Wood frogs are just one of many creatures that use “cryoprotectant” chemicals to survive freezing temperatures. As summer turns to fall across North America, wood frogs prepare for winter by burrowing into decaying leaves on forest floors. The eyeballs and extremities of wood frogs start to freeze as daily temperatures drop below 32 degrees Farenheight (0 degrees Celsius). The first sign of freezing apparently stimulates the brain to send a message to the wood frog’s liver, which starts to convert stored glycogen into glucose, a sugar. The glucose circulates through the frog’s bloodstream into the cells where it lowers the freezing point of water. The glucose also protects cells from damage and minimizes the effects of dehydration. As the temperature continues to drop, the frogs freeze solid. Throughout the entire winter, hibernating frogs are inanimate: they don’t breath and their hearts don’t beat. Alaskan wood frogs tolerate colder temperatures and freeze for longer periods of time than wood frogs in all other areas of North America, and can survive temperatures as low as –120 C.

Scientists have found that core organs, such as the heart and liver, freeze last and thaw first. That means vital body functions such as circulation and metabolism are maintained for the longest possible time. Once the temperatures rise in spring, the frogs thaw and they are off in search of ponds for breeding.

Denali’s avifauna includes migratory birds from all over the world and a hardy group of residents. The abundance of birds in Denali ebbs and flows across the seasons, increasing significantly as migrants return to Denali in the spring and decreasing when they depart on their autumn migration. Summer birding in Denali rewards visitors with the opportunity to view these migratory species in a spectacular northern environment. Birding in winter is slim by the numbers, but high in rewards as observations of pine grosbeaks, mixed flocks of ptarmigan, and perhaps a gyrfalcon or northern goshawk awaits the hardy winter birder. Of the 167 species of birds recorded in Denali, 149 occur regularly and 119 are recorded as breeders (nesting in the park and preserve). Many of the birds that breed in Denali travel thousands of kilometers each year to return to their nesting areas. These are the true “globe trotters” of the bird world and they connect Denali to global ecosystems.

Many of the 21 species of shorebirds that breed in Denali are long-distance migrants. Shorebirds nesting at higher elevations include the American golden plover, upland sandpiper, surfbird, and Baird’s sandpiper. Shorebirds nesting at lower elevations include the semipalmated plover, greater and lesser yellowlegs, solitary sandpiper, wandering tattler, spotted sandpiper, whimbrel, least sandpiper, long-billed dowitcher, common snipe, and red-necked phalarope. Birds with intriguing names, like the wandering tattler, attract bird watchers by the score. The American golden plover has exquisite plumage, an evocative voice, and a globe-spanning reach (they winter in South America). Surfbirds, which spend most of their lives along coastal areas in the “surf”, nest in the mountainous regions of Denali. George Wright made the first scientific observation of a surfbird nest on a rocky ridge in Denali on May 26, 1926.

Two elegant species, the long-tailed jaeger and the arctic tern grace the summer skies of Denali. The beautiful long-tailed jaeger nests on the tundra and these lithe aerial hunters patrol the northern landscape in search of prey. Their wintering areas are not well-documented, but they probably spent most of the winter at sea. Equally as agile and elegant as jaegers, arctic terns nest near the numerous lakes and ponds in Denali where they seem to hover effortlessly over the water in search of prey. The arctic tern is probably the most famous long distance avian migrant in the world, traveling between breeding grounds in the arctic and wintering habitat on the waters near Antarctica.

Several species of passerines are true globe trotters and these species attract much interest from bird watchers and scientists alike. Northern wheatears are summer visitors that nest in the tundra in Denali and spend their winters in sub-Saharan Africa. Arctic warblers commonly nest in willow thickets and their harsh calls are difficult to ignore. This Old World warbler winters in southeastern Asia (China, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Borneo) but returns to Denali and arctic regions to breed. (Adolph Murie, one of the first scientists to work in Denali, documented the first two nests of this species for North America among the tall willows of Igloo Creek in 1955.) Blackpoll warblers breed across the boreal regions of North America. This tiny bird is a celebrity in the migration world. Their annual journeys between North America and South America are among the longest of passerine birds.

