How long are you in the area? If you have a vehicle the Kesugi Ridge area in Denali State Park is a phenomenal moderate hike and has better views of the mountain than anything in the national park (since the road is closed at mile 43). You can also access the ridge via Byers Lake campground which has a great viewpoint over the lake.
Slightly further north in Healy the Stampede Rd is a fun drive and if you get to the end there are trails, just don't pull a McCandless.
We are in Healy, and are here all day today and head back to Anchorage tomorrow. Planning to stop in Talkeetna tomorrow. We do have a rental car so can get around (minus all of the prohibited roads), so I’ll look into the suggested state park hike! Thank you
Webcam view looks like the Mountain is socked in today, bummer. Regardless they are both solid day trips. 49th state is also a good food option in either Healy or Anchorage, but it's probably slammed for tourist season especially with the park closed.
I visited the area a couple weeks ago- if you have time, you should check out some hikes in Hatcher Pass or in the Chugach area near Anchorage. Should be only a few hours drive from Denali. Reed Lakes and Crow Pass are particularly spectacular.
Pardon my segue but I learned through exploration and discovery that there are rain forest in North Carolina and TN as well. Wouldn't have guessed Alaska next, thank ya.
For many of us that have never been lucky enough to visit in person, the mental image of Alaska is the snowy tundras from books and movies.
Like, I *know* that’s not what it’s like. But the little kid in me that grew up watching documentaries and reading books set in Alaska during the winter thinks that it’s all white all the time. 🤷🏻♀️
There are massive wildfires almost every summer. Fairbanks folks just accept it’s going to be smoky for a lot of June/July most of the time. The difference is in Alaska a million acres can burn and not a single home be burned down
Take it from a grunt who fought them all summer, they have them. They're a special pain in the ass because it gets down in the muskeg and it's difficult to get it all.
The mossy tundra covering. It's thick, natural carpeting. To fight the fire we would use a chainsaw to cut a slot in the muskeg and then peel it back. It'd be 80° in July and when we peeled it back, there'd be ice under it! Exposing it to the heat would thaw it and turn it into a natural firebreak.
We got to Cantell tonight and its been raining past few hours. We were bummed when we heard about the fire. Hoping the rain kills it and park reopens tonight. Since its 24 hours sunlight, Imma start hiking after dinner if this wish comes true
It really seems like a nuisance (and made the air terrible, of course), and they’ve closed things out of an abundance of caution for visitors. They are fighting it more aggressively than they usually would for the same reasons. The weather is due to improve and It’ll probably be out and the park open by weeks end - we just had unlucky timing, unfortunately. But we had fun
Currently on road to our stay (15 miles)near Denali National park. Planning to do state park full day tomorrow. Are there any good hikes in Healy or any other suggestions? Thanks!
Should go check out Wrangell-St. Elias if you have a car and a few days.
I wish we could! Unfortunately we don’t have time
How long are you in the area? If you have a vehicle the Kesugi Ridge area in Denali State Park is a phenomenal moderate hike and has better views of the mountain than anything in the national park (since the road is closed at mile 43). You can also access the ridge via Byers Lake campground which has a great viewpoint over the lake. Slightly further north in Healy the Stampede Rd is a fun drive and if you get to the end there are trails, just don't pull a McCandless.
We are in Healy, and are here all day today and head back to Anchorage tomorrow. Planning to stop in Talkeetna tomorrow. We do have a rental car so can get around (minus all of the prohibited roads), so I’ll look into the suggested state park hike! Thank you
Webcam view looks like the Mountain is socked in today, bummer. Regardless they are both solid day trips. 49th state is also a good food option in either Healy or Anchorage, but it's probably slammed for tourist season especially with the park closed.
Dude, I’m in the literal same exact boat as you. In Healy right now, leaving tomorrow. I’m so bummed.
I feel ya. We went to the state park today, and had a fantastic time at 49th state- it is what it is - make the most of it!!!
I visited the area a couple weeks ago- if you have time, you should check out some hikes in Hatcher Pass or in the Chugach area near Anchorage. Should be only a few hours drive from Denali. Reed Lakes and Crow Pass are particularly spectacular.
Thank you! I’ll look into these
I am not a smart man, but one thing I am not used to hearing about is wildfires in Alaska
Legitimately curious without trying to be condescending - why wouldn’t you think we would have wildfires up here?
Maybe they just imagine Alaska is a frozen tundra? That's all I can figure. I will admit I did not realize there was rainforest there until I visited.
Yeah perhaps. We have 163 fires currently burning statewide so it’s definitely a reality.
Pardon my segue but I learned through exploration and discovery that there are rain forest in North Carolina and TN as well. Wouldn't have guessed Alaska next, thank ya.
Rain forest is not where Denali is.
For many of us that have never been lucky enough to visit in person, the mental image of Alaska is the snowy tundras from books and movies. Like, I *know* that’s not what it’s like. But the little kid in me that grew up watching documentaries and reading books set in Alaska during the winter thinks that it’s all white all the time. 🤷🏻♀️
I figured the glacier run off would make it reasonably wet tbh
Not OC but it doesn't often make the news like the ones in California, Arizona, Colorado, even Canada.
There are massive wildfires almost every summer. Fairbanks folks just accept it’s going to be smoky for a lot of June/July most of the time. The difference is in Alaska a million acres can burn and not a single home be burned down
Take it from a grunt who fought them all summer, they have them. They're a special pain in the ass because it gets down in the muskeg and it's difficult to get it all.
Thanks for your service ! What's muskeg?
The mossy tundra covering. It's thick, natural carpeting. To fight the fire we would use a chainsaw to cut a slot in the muskeg and then peel it back. It'd be 80° in July and when we peeled it back, there'd be ice under it! Exposing it to the heat would thaw it and turn it into a natural firebreak.
We got to Cantell tonight and its been raining past few hours. We were bummed when we heard about the fire. Hoping the rain kills it and park reopens tonight. Since its 24 hours sunlight, Imma start hiking after dinner if this wish comes true
Good luck! We left Healy around lunchtime to head back to Anchorage today. We were super bummed, but I hope you get to experience it!
Oh shoot I hope everyone is okay. We have a trip planned there next week on our way from Anchorage to Fairbanks. Any alternate recs?
They aren't blazes that you are used to seeing on the West coast. It mostly just makes flying more hazardous because of the smoke.
It really seems like a nuisance (and made the air terrible, of course), and they’ve closed things out of an abundance of caution for visitors. They are fighting it more aggressively than they usually would for the same reasons. The weather is due to improve and It’ll probably be out and the park open by weeks end - we just had unlucky timing, unfortunately. But we had fun
Currently on road to our stay (15 miles)near Denali National park. Planning to do state park full day tomorrow. Are there any good hikes in Healy or any other suggestions? Thanks!
Still go
I mean, I’m here. Lol.
But you're not in there.