Landing in Anchorage: Our Alaska Road Trip Begins
Never thought that I would have an opportunity to visit Alaska, USA. But there I was in Anchorage, Alaska, ready to start a nine-day Alaska road trip, after more than 20 hours of flying and transit time from Paris, France.
Alaska Road Trip Snapshot
- Location: Alaska, USA (Anchorage, Denali National Park and Kenai Fjords National Park)
- Date: First week of August 2019 (9 full days)
- Arrival: Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, 9 p.m. local time
- Route: Anchorage – Denali National Park – Kenai Fjords National Park – Anchorage
- Distance: Close to 1000 km by rental car over 5 days
- Hikes: Savage Alpine Trail (7 km, 480 m elevation gain); Marmot Meadows trail (10 km round trip, 600 m+ elevation gain)
- Stays: Hotel in Anchorage, cabin at Denali Grizzly Bear Resort, yurt at Nauti Otter Inn, tent at Exit Glacier Campground
- Wildlife: 3 grizzly bears, moose and caribou (3 of Alaska’s “Big 5”)
A Coastal Run, Minus the Moose
We spent the first 2 of the 9 full days in Anchorage, the biggest city in Alaska. Silviu, my other half, spent the first day at a work-related conference while I explored downtown on my own. After an early breakfast at a cafe (ironically named “Paris Cafe”) opposite the hotel, I decided to start the day with a 13 km run at Tony Knowles Coastal Trail.
Tony Knowles Coastal Trail is an 18 km paved road that follows the coastline of Anchorage, along Knik Arm and Cook Inlet. In fact, the trail head is conveniently close to the hotel, just 1 km away. It was a sunny morning with temperatures in the early 20s °C. Overall, it was a pleasant run (apart from the 30 min threshold run I squeezed in) as my eyes feasted on the scenic coastline.
There were occasional road signs of moose sightings. At the start, I was on a constant lookout for moose leaping in front of me and crossing my path. After a while, however, I assumed that it would be quite unlikely for any moose to appear that day; the chatter and laughter from the people on the trail would likely scare away even the most intrepid moose.
My American Nostalgia Checklist
We collected our rented white 2012 Chevrolet on the second day, and we would clock close to 1000 km over the next 5 days. After collecting the car, we went through my “Nostalgia To-Do” list for this Alaska road trip. It was a short list based on some of the things that I did during my 4-year stay in Colorado in the late 1990s, and which I have missed. The list included (1) Eating at IHop (2) Drinking coffee and buying books at Barnes & Noble (3) Shopping at Walmart (4) Eating Chinese sesame chicken (5) Shopping at REI (6) Eating cinnamon rolls.
Everything Is Supersized
Second impression of Anchorage: Big, Huge, Enormous. Indeed, everything seemed to be supersized: Cars, road lanes, parking spaces, cups of coffee, muffins, bottles of coke, restaurant dishes.
Eight Hours to Denali on Our Alaska Road Trip
Our road trip began with 231 miles (370 km) and 8 hours on the road, with several rest and scenic stops. We planned our various stops with the help of the MilePost – Alaska Travel Planner, which provided mile-by-mile descriptions of various roads in Alaska. In addition, it included detailed information on accommodations, camping, sightseeing, attractions and services.
Tiny Cabin, Seven-Minute Showers
Finally, we got to Denali Grizzly Bear Resort at 5 p.m. It sits along the Parks Highway (MilePost 231), 6 km from the entrance of the National Park. We had reserved a tiny cabin simply furnished with a double bed, a heater, a table, 2 chairs, a toilet and a sink.
The shower facility, shared with other guests, was 50 m away from our cabin. Furthermore, each shower required a US$3 token, which allowed for a 7-minute hot shower. Initially I thought that the 7-minute time allotment would not be sufficient for me. However, after the first shower, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that 7 minutes was more than enough for a good scrub and wash!
We ate mainly from Denali Thai and Mariachi Moose, the 2 food trucks on the compound, and had our meals at the picnic bench outside our tiny cabin.
For our dinners, we tried red/green curries and also the Thai Basil Chicken from Denali Thai. For breakfast, we went to Mariachi Moose, which provided big, freshly baked cinnamon rolls and coffee. The food was simple but adequate. Indeed, the taste of the Thai food, especially the curries, was even better than expected. Perhaps the same food simply tastes better when eaten in nature.
Hiking Denali in the Fog
On our first day in Denali National Park, we took a shuttle from the entrance of the Park to the trail head of Savage River, Mile 14 of the Park Road. Then, from the trail head, we did the 7 km Savage Alpine Trail, with a total elevation gain of 480 m. Due to the overnight heavy downpour and the continuous drizzle into the morning, fog shrouded the National Park. Regardless, we pushed on with our hike along the wet trails. The fog, the drizzle, the glisten of raindrops on the grass and trees provided a different type of beauty to the National Park.
To avoid unpleasant encounters with grizzly bears or moose, the advice was to make plenty of noise on the trails. Since there were only 2 of us on the trails, we had to constantly create noise to scare off potential unwanted animal attention. For example, to create a constant flow of noise, we would sing nursery rhymes. To fill up the occasional silences, Silviu also had to shout out “Hello” every few steps! In the end, all we saw in the 2-hour hike were some cute chipmunks.