Redpolls are small songbirds that reside year-round in Denali. Studies suggest that common redpolls can tolerate colder temperatures than any other small songbird. Redpolls depend on several unique adaptations to survive in northern environments. Their plumage weight in winter is twice that of summer and they often erect their feathers in winter to retain heat. Redpolls eat large amounts of high-calorie foods before nightfall, store the foods in a pouch in their esophagus, and digest the foods after they have gone to roost. Like other resident songbirds, redpolls seek out sheltered places for roosting. During winter, redpolls occur in large flocks, although their numbers fluctuate greatly among years. A unique life history characteristic of redpolls is their apparent lack of territoriality. They are one of the few songbirds that are not territorial during the breeding season. In winter, large flocks search northern forests for food. These flocks are principally nomadic and may move thousands of kilometers in search of food.

While Alaska supports a population of bald eagles greater than that in all of the other states combined, the mountainous regions of Denali, especially north of the Alaska Range, are much better suited to golden eagles. Bald eagles occur in Denali mainly on the south side of the Alaska Range near lakes and rivers, but golden eagles outnumber bald eagles park-wide by 70%.

The golden eagles that breed and raise their young in Denali are migratory. Their annual journeys span eastern Alaska, western Canada, the Rocky Mountains, the Great Plains and northern Mexico. Golden eagles spend mid-March to late September in Denali where territorial pairs reunite, breed, and raise their young. While traditional nesting areas are used for many years, Denali’s scientists do not know whether or not the same pairs remain together over their lifetime and use the same nesting area each season.

Golden eagles in Denali usually build their nests on cliffs or rock outcroppings, although a few nests are in trees. Reproduction is influenced by the abundance of prey during the early spring breeding season. Many more pairs of eagles lay eggs and raise young in years when springtime populations of snowshoe hare and willow ptarmigan are abundant than when these important prey species are scarce. Denali is home to the longest running golden eagle ecology study at high latitudes in North America. Results from this long-term monitoring program are shedding new light on the natural history of these magnificent predatory birds.

Elusive, powerful, and well-adapted for life in northern latitudes, gyrfalcons are the largest falcon in the world. However, we understand little about their ecology due to the remoteness of their northern breeding areas. Gyrfalcons are one of the few diurnal raptors that are year-round residents in Denali. From late February through October, gyrfalcons share the Denali skies with a large breeding population of golden eagles.

Gyrfalcons are true arctic birds. They breed across the circumpolar north and leave only when food is scarce. They are extremely powerful fliers and can chase down prey such as ptarmigan with apparent ease. During the breeding season, gyrfalcons prey heavily on arctic ground squirrels and ptarmigan, and occasionally on snowshoe hare. During winter they rely heavily on ptarmigan.

Gyrfalcons don’t build their own nests. Instead, they often use the stick nests of other raptors to raise their young. In Denali, gyrfalcons often use stick nests in golden eagle territories for their own use. The presence of two large, territorial aerial predators in close proximity to one another often leads to spectacular aerial dogfights. Gyrfalcons lay eggs in March, when daily temperatures rarely rise above freezing. Like other early nesting raptors, gyrfalcons must endure late winter and early spring snowstorms during incubation. The nestlings, usually one to four individuals, grow rapidly and fledge by mid to late July.

Northern hawk owls are a rare sight in the wild. They are often spotted perched at the top of spruce trees. Birders with good ears can also find them by listening for their vocalizations. In Denali and adjacent areas, birders are most likely to find northern hawk owls in late winter or early spring as they move in search of nest sites, mates, and prey. The northern hawk owl occupies a circumpolar range and breeds in Alaska, northern Canada, Scandinavia, and across northern Russia. Three subspecies exist worldwide but only one, Surnia ulula caparoch, resides in North America. These owls live and breed in the northern boreal forests of Alaska, Canada, and Newfoundland.

Largely nomadic, northern hawk owls move across their range in response to prey availability and climatic conditions. When the weather is severe and prey availability is low, northern hawk owls may move southward into more temperate latitudes of Alaska, Canada, and the northern continental United States. These southern movements are referred to as “irruptions” and may span thousands of miles.

There are three subspecies of peregrines in Alaska, the American or continental peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus anatum), the tundra or arctic peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus tundrius), and the Peale’s peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus pealei). Tundra peregrines breed at higher latitudes in Alaska and Peale’s falcons occur in southern Alaska. The American peregrine falcon is found throughout interior Alaska, especially along rivers. Only the American peregrine falcon breeds in Denali, but tundra peregrines probably pass through during migration.

