A Denali National Park Adventure
So we were in Alaska, in Cantwell and decided to go to Denali National Park again. We’d been there twice before in previous years but what the heck, it’s a beautiful place so we went again.
We drove in to the park, drove as far as you’re allowed to drive then parked and set out for a hike. There is an extremely accessible loop hike around and over the Savage River, but we’d done that before and wanted something different … not too difficult but not too easy - so we stopped by the Ranger’s post to get suggestions. That very well may have been our first mistake.
Let me make this perfectly clear: we are not exactly triathlete material and we only had about a quart of water each. Nevertheless -Mr. Ranger set about explaining that if we headed up the first leg of the Savage River loop and instead of taking a right and going over the bridge, took a left and went up to the ridge, we’d see a nice easy hike down the other side of the mountain, through the valley and up the opposing mountain. He said when we got to that peak we’d see the Wonder Lake road and could just stroll down there and wait for a blue tourist bus to pick us up and take us back to the parking lot. Said it was an easy hike …
Yeah, right.
So we get to the bridge across the Savage River and look up to the left and, sure enough, see various people (quite a few, actually) standing/sitting/laying on the ridge watching a family of dall sheep who seemed to be, in turn, watching the tourist with some amusement. So up we hiked and once we got to the ridge we realized we had done this walk before and had actually gone a little bit into the valley. We figured we were up for an adventure - after all, we had two quarts of water between us and brand new hiking shoes to boot! We’d do the whole hike. Piece of cake …
At the risk of repeating myself … yeah, right.
So we’re walking - walking - walking - it’s a beautiful day, we’d see people ahead of us or down by the river here and there … at first. At least the trail is obvious and relatively clear - lots of boulders to shimmy over but that’s the fun part anyway.
At one point, we came across this dall sheep coming toward us on the trail. It was a stand-off. He decided he wasn’t going to move and wasn’t going to let us by. Trust me, we tried to reason with him but he chose to ignore us and graze and pee and generally be rude and non-responsive. This is important. We spent about 15 to 20 minutes on this outcrop trying to stay out of his way so he’d go on about his business. It felt like home away from home almost. I took pictures of the boy-o, admired the landscape below us and waited. Finally Angela decided she’d had enough and boldly strode toward Mr. Sheep who played chicken with her for a split second then jumped out of the way and stuck his tongue out at us. Really!
So off we go … hiking down into and through the valley for a couple, three more hours. Then something went terribly wrong. We had been walking for a while, the trail was getting thicker with brush, there was no one around but us … but we still thought we could make it. But then the trail eventually got so congested with brush and boulders that we finally realize we, at some point, had actually lost the trail.
Long story short (that means I don’t tell you about the roughly two dozen temper tantrums and panic attacks) - we end up down by the river; at times in the river, literally walking back and forth for a good half mile stretch looking for anything remotely resembling a path to civilization. We’re exhausted, the water is gone, it has gotten so damn hot, and of course the cell phone has no signal down there. I was ready to call for a helicopter to pick us up - I didn’t think I could walk any more. But so much for that idea.
Now - remember what I said was important? We walked along the river and got to a point where we were directly under the outcrop where we’d had our close encounter of the dall kind. Notice I said “under” … about 600 feet under. The only way to get up to familiar territory was straight up the mountain side. Think of it as rock climbing at the gym, but without a rope and with further to fall … onto the boulders … into the water.
Have I mentioned we’ve never rock climbed before? Sigh …
There is no other choice. The water is gone. We can’t exactly stay there - it’s been close to five hours at this point and we’re hungry and thirsty. So up we go. Straight up. I’d never in a million years imagined myself climbing, clawing, pulling myself straight up a mountain side. I had to step really high to get a foot-hold and get a death clutch on each hand full of tundra to hold on to and with every foot of progress I found myself alternately laughing with joy and crying with frustration … so far to go! And I was scared. I must have said the Lord’s Prayer about 50 times. Angela, in the mean time, has made her way up and is cheering me on. I claw and push and pull and finally I get over the edge and onto the path where Mr. Sheep had taunted us and fall onto my back sobbing and gasping for air and giving thanks and uttering curses all at the same time.
My hiking buddy is on her way … I yelled at her to offer the first people she saw 10 bucks for any water they had.
Finally, back at the little bridge, on the other side, I find her with a couple of lounging tourist, regaling them with the story of our adventure. I barely make it to them and collapse again uttering “need water … have money.” But these were kind folks - they gladly gave us all the water they had and boy, was I thankful for that! But we still had a hike to do to get back to the car. So off Angela goes and I trudge and stumble way behind her. I was so exhausted I had to just sit on the trail a couple times and rest. But I’d get up and trudge on and eventually I saw the cars and started a brand new prayer … “come back with water … come back with water … come back with water” … I was trying every visualization trick I knew to will Angela to head back my way with water. At least she met me at the trail head which was better than nothing.
So we survived. We went back to Cantwell, had dinner and went to bed by 7 pm sore and tired. I surprised myself, I must say. That isn’t the first time … I’ll have to tell you about my Grand Canyon Hiking Adventure. Now THAT was a trip …I
think I’d like to try rappelling next … on purpose, though.
