Denali is beautiful, but...

[argosy]

is not much different from Colorado.

 

Perhaps my experience at Princess Denali Lodge soured me on this national park, but the whole time we were there, I kept thinking..."This is nice, but I can see all this an hour from Denver, except for Mt. McKinley."

 

If you are from somewhere like Oklahoma, with no mountains...you'd enjoy it much more.

 

[This message was edited by argosy on 06-07-04 at 09:51 AM.]

[Budget Queen]

Did you get into the Park?? It isn't like the Colorado I have been to, especially Polychrome Pass??? Hope your trip was enjoyable anyway???

[Yukon]

If Denali and Colorado are similar, so are Venice and New York (they both have buildings). I just don't see any real similarities.

 

Murray

[argosy]

Yes, I went into the park. I'm telling you, it looks not much different from Vail Pass or the Durango/Silverton or Telluride area. Yes, there is a monstrous 20,000 foot peak called Denali (or McKinley) and the the trees in AK are scrawnier...but that is about it. Beautiful, but for me, not worth the effort of getting there.

[goblue]

just came back from Denali, it RAINED the last 3 days and didn't see the mountain at all...

rode the bus to Eilsen center and per the bus driver, Park service will tear down the existing Eilsen visitor's center at the end of this season and rebuild a new one (which means no Eilsen for the next 2? years).

saw one moose, one cariboo, on mama bear with 3 cubs (far away) and another mama bear and a cub right next to the Eilsen center (that worth the whole long trip!)..

 

and it's cold and wet !

[lakerboy1]

I can empathize with Argosy. Having lived near the Sierras I expected the same beauty in the Rockies. Boy was I disappointed, no Sequoias, no thousand foot waterfalls, or 5000 foot shear walls of granite as in California.

I guess everything is relative. Nice tunnel though between Vail and Denver.

 

[Genessa]

I've spent my summers in different sections of the Appalachians, travelled to the Rockies and the Sierras, and they are all each gorgeous in their own way. I saw more wild animals (and closer) driving through Yellowstone and Shenandoah than I saw in Alaska. However, while I did see some resemblance of the Rockies in the mountains of Denali National Park, for me, the highlight of the trip was Denali.

 

Nothing else I have ever seen can compare to Denali and I'm eternally appreciative that I was able to get more than a glimpse.

 

I still would have felt the land trip was worth it for the young people we met who had summer jobs in Pioneerland and the air museum and staff there and the museum at the University of Fairbanks and the couple from Barrow that I met there and for the homesteading family and the ptarmigan on the road in Denali (I didn't even know they still existed)...

[argosy]

I'm not saying "Don't Go." I am just saying, if you're used to the Rockies or Sierras...don't go to Denali with unrealistic expectations of what it will be like. It's VERY similar, except for the big one (Denali/McKinley). However...since it's only visible in its entirety for a very small percentage of the year, don't even go expecting to see it. Even on sunny days, the mountain can be obscured by clouds. We were lucky, and did see it on our drive in, the first day. We never saw it again, after that.

 

I enjoyed the trip, in spite of Princess Denali Wilderness Lodge. For me personally, I would not be interested in going again. But let me reiterate: I am not telling anyone else NOT to go.

[JohnQ]

Argosy:

Colorado is a beautiful state and we have experienced some nice scenery there, but just the sense of untouched wilderness of Alaska, Denali in particular, is far superior, no comparison. While I can understand your comment in terms of trees or general layout of the land, I see no comparison of wildlife. We enjoyed a week in Rocky Mntn Natl Park, and we saw some wildlife, but we saw more things in denali in one day then we saw in Colorado in 2000 miles and ten days! That is why I went to denali and will go again. And to see the mtn, which as you correctly stated, is a crapshoot.

[argosy]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Colorado is a beautiful state and we have experienced some nice scenery there, but just the sense of untouched wilderness of Alaska, Denali in particular, is far superior, no comparison. While I can understand your comment in terms of trees or general layout of the land, I see no comparison of wildlife. We enjoyed a week in Rocky Mntn Natl Park, and we saw some wildlife, but we saw more things in denali in one day then we saw in Colorado in 2000 miles and ten days! That is why I went to denali and will go again. And to see the mtn, which as you correctly stated, is a crapshoot. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

 

Yes...you are correct about the 'untouched wilderness' aspect of it, as Colorado is certainly a more populous, developed state.

 

But about the wildlife, I can honestly say that we personally see much more wildlife up close and personal in Estes Park, Winter Park, and a host of other places on a regular basis, and we saw only a caribou...far, far away...in our Denali tour. We saw a moose near the lodge, and a bear on the highway back to Anchorage which was nice. I think seeing wildlife in Colorado depends on the day and season. I did enjoy our time in Denali and encourage others to go, especially if they are not used to mountainous settings.

 

As for us, while we enjoyed it and are glad we went; to visit again does not seem to be worth the time and money to get there, when we can see much the same thing, an hour's drive away.

[jengwen]

I hear what you are saying. Many people recommend and love glacier landings. For me, it was a disappointment. The top of a glacier is very similar to the snow we get in winter in Wisconsin after it has been there awhile and gets all dirty and crunchy. It was entertaining to watch people who were walking so carefully because they were afraid of slipping as I just clomped around . The crevases are neat and the flight there and back was beautiful, but the landing itself for me was just so-so. If you are from a warmer state that doesn't get much snow, it is a whole different experience.

[Thoth]

If you are from the SouthEastern Coastal area and a home town with an elevation of 161 feet, then ALL mountains are lovely. I have been to the mountains of TN, NC, VA, GA, CA, NV, UT, WA, AK, HI, NM, CO as well as BC, also the Alps, Scotland, Wales, and Spain. Each mountain range has its own personality so to speak.

[jer]

I sure am glad that I live in a snowless city beneath a smog-covered sky and work too hard to go to beautiful places and see wildlife! That way I can make the most out of this trip.

[gonnago]

Denali was great. I don't believe that Colorado has glacier rivers, do they? I have to agree that wildlife is sparse with very few sightings, much less up close and personal. However, our bus did have to stop and wait 10 mins for six Dall sheep to leave the roadway. They were head butting and frolicking. That was a rare sight and well worth the trip.

 

To me the Alaska scenery is indescribable and awesome. Just to be in such a special place, which could have been lost to us forever if Teddy Roosevelt hadn't suggested that it be preserved, is reason enough to go to Denali.

 

"Thanks to all for your help & advice. Our May 28th cruise was much better for it!"

[argosy]

I certainly did not intend to offend anyone with my post, but somehow...that appears to have happened. We enjoyed Alaska and I cannot say that enough. Denali, for us as native Coloradans was fun and beautiful, but in our estimation, not worth the money since we can see so many similar things an hour away. That statement is not meant to be boastful either. It is simply our observation.

 

I must also say that we didn't do any flight tours or helicopter trips. Some people in our group did, and yes...Alaska looks much different from Colorado from that vantage point! We saw the photos and were impressed.

[Nidwaldner]

Well I live in Switzerland, literally with views of the Alps as I type this, and I still enjoyed Denali NP. AND I also lived in Seattle for 4 years and also in Ketchikan for 4 years. The tundra and wildlife of Denali are unique and the fact that there has been absoutely no significant manmade development in this area makes it a special natural environment.

 

 

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