The American peregrine falcon is one of the best known raptors in North America. Many people are aware of the population declines of this species due to problems with egg-shell thinning caused by persistent organic pollutants such as DDT. Populations of this species were driven to the brink of extinction and the peregrine falcon was federally listed as an endangered species in 1973. Reducing DDT in our environment provided peregrine falcons with a chance to recover and the population in Alaska has grown rapidly from 1980 to the present. The American peregrine falcon was removed from the endangered species list in 1999.

American peregrine falcons were never common in Denali. The extensive alpine regions of Denali do not support high densities of prey favored by peregrines and the lowland areas don’t contain many cliffs or rock outcrops for nesting. In 1988, Denali scientists documented the first breeding pair of peregrine falcons in Denali on a granite tor near Chilchukabena Lake. In 1989 these scientists found another pair breeding on a small bluff on the Toklat River and in 2002 they found two more pairs, all on the Toklat River. It appears that peregrines are moving into some of the lowland areas in Denali as their populations grow in interior Alaska.

All three species of North American ptarmigan: willow, rock and white-tailed, live in Denali. Ptarmigan are members of the grouse family and they spend much of their lives on the ground. They are, however, very capable fliers and often use their speed and agility to escape aerial predators such as gyrfalcons and golden eagles and terrestrial predators such as red fox. Ptarmigan blend in well with their surroundings; all species change the color of their plumage in the winter. The tail of the white-tailed ptarmigan is white throughout the year. The tails of the willow and rock ptarmigan remain black throughout the year.

The smallest and least common is the white-tailed ptarmigan. In summer it lives on high mountain ridges. The larger and more abundant rock ptarmigan lives on mountainsides and in mountain valleys. The largest and most abundant species is the willow ptarmigan. Willow ptarmigan occur across many habitats in Denali, but are not usually found at higher elevations. Ptarmigan are year-round residents in Denali. In winter, all three species may flock together and they may travel great distances searching for food. Flocks may be as large as several hundred ptarmigan. The feet of ptarmigan are feathered and these rather stiff feathers provide them with good support for walking on snow.

The cackling, groaning, growling, snoring and screaming vocalizations of ptarmigan are common sounds in Denali each spring. Increases in vocalizations signal that the breeding season is underway. Male ptarmigan are very territorial and they vigorously defend their territories from other males. Once breeding is over, however, male rock and white-tailed ptarmigan leave the rest of the job of raising their young to the females. But male willow ptarmigan actively defend their females and their young. Some male willow ptarmigan breed with more than one female and protect these females and their young as well. Ptarmigan are highly specialized for living in alpine and arctic regions.

Named for their resonant brassy call, trumpeter swans are a common sight across Denali’s skies during the spring and fall and can be found throughout Denali’s wetlands in the summer. Those swans that return annually to breed in Alaska number over 17,500 and belong to the Pacific Coast population. The Pacific Coast population makes up about 75% of the world’s total number of trumpeter swans. Driven to near extinction by humans in the 19th century, focused conservation measures have helped trumpeter swans wage a comeback. Removed from the Federal Endangered Species list in 1968, current surveys estimate the worldwide population at 24,000 swans.

The rich wetlands of the northwestern and southwestern portions of Denali support large numbers of breeding, brood-raising, and pre-migratory staging swans. Breeding habitat includes freshwater marshes, ponds, lakes, and slow-flowing rivers. Swans build their nests on old beaver houses and dams, and on emergent vegetation, either floating or anchored to the bottom of the water body. Many nests are built offshore and are usually surrounded by a 20 to 30 foot (6 to 9 meter) moat.

Do not feed or allow wildlife to obtain human foods. Maintain a minimum 1/4-mile (.7 km) distance from bears. Do not approach or follow wildlife. Maintain a minimum 25 yards distance from all other animals, dens, and nests. If your presence alters an animal’s behavior, you are too close.

In the Front country, prevent all food and garbage problems by keeping housing and hotel areas clean; no food, beverages, coolers, or dirty grills left outside; not even empty cans or coolers; always use bear-proof trash cans and dumpsters; never leave trash beside a full can; and be responsible, report or correct problems. Bears commonly use front country areas so watch for bear sign: tracks, scat, kills and respect posted warnings. Removing signs endangers people and bears. Be careful on roads and trails. Stay alert and make noise while hiking or biking. If you encounter a bear while bicycling, do not try to outrun the bear,
Keep food with you, and keep the bike with you. Hold bike between you and the bear. Back away slowly.

