“They’re flying tonight.”
I look up from my book. I know exactly who “they” are.
I pause a moment to weigh the cost, the risk, and the reward. What if I never return to Denali National Park? Will I regret passing up this opportunity? And how many chances will I have to fly with an Alaskan bush pilot? The answer is obvious.
“I want to fly.”
Denali Appears
I’ve been hiking from this lodge, 90 miles inside Denali National Park, for the past four days. And it has rained non-stop. Mt. Denali (20,310’) has been shrouded in clouds and I have yet to see it. It’s as if the mountain never existed.
But this afternoon the weather broke. And Denali made its grand entrance. Its ramparts dominate the boreal forest and the tundra. The moment you see it, the mountain sears itself into your brain.
Mt. Denali. I took this picture from about 40 miles away. The North Peak (19,470′) is visible above the boreal forest.
In Alaska, the weather is never a sure thing. So if I want to see the mountain up close, best go while the going’s good.
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Kantishna
We drive a small van to the airstrip. On the way, we ford two creeks, swollen by the recent rain. I hold my breath as the wheels submerge in the rushing water.
Kantishna Airport (5Z5) is 92 miles from the park entrance. Its only runway is a 1,887 foot by 45 foot gravel strip. Our pilots are from Kantishna Air Taxi. They’ve offered flightseeing and air taxi service in the park since 1992.
The pilots keep their own planes at the airstrip
Our aircraft is the venerable Cessna 206 “Stationair.” This rugged six-seater has been a popular choice for bush pilots since 1964. The fuselage has double-doors to allow easy loading and unloading of cargo.
The Cessna 206
I will fly in the blue-trimmed plane
It’s 8:00 pm, but there are hours of daylight remaining. Only at these northern latitudes can I enjoy a sightseeing flight at this late hour.
Away we Go
We’re greeted by our pilot, Roger. He wears coyote-tan BDUs as a flight suit. I mention that “Roger” is a funny name for a pilot. Roger is not amused.
Roger loads us into the plane by weight. He has done weight and balance calculations to determine where we sit.
I sit in the second row
Roger loads us into the airplane. I don a well-worn David Clark headset and buckle-in.
Roger fires-up the constant speed propeller and we begin to taxi. The low frequency rumble permeates the cabin. The Cessna 206 is similar to the Cessna 172s I used to fly. So I watch with interest as Roger turns the plane onto the gravel runway.
It begins to rain as another planeload of flightseers speeds down the runway ahead of us. And then it’s our turn.
We taxi on the gravel to the end of the strip
We watch another plane take-off ahead of us. It is also bound for the summit. Notice the rain dripping from the trailing edge of our wing.
We begin our takeoff roll
Departing the field
We cross Moose Creek just after takeoff
Our takeoff roll and the climb out are remarkably smooth. Soon we’re sailing above the crowns of spruce trees in the boreal forest below us.
Cruising to the Mountain
I worry about the rain. Denali may dissolve into the clouds at any moment. That would cut our flight short. We’re not going to approach the mountain without visual meteorological conditions.
Flying above Denali
I can see rain falling on the tundra
Rain continues to fall as we cross the tundra on the way to Mt. Denali
Mt. Denali obscured by clouds. If we cannot get above them, we’ll have to turn back.
Crossing a river. Rivers in Denali are ribbons of water that flow over wide gravel bars.
Denali
As we approach Denali, we maneuver to maintain visual conditions. We climb through a hole in the clouds and emerge near the summit. We do not climb higher than 12,000 feet. So we still need to look up at the North Peak (19,470′) and South Peak (20,310).
Climbing through the clouds toward the summit
Maneuvering through the clouds
Mt. Denali. Notice the high winds blowing snow off both peaks.
It’s amazing to be so close to the mountain. Normally, this would be far beyond my reach. But the trusty 206 compensates for my lack of mountaineering skills.
The peaks of Mt. Denali. The higher peak is the more distant one.
It’s hard to believe the scene outside my window. The mountain is clothed in snow. Hurricane force winds blow powder from the peaks.
My imagination runs wild as I picture what it might be like to stand on the ridge. This icy abode is both majestic and hostile. Surrounded by clouds, it’s as if our aircraft has carried us into a time before humans. It feels like the most remote place on Earth.
North peak of Mt. Denali.
Return to base
It’s soon time to turn toward home. I’m surprised how smooth the air has been. I’ve been told that Alaska is so cold, there isn’t a lot of warm air to drive wind.
We pass over glaciers that helped sculpt this amazing terrain. We’re soon over the tundra and it’s time to turn final for the gravel strip.
A lake on top of a glacier
A snow covered glacier
We descend and see glaciers covered in dirt
A glacier with tundra beyond
Back over the tundra
The End of a Terrific Day
After landing, I snap some photos of our trusty steed as the sunlight finally begins to dim.
I pose in front of our Cessna 206
Twilight over the airfield
Before returning to the lodge, our group decides to drive to the end of the road. This is the northern terminus of the main park road. It’s a strange feeling to know that miles of road-less wilderness lies beyond this sign.
A northern terminus of our modern road system
Have you been on a sightseeing flight? Use the comments below to tell me where you were and why the flight was special.
More Adventure to come
This hike is only a part of my trip to Denali National Park. As I complete each article, I will add a link below.
Denali – Train to the Wilderness
Denali – The Tale of Ten Bears
Denali – Kettle Ponds and Caribou
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What an amazing adventure!
Thanks, Jennifer! I’ve always loved airplanes and flying. So this was a chance to combine my love of nature and the outdoors with flying. It was an amazing experience seeing Denali from the air and I will always treasure the memory.