A Closed Road and a Change of Plans
We were thinking of joining a 7.5 h bus tour provided by the National Park, which would take us to Mile 53 of the 92-mile Park Road. Unfortunately, the heavy downpour from 2 nights before had caused damage to parts of the Park Road. No tour buses could proceed beyond Mile 31, just before Teklanika River Bridge. Instead of taking the shuttle back to the Visitor Centre, we got off the shuttle and went for a short, flat hike on the paved road (3-mile / 5 km) to Igloo Creek Campground.
In Alaska, the “Big 5” animals are moose, bears, Dall sheep, caribou, and wolves. Since we were leaving Denali National Park the following day, we thought we were not fated to meet any of the Big 5 on our Alaska road trip. Guess what! We managed to spot 3 out of the Big 5!
Three Grizzlies on the Park Road
2 cyclists flagged down our tour bus. The cyclists told us that they had spotted a group of 3 grizzly bears in the middle of the Park Road, about 50 m away. The bears were moving towards them, so the cyclists were afraid to proceed down the Park Road. As a result, the bus driver stopped the bus engine and asked all the passengers to keep their voices down. A few minutes later, we saw 3 scraggy-looking bears lumbering past the tour bus. The biggest one in front, followed by a smaller one with a cub.Â
However, the grizzly bears were not what I expected. I was waiting for 3 huge ferocious-looking bears – not 3 tired-looking bears moving wearily. Afterward, our bus driver conjectured that the bears might have tried to avoid other more aggressive bears by escaping onto the Park Road.
South to Kenai Fjords: Next Leg of the Alaska Road Trip
After spending 2 days at Denali National Park, we continued our Alaska road trip to Kenai Fjords National Park. The National Park is on the Kenai Peninsula in south-central Alaska, 125 miles from Anchorage. It’s known for the Harding Icefield, an expansive ice field of over 700 square miles (777Â km2). Close to 40 glaciers flow from this ice field.
Earlier this week we had decided, at the very last minute, to camp in Kenai Fjords National Park. The decision came after we realised that we could actually rent a basic camping gear kit from REI. Overall, the rental cost for a 2-person kit for 2 nights was US$120, which seemed reasonable. The kit contained everything we needed: a tent, sleeping bags, inflatable sleeping pads and pillows, a cooking set, and even hiking poles, headlamps and foldable chairs.
Alaska Road Trip Camping: No Room at Any Campsite
We did not reserve any campsite as most were first-come, first-served. As we drove from Anchorage to the National Park, along Seward Highway, we stopped at almost every campsite listed in MilePost – Alaska Travel Planner, to search for an empty pitch. After more than 10 attempts and more than 10 hours on the road, it was almost 8 p.m. and we abandoned our camping plan for that night. Hence, with our camping kit lying uselessly in the car, we searched desperately for a cheap place to stay.
Since it was a summer weekend, most places were full. In the end, we found Nauti Otter Inn, where guests could stay in yurts nestled in a forest. There were shared kitchen, toilet and shower facilities too. It was the best option we had, given our disappointment about not camping.
However, we were super lucky the following day. We decided to try a couple of campsites in that area, and we struck gold at the first attempt – Exit Glacier Campground, which was just 1 km from the entrance of the National Park. Exit Glacier Campground had 12 sites, each allowing up to 3 tents, and only a handful of tents when we arrived at around 11 a.m.
Hiking Up to Exit Glacier
Exit Glacier, one of the roughly 40 glaciers in the National Park, is one of the most accessible valley glaciers in Alaska. In fact, you can hike right up to it! There are a few popular short trails, which provide different views of the glacier. Unfortunately, climate change is hitting the glacier hard. It has been receding significantly for the past few years. For how much longer could we enjoy this natural wonder before it completely melts away?
As we arrived late (3 p.m.) at the National Park, we chose to do the shortish “Marmot Meadows” trail (10 km round trip, 600 m+). The trail got us quite close and gave us great views of the Exit Glacier. Close enough to see the various bluish-tinged cracks/crevices on the glacier! It was only at the top that we realised that we actually had more than enough time to extend the hike. However, we ran out of water and had to give up the idea of continuing the hike. In other words, the extension would mean completing the tougher Harding Icefield Trail (13 km round trip, 1000 m+). I bet the views would have been spectacular.
Alaska, I'll Be Back
All in all, it is a pity that our Alaska road trip lasted only 9 days. There are so many more things to see, do and experience in the biggest American state. If I have the opportunity, I would definitely re-visit Alaska during the 4 different seasons!
Side note: I have recently taken a keener interest in photography. For the trip, I brought with me my new Canon EOS 200D II basic kit lens and a telephoto one. In my trip planning, I did not consider camera gear packing as an important component. As a result, I stuffed all my gear into a complimentary Canon camera bag that came with the basic kit and thought that it would suffice.
What a cumbersome experience it was with a heavy camera bag slung across my shoulder when hiking up and down the steep, slippery slopes in the different national parks. The bag was swinging awkwardly on one side of the shoulder, making squeaking sounds with each swing (I think it was because the gear weighed down the strap hinges). Moreover, there was no way I could run fast with the bag (not that I could outrun any wildlife). In addition, there was no space to put any hiking provisions in the bag. So I learnt my lesson. I bought a much more suitable bag for the camping trip in Vosges, France a week after my return from Alaska. Wait for the update in my next post!