In the Backcountry, watch for bear sign. Recognize prime feeding areas and avoid them if possible, i.e., berry patches. Bears travel along trails and rivers. Watch for natural bottlenecks that could funnel bears into your camp. Avoid surprising bears. Travel in the open when possible. Make noise when visibility is limited. Travel/camp with one or more companions. More eyes can watch for bears. Conversation is a good way to alert bears to your presence. Bears are less likely to approach groups. Never approach a bear. Get out of the way or detour widely if you have that option, especially if a bear is not aware of you. When a bear sees you, let the bear know that you are human. Wave your arms over your head and speak in a firm, even tone. Back away slowly. If a bear approaches, Hold your ground, don’t run, and don’t drop your pack! Back away slowly if the bear stops. Never play dead unless a bear actually makes contact with you, then keep your pack on, pull your knees up toward your chin and stay as quiet as possible. Never cook or eat in or at your tent. Listen carefully to the information given at the back-country desk about setting up your camp. Avoid eating or storing food where visibility is limited. Be prepared to re-pack all food, even cooked food, in your BRFC and lock the lid at a moment’s notice. Above all, listen to the rangers in the park you are visiting as some animals react differently in some parts of the country than others. See the Wildlife Precautions page for further information.

$10.00 for individuals and $20.00 for families – 7 Days

Camping in Denali offers a great way to experience this spectacular park. There are five established campgrounds in the park. You may camp a total of 14 days per year in Denali National Park & Preserve’s established campgrounds. Denali’s campgrounds all have different access, fees, and facilities. Campsites can be reserved in advance in one of four ways: fax your reservation form beginning December 1, through August 31, of each year-1 (907) 264-4684; mail your reservation form beginning December 1 and continuing through August 31 of each year (forms received before December 1, will not be valid)- Doyon / ARAMARK Joint Venture, 241 West Ship Creek Avenue, Anchorage, Alaska 99501; phone reservations are: Nationwide 1 (800) 622-7275, International 1 (907) 272-7275, Anchorage Local 272-7275; and at the Wilderness Access Center you can reserve campsites depending upon availability.

Riley Creek Campground is close to camper convenience store, laundry, and shower facilities. It’s located 1/4 mile west of Alaska Hwy. #3, at the entrance of the park, and is open year-round. There are 150 sites for RVs & tents with flush toilet and water with limited facilities Sept.-May. Fees run $20.00/night for Drive- up site and $12.00/night for Walk-in site, but are waived in the off season.

Savage River Campground and Group Campground is open 5/18-9/17; weather dependent. It’s located on Mile 13 and has 33 sites for RV’s & tents, with 3 group sites. There is flush toilet and water. The fees are $20.00/night for individuals/families and the group fees are $40.00/night.

Sanctuary River Campground is located on Mile 23 and has 7 sites, tents only (no vehicles). It is open 5/18-9/12; weather dependent and offers chemical toilet, but no water. The cost is $9.00/night plus a one time reservation fee of $4.00.

Teklanika River Campground is located on Mile 29 and has 53 sites for RV only. It is open 5/19-9/16; weather dependent and offers flush toilet and water. The fees are $16.00/night with a 3-night minimum stay plus a one time reservation fee of $4.00.

Wonder Lake Campground id located on Mile 85 and has 28 sites, tents only (no vehicles). It is open 6/8-9/12; weather dependent and has flush toilet and water. The fees are $16.00/night plus a one time reservation fee of $4.00.

Denali’s Trailless Wilderness offers opportunity for backcountry camping. Traveling and camping in this expansive terrain is special. The lack of developed hiking trails, bridges, or campsites means that you are free to determine your own route and discover Denali for yourself. However, with this freedom comes responsibility – responsibility for you and for the wilderness. Self-reliance is paramount. You must be prepared to travel cross-country through remote terrain in harsh weather, and rescue yourself in the event of problems. It is also your responsibility to help protect the special resources and opportunities that are present at Denali by carefully following the principles of Leave No Trace so that your travels do not diminish the experience of those who follow you.

