Denali National Park

Denali National Park is expansive. It is 6 million acres of protected land, larger than the state of Massachusetts. Most of the park remains unspoiled wilderness. It was made a national park is 1917. To say you could live here your whole life and only see a portion of it is an understatement.

In the park you have the taiga and tundra. Taiga is a Russian word for the northern evergreen forest, refering to the little bit of tree growth up in the Artic Circle. Tundra is an open and vast landscape of dwarfed shrubs and small flowers. The tundra starts at above the tree line (about 2,700 feet) To hike on the Tundra is fantastic. It is wide open and you have spring in your step. Below the tundra and soil is the Permafrost. Permafrost is frozen ground, which has been that way for thousands of years. Plants have to be tough to survive this landscape. But somehow some 650 species of flowering plants have adapted and found a way.

Denali is home to the Big 5 animals. Bears, Caribou, Moose, Wolf, and Dall sheep. Other smaller mammals in the park include fox, weasel, wolverine, lynx, snowshoe hare, marmot, ground squirrel, pika, porcupine, beaver, shrew, vole, and lemming. In total there are 37 mammal species in the park.

The landscape's most impressive feature is the mountain: Denali (aka Mount Mckinley). There has always been a debate over the name of the mountain. While the official name is Mount Mckinley, locals and natives prefer the Athabaskan name of Denali.  The Athabascans say that Denali was created by their first ancestor while in battle. He turned his enemies' ocean waves of anger into mountains. The largest mountain he named Denali, meaning the "High One".

But in 1896 a gold rush reporter, William Dickey, named the mountain after presidential candidate Mckinley, who happened to be a supporter of his favorite issue (gold). But the US Board of Geographic Names dictates that no living person can be commemorated. But when the President was assassinated in 1901 the name change become official. Throughout the years many Alaskans and mountain climbers have lobbied to have the name changed back to Denali. In 1975, the Alaska legislature made an official request but it has never been accepted because Congress always has pending legislation to keep the name. It is currently at a stalemate.

Denali is the highest mountain on the North American continent. Looking at the mountain from Wonder Lake (elevation of 2,000 feet) up to the summit of 20,320 feet is a greater vertical relief than that of Mount Everest! Permanent snowfields cover 75% of the mountain.

Only one (mostly dirt) road going through the park. In 1972, to protect visitors and reduce threats to wildlife a bus system was put in use to travel the road. Which is the main way of travel in the park today. I live (and play) at almost the end of the road near Wonder Lake.

There are only a few designated trails in the park. But the majority of the park is trail-less hiking. You just go. It seems a little strange at first. Routing skills, including map and compass are very important. But with such a wide open landscape, finding your way isn't that difficult. Every hike is a true adventure.

The other day I finally got a chance to travel up the road to hike and see more of this vast park. The hike was called Eye of the Dragon. And it was a marvelous day of exploring......