We drove in to the park, drove as far as you’re allowed to drive then parked and set out for a hike. There is an extremely accessible loop hike around and over the Savage River, but we’d done that before and wanted something different … not too difficult but not too easy - so we stopped by the Ranger’s post to get suggestions. That very well may have been our first mistake.
Let me make this perfectly clear: we are not exactly triathlete material and we only had about a quart of water each. Nevertheless -Mr. Ranger set about explaining that if we headed up the first leg of the Savage River loop and instead of taking a right and going over the bridge, took a left and went up to the ridge, we’d see a nice easy hike down the other side of the mountain, through the valley and up the opposing mountain. He said when we got to that peak we’d see the Wonder Lake road and could just stroll down there and wait for a blue tourist bus to pick us up and take us back to the parking lot. Said it was an easy hike …
Yeah, right.
So we get to the bridge across the Savage River and look up to the left and, sure enough, see various people (quite a few, actually) standing/sitting/laying on the ridge watching a family of dall sheep who seemed to be, in turn, watching the tourist with some amusement. So up we hiked and once we got to the ridge we realized we had done this walk before and had actually gone a little bit into the valley. We figured we were up for an adventure - after all, we had two quarts of water between us and brand new hiking shoes to boot! We’d do the whole hike. Piece of cake …
At the risk of repeating myself … yeah, right.
So we’re walking - walking - walking - it’s a beautiful day, we’d see people ahead of us or down by the river here and there … at first. At least the trail is obvious and relatively clear - lots of boulders to shimmy over but that’s the fun part anyway.
At one point, we came across this dall sheep coming toward us on the trail. It was a stand-off. He decided he wasn’t going to move and wasn’t going to let us by. Trust me, we tried to reason with him but he chose to ignore us and graze and pee and generally be rude and non-responsive. This is important. We spent about 15 to 20 minutes on this outcrop trying to stay out of his way so he’d go on about his business. It felt like home away from home almost. I took pictures of the boy-o, admired the landscape below us and waited. Finally Angela decided she’d had enough and boldly strode toward Mr. Sheep who played chicken with her for a split second then jumped out of the way and stuck his tongue out at us. Really!
So off we go … hiking down into and through the valley for a couple, three more hours. Then something went terribly wrong. We had been walking for a while, the trail was getting thicker with brush, there was no one around but us … but we still thought we could make it. But then the trail eventually got so congested with brush and boulders that we finally realize we, at some point, had actually lost the trail.
Long story short (that means I don’t tell you about the roughly two dozen temper tantrums and panic attacks) - we end up down by the river; at times in the river, literally walking back and forth for a good half mile stretch looking for anything remotely resembling a path to civilization. We’re exhausted, the water is gone, it has gotten so damn hot, and of course the cell phone has no signal down there. I was ready to call for a helicopter to pick us up - I didn’t think I could walk any more. But so much for that idea.
Now - remember what I said was important? We walked along the river and got to a point where we were directly under the outcrop where we’d had our close encounter of the dall kind. Notice I said “under” … about 600 feet under. The only way to get up to familiar territory was straight up the mountain side. Think of it as rock climbing at the gym, but without a rope and with further to fall … onto the boulders … into the water.
Have I mentioned we’ve never rock climbed before? Sigh …
There is no other choice. The water is gone. We can’t exactly stay there - it’s been close to five hours at this point and we’re hungry and thirsty. So up we go. Straight up. I’d never in a million years imagined myself climbing, clawing, pulling myself straight up a mountain side. I had to step really high to get a foot-hold and get a death clutch on each hand full of tundra to hold on to and with every foot of progress I found myself alternately laughing with joy and crying with frustration … so far to go! And I was scared. I must have said the Lord’s Prayer about 50 times. Angela, in the mean time, has made her way up and is cheering me on. I claw and push and pull and finally I get over the edge and onto the path where Mr. Sheep had taunted us and fall onto my back sobbing and gasping for air and giving thanks and uttering curses all at the same time.
My hiking buddy is on her way … I yelled at her to offer the first people she saw 10 bucks for any water they had.
Finally, back at the little bridge, on the other side, I find her with a couple of lounging tourist, regaling them with the story of our adventure. I barely make it to them and collapse again uttering “need water … have money.” But these were kind folks - they gladly gave us all the water they had and boy, was I thankful for that! But we still had a hike to do to get back to the car. So off Angela goes and I trudge and stumble way behind her. I was so exhausted I had to just sit on the trail a couple times and rest. But I’d get up and trudge on and eventually I saw the cars and started a brand new prayer … “come back with water … come back with water … come back with water” … I was trying every visualization trick I knew to will Angela to head back my way with water. At least she met me at the trail head which was better than nothing.
So we survived. We went back to Cantwell, had dinner and went to bed by 7 pm sore and tired. I surprised myself, I must say. That isn’t the first time … I’ll have to tell you about my Grand Canyon Hiking Adventure. Now THAT was a trip …I
think I’d like to try rappelling next … on purpose, though.
posted by Lynnie - LaughingBasset at 4:38 PM
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