While camping in the backcountry, you may park your private vehicle in the Riley Creek Campground overflow parking area at no charge. This parking area is located approximately 0.25 miles from the Wilderness Access Center.
The 6 million acres of Denali National Park and Preserve is divided into 87 separate backcountry units (see the backcountry unit map for unit descriptions and locations). Forty-one units have a limit on the number of individual people that can camp in each unit per night. During peak summer visitation many of these units are heavily used, so please come to the Backcountry Desk with several alternative trip itineraries. Don’t become discouraged if your first choice is not available. There are 6 million acres to choose from, and all of the units offer excellent wilderness camping trips. Forty-one backcountry units have a specific quota. Unit availability determines where you may camp each night and you must camp in the unit for which you have a permit. There is a maximum 7 consecutive nights in a single unit with maximum 30 nights in the backcountry (various units).
Permits are issued only in person (no telephone reservations), and no more than 1 day in advance of your trip. All party members must be present to receive a permit. Permits are available at the Backcountry Information Center (BIC) located at the Riley Creek Entrance Area.

Once at the park allow approximately one hour for the permit process, which consists of five basic steps: 1. plan your itinerary, 2. watch backcountry video, 3. safety talk, 4. delineate maps, and 5. purchase Camper Bus tickets. Preplan several alternative itineraries prior to your arrival in the park. Building flexibility in your plans is very important because certain units may be unavailable at the time you actually wish to obtain your permit. Remember to be conservative when predicting your daily mileage. There are no trails, and travel can be slow and difficult in brushy areas or when fording glacial rivers. Upon your arrival at the BIC, several additional resources, such as unit description guides, local maps, and knowledgeable staff, will be available to assist you in planning your trip. The informative 30-minute video program is presented at the BIC and will answer many questions you will have about negotiating the Denali backcountry. It covers topics such as campsite selection, bear and wildlife encounters, river crossings, Leave No Trace principles, Bear Resistant Food Containers (BRFCs), and much more. All members of your party must view this program. Following the video, all party members must be present for a brief safety talk to receive the backcountry permit and the Bear Resistant Food Containers (BRFC) that is required for proper food storage. You must sign your permit in recognition that you understand all backcountry rules and regulations. Violations of the conditions of the permit may result in adverse impacts to park resources and legal consequences. Unit boundaries and wildlife closures are not marked in the backcountry. It is your responsibility to know their location. Fifteen minute (1 inch =1 mile) USGS topographic quad maps are strongly recommended and are available for purchase at the BIC. After obtaining the proper map(s), delineate unit boundaries and wildlife closure boundaries so that you will know where to hike and camp during your trip. Confidence in how to read topographic maps and basic compass skills is recommended for all backcountry users.

Access to most park backcountry units requires use of the Visitor Transportation System (VTS). Special Camper Buses that are built to accommodate people and their large gear packs depart the WAC several times a day. To secure space for your party, you should purchase tickets at the WAC soon after obtaining your backcountry permit. This bus system will take you to the start of your hike. When your trip is finished, or if you wish to move to another part of the park during the course of your trip, simply return to the park road and the next available VTS bus will pick you up. If you combine a campground reservation at Wonderlake and a backcountry trip, secure your camper bus ticket when you make reservations for Wonderlake and that ticket will be good for your backcountry trip also. Just let the staff at the BIC know that you already have your camper bus ticket when you arrive to get your backcountry permit.

Plan to spend 30 minutes surveying for the best place to establish your camp. Your tent must be at least 0.5 miles away from the park road and not visible from it. Camp on durable surfaces such as gravel river bars; avoid damaging fragile tundra. In pristine areas like Denali, avoid camping where others have camped.
Do not move rocks or plants; leave the area as you found it so that future hikers do not see signs of your use. Fires are not permitted in the Denali Wilderness. Fuel for portable camp stoves is available for purchase at the Riley Creek Mercantile, located in the immediate vicinity of the Wilderness Access Center. When cooking, remain alert for bears; be ready to pack up and move quickly.

Giardia and Cryptosporidium are protozoa found in unfiltered water and present serious health risks. Take one of the following precautions before drinking water from a natural source: boil for 1 minute, use a water filter, or treat with iodine tablets. If using a water filter, remember that many of Denali’s rivers carry glacial silt. This silt will quickly clog any water filter and render it inoperable. The addition of silt-stopper devices is highly recommended for any water filter. Neither pit nor chemical toilets are available in the backcountry. You must be prepared for proper waste disposal using the following guidelines: dig a hole at least 6 inches (15 centimeters) deep for fecal waste and at least 200 feet (60 meters) away from water, and pack out all toilet paper and sanitation products.

