Scary roads for HAL motor coach ride to Denali?

[B&Dcruise]

We're looking at the HAL land/see cruise which includes 3 nights in Denali National Park. Can anyone tell me what the road(s) is like for the Holland America motorcoach trip from the ship to HAL's Denali resort?

 

The beginning, seen on Google Earth, looks pretty flat but there is no view further on. I've been in and witnessed bad crashes in the last year and I'm dealing with some skittishness about driving in general. If you add mountain roads in a bus- well, I might end up living in Denali, afraid to return/ ;-) (Worse things could happen!)

 

Seriously, can someone give me an honest assessment of the roads from start to finish? Thanks!

[NEWLKAT]

I don't remember anything really scary and I have been in vehicle from Seward up to Denali Park village. I will say if you are going into Denali National Park there is about a 30 minute stretch you may want to shut your eyes, it is called Polychrome Pass. You can Google videos on that particular stretch of park road. But don't let it stop you from going into the park. It is beautiful and I know wildlife sightings are never guaranteed, but we saw tons of wild life, 5 bear sightings, 400 caribou at least, a bull moose and spectacular scenery.

[Glaciers]

There is some elevation gain although you may not even notice it. No harrowing cliffs or switchback type roads. Mostly a flat and straight rural highway from Anchorage to the park entrance.

 

As Newlkat noted the park road itself is quite different and worth researching before you hop on a shuttle bus and head over Polychrome Pass.

[akswimmom]

There should be no issues on the highway during the time of year your here. Trucks, buses, Rvs etc drive it all the time. Now if you’d been here last week after all the snow we had that might have been a different story!!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[DarkJedi]

Keep in mind that this is wilderness area. While the roads are maintained and perfectly safe it is possible that it can trigger your PTSD if I am reading your issue correctly. It may be more helpful to you to relax and sleep during the drive, or possibly use a blindfold to rest. Alternatively you could try and focus on looking for wildlife and not the road, but I realize this may be a hard issue for you.

BTW, in most cases PTSD from serious auto accidents passes as the routine of driving and riding returns the mind to an inactive state from the lack of new accidents. SW had issues for a couple of years driving in the rain after a bad accident, so I can understand your issues to some extent.

[Crew News]

I was on my 3-day Denali cruisetour last June and thought the road from Seward to Denali to be smooth enough to get some sleep after awakening at 4:00 AM for disembarkation. The only bumps I remember are a very few miles outside of the park area.

 

The road is a two-lane or four-lane typical rural highway that is very well maintained.

 

There is a single road inside the park that is about 1.5 lanes wide, few guardrails, sharp curves, and mostly gravel. The park road is not for the faint of heart but I will be enjoying it again in 2019.

 

Here is an aerial photo that I took while flying above the park. Note the narrow road along the side of the hills/mountains:

 

 

Here is a photo of your lunch stop in Wasilla where you will have an all-you-can eat sandwich buffet (great chocolate chip cookies that you can stuff in your jacket pocket for the rest of the ride):

 

[mytime53]

I assume you disembark in Seward, and you take the bus all the way to Denali? And then on to Fairbanks, or return to Anchorage?

 

Seward to Anchorage: There is a steep descent from 900' to sea level as you go from Turnagain Pass to Turnagain Arm. But there aren't switchback turns on it. There are also areas between Seward and Anchorage that have frequent curves. From Anchorage to Denali there is nothing frightening at all. In fact, you might not even realize that you are gaining elevation, and the road is surprisingly straight. From Denali to Fairbanks, there are short parts of the road that are quite curvy (the road follows a river). As you drop down on the descent to Fairbanks, the road can be steep and windy both.

None of these potentially frightening parts are very long in distance or time, and for the average person, would not induce any fear. But I understand that they could be frightening to someone who is already dealing with some trepidation about driving.

[Northern Aurora]

I suspect the OP won't have any problems with the ride to Denali. And the Denali National Park road doesn't have any steep drop-offs until you reach Polychrome Pass. Polychrome has a very steep drop-off just before you reach Eielson Visitor's Center. While I think it is best to go into the park as far as Eielson Visitor's Center, this may be one time when a shorter trip into the park may be warranted. Or at least sit on the left side of the bus when leaving Eielson to return to the park entrance.

[Silverado6x6]

I live north of Anchorage, Big Lake to be precise, thats 300 miles south of Fairbanks. I have driven that 300 mile stretch in less than 5 hours, including rest stops. Many parts is all new highway, but it can be bumpy in the construction zones and at the frost heaves. Whats nice is during the month of june the sun is up and shining at midnight, gets a little bit of twilight from 1 am to just before 4am and its up again.

Sadly though there can be accidents quite often as most of our main roads are only two lanes and you get hotshot yahoos trying to pass you in all the wrong places, lots of motorcycles and motorhomes, tons of tour busses as well. Best time to visit Alaska is mid june to late August, any earlier its gray and frozen, later it rains a lot. I could say may might not be too bad, its been warmer in the spring the last ten years.

[mytime53]

On Google Earth, travel northeast from 60°50'32.40" N 149°04'19.95" W. That is probably the steepest part of the road between Seward and Anchorage.

[B&Dcruise]

Wow! You collectively gave me the facts, photos, coordinates and video references I need to make an informed decision, all dispensed with grace and understanding. Knowing what side of the bus to sit on and the idea of bringing headphones and music help the trip feel manageable. I am amazed and grateful for this very specific and helpful information. Thank you, all!

[Crew News]

Wow! You collectively gave me the facts, photos, coordinates and video references I need to make an informed decision, all dispensed with grace and understanding. Knowing what side of the bus to sit on and the idea of bringing headphones and music help the trip feel manageable. I am amazed and grateful for this very specific and helpful information. Thank you, all!

 

Here are my photos from my 3-day HAL cruise tour last June that includes menus for the McKinley Resort.

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/place/alaska-2/denali/

 

I purchased the meal plan and after seeing all of the menus, I could have eaten almost the same items for a lot cheaper. The food on the HAL train was excellent.

 

Knowing all that is available and what to expect on your cruise makes choosing easier and a cruise that is more satisfying. Also, visit the CC HAL Forum to ask questions pertinent only to Holland America Line.