Denali National Park, Alaska - The Rooftop of North America

The grandeur of Alaska perhaps culminates where the rolling tundra of the interior meets the rooftop of North America, the Alaska Range. The crest of the Alaska Range is mighty Mt. McKinley, at 20,320 feet the highest point in North America.

The size of the mountain is difficult to comprehend in photos. The valley floor is less than 3,000 feet in elevation, making the actual size of the mountain from top to bottom over 17,000 feet, the tallest in the world. (Mt. Everest, over 29,000 feet, rises from a plateau which is over 15,000 feet.) You really have to see it in person to believe it.

Because Mt. McKinley makes its own weather, the chances of actually seeing it are quite slim. It is said to be 10%. you may just barely see the peak, just below the left-most of the dark grey clouds.

Denali National Park is also one of the world's great game preserves. It is a virtual certainty that you will see large animals here, such as moose, caribou (right), sheep, or even the grizzly bear (left), the primary symbol of wilderness in America. There is even a slim possibility of seeing a wolf.

The main reason for this opportunity is that tourism on the main park road is restricted to tour buses provided by the park service. Without the clutter of cars and RV's and their occupants, the animals are not driven from the roadside areas. Therefore people who are not able to hike or backpack may also enjoy the wildlife spectacle. The above pictures were taken from the tour bus.

The most wonderful aspect of this park has to be the endless spectacular vistas. They are "big" vistas, the rolling tundra in huge, open valleys, broken up by steep, snow-covered ridges.

The open nature of the terrain and the well-drained tundra (unlike the boggy arctic tundra) make it fairly easy to go walking or hiking in the valleys. If you want to go off on your own, the park bus will drop you off and pick you up anywhere on the park road.

North to Alaska! Driving by car to Alaska has been a personal dream since my childhood. In the summer of 1986 circumstances permitted me to take this trip. Living mostly out of the back of a pickup truck with occasional nights at motels, we spent an incredible 56 days on the road and experienced many adventures. The endless rain of that summer, including two stretches of more than a week of non-stop rain cut way down on the photography. But you do get used to being wet all the time if you're having enough fun!

The park is also a backpacker's paradise with great opportunities for all skill levels, ranging from a quick trip away from the main road to a mountaineering expedition to the top of Mt. McKinley. However you would need to be comfortable with the possibility of a bear encounter which can happen anywhere!

I would rate this park as one of the top five places in the American West. Certainly one of the premium spots in the entire world.

Below are some more outstanding park vistas.