Bear resistant food containers, hard plastic portable containers, are a vital part of Denali’s bear/human conflict management program. You must store all food, garbage, and scented items in a BRFC when camping overnight in units where they are required. Their consistent use has resulted in a bear population that does not associate humans or their property with food sources. A small BRFC weighs 3 lbs. and holds 3-5 days of food for one person, and the larger BRFC weighs 5 lbs. and carries 7-10 days of food. BRFCs are issued free of charge with backcountry permits and must be returned within 48 hours following a trip. If the BRFC is lost or damaged, you may be held responsible for its replacement. Kevlar or bear-resistant bags are not permitted.

Mountain biking is a great way to see Denali National Park and get some exercise at the same time. Visitors are allowed to bike all 90 miles of the road. Off-road biking and biking on trails are strictly prohibited. If you wish to travel the park road and hike from your bicycle, you must still camp at least 1/2-mile (1.3 km) from the road and not be visible from it. Bicycles must be stored at designated bike racks at established campgrounds, the Visitor Access Center, or Toklat Road Camp while you hike. Reservations are required if you wish to stay overnight in campgrounds along the park road. To make reservations, call 1-800-622-7275. Each Camper Bus can accommodate two bicycles. Using the camper bus allows you to travel deep into the park for a day trip. Bicyclists should be as prepared as all hikers in terms of gear and equipment. The high brush and often difficult terrain makes hiking without a backpack impractical, so those who wish to combine biking with backcountry should be prepared to transport a pack while biking. For extended backcountry treks, you may cache food and supplies in bear-proof food lockers located at any established campground area, or the Toklat Road Camp. Label food/supplies with party name and date you intend to retrieve it. Denali National Park cannot be held responsible for caches.

Hiking and camping south of the crest of the Alaska Range requires additional preparation and skill. This area contains ice fields, sheer rock, heavily crevassed glaciers, extremely large rivers, and very dense brush. To obtain permits to camp in these areas, contact the Talkeetna Ranger Station at (907) 733-2231. For information on winter camping in Denali, contact Park Headquarters at 907-683-2294.

Yukon – Charley Rivers National Preserve, Western Arctic National Parklands, Katmai National Park & Preserve, Lake Clark National Park & Preserve, Wrangell- St Elias National Park & Preserve, Sitka National Historical Park, Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve, Kenai Fjords National Park, Nowitna National Wildlife Refuge, Kanuti N.W.R., Koyukuk N.W.R., Yukon Flats N.W.R., Kenai N.W.R., Tetlin N.W.R., and Chugach National Forest are all surrounding the park at varying distances away.

To arrive at the park, you can air travel to either Anchorage or Fairbanks and then car/shuttle/train to Denali. Anchorage is 240 miles to the south and Fairbanks is 125 miles to the north of the park.

Denali is accessible by car or via the Alaska Railroad from either Anchorage or Fairbanks. Denali Park’s headquarters is located along Alaska Route 3, the George Parks Highway, approximately 240 miles north of Anchorage, AK, 125 miles south of Fairbanks, AK, and 12 miles south of Healy, AK. Denali Park’s mountaineering headquarters is located in Talkeetna, AK, approximately 100 miles north of Anchorage, AK. In summer a variety of private bus and van services and the railroad operate daily from Anchorage and Fairbanks.

The Denali Park Road is accessible by private vehicle for 14.8 miles to the Savage River Bridge. To travel to destinations farther into the park, shuttle and tour bus services are available. Bicycles are permitted along the Park Road. The majority of visitors access the north side of the park by way of a single road 90 miles long. Beyond Mile 15 of the park road, visitors cannot drive personal vehicles and must enter the park by bus, bike, or on foot. Denali National Park & Preserve’s south side is accessed mostly by mountaineers climbing Mt. McKinley and other peaks in the Alaska Range, or by scenic flight tours.

Approximate Mileage from the following major cities to Denali National Park:

By Car:

Anchorage, AK – 238.88 miles

Fairbanks, AK – 120.31 miles

Talkeetna, Ak – 153.69 miles

Wasilla, AK – 195.42 miles

Palmer, AK – 208.75 miles

By Train:

Alaska’s State Railroad runs directly to the entrance of Denali National Park.

By Plane:

Air travel to either Anchorage or Fairbanks and then car/shuttle/train to Denali.

Denali National Park, P.O. Box 9, Denali Park, AK 99755-0009
Headquarters 907-683-2294
HQ-Teletype for the Deaf/Hearing Impaired (TTY) 907-683-9649
Talkeetna Ranger Station, Box 588, Talkeetna, AK 99676
By Fax 907-683-9617

Map