Trip Overview
Our Denali adventure begins in Anchorage, where we check our gear and kick off the trip with a welcome dinner. Next morning we board our floatplane and fly up and over the mountains to Denali National Park, spending six days backpacking the "Whale’s Tail" between Ruth Glacier and Tokositna Glacier.
Although we’ll use the following itinerary as a guide, our exact route will not be confirmed until we arrive in Denali. We will make continuous adjustments each day based on weather, terrain, daylight, ability and animal movements. Out here, we roll with what Mother Nature gives us—that’s true Alaska.
We'll cover up to 6 wilderness miles a day, roughly five to eight hours a day, with up to 2,000 feet of elevation gain/loss. While the mileage may not sound like a lot for experienced hikers, due to the terrain in Alaska, the focus here is on total hours hiked more than total mileage. Your body must be able to keep up. Physical conditioning and consistent exercise prior to these trips is essential (see Get Ready).
Day-by-Day Itinerary
DAY 1: ANCHORAGE
Day One! Meet at 4pm on Monday, August 22, 2022, at Lakefront Anchorage Hotel
Gear check & orientation
Group dinner at pizzeria / craft brewery
Accommodation: Lakefront Hotel in Anchorage
DAY 2: ANCHORAGE > DENALI
Breakfast at hotel
60-minute floatplane flight to Denali National Park
Set up campsite
Afternoon day hike
Camping: Denali backcountry
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DAY 2 HIKING SUMMARY
Distance: 1.5 miles
Approx. time: 2 hours
Elevation gain: 600’
DAY 3: DENALI BACKCOUNTRY
Hike along the 'Whale's Tail' overlooking Ruth Glacier
Pitch camp on glacial lake
Camping: Denali backcountry
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DAY 3 HIKING SUMMARY
Distance: 5 miles
Approx. time: 5 hours
Elevation Gain: 1,000’
DAY 4: DENALI BACKCOUNTRY
Break camp and head out along Ruth Glacier
Set up camp in late afternoon
Camping: Denali backcountry
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DAY 4 HIKING SUMMARY
Distance: 4 to 7 miles
Approx. time: 5 to 8 hours
Elevation gain: 600’
DAY 5: DENALI BACKCOUNTRY
Longest hiking day, blazing a trail through tundra between Ruth and Tokositna Glaciers, source of Tokositna River
Camping: Denali backcountry
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DAY 5 HIKING SUMMARY
Distance: Up to 7 miles
Approx. time: 8 hours
Elevation Gain: 1,500’
DAY 6: DENALI BACKCOUNTRY
Last day of backpacking
Descent to final campsite
Camping: Denali backcountry
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DAY 6 HIKING SUMMARY
Distance: 4 miles
Approx. time: 4 hours
Elevation Loss: 2,100’
DAY 7: DENALI > ANCHORAGE
Final backcountry breakfast
Break camp
Early afternoon floatplane flight to Anchorage
Your onward flights from Anchorage should depart at 8pm or later
Where We Sleep
Lakefront Anchorage
4800 Spenard Rd., Anchorage, AK 99517
Tel. 907-781-2208
lakefrontanhorage.com
We spend our first night in Anchorage, doing a final gear check and getting ready for Denali's backcountry. Set up on the shore of Lake Spenard and the city’s only lakeside hotel, it has prime real estate and marvelous views of towering pines and the snow-capped Chugach Mountains, as well as the dulcet hum of float planes taking off and landing on the crystal waters out front. Head down to the dock for a fishing or flightseeing excursion to take your vantage to a whole new perspective.
Denali National Park
We'll camp for five nights in the remote backcountry of Denali—a rare opportunity to sleep in this wild wonderland, camping fully supported. We provide expedition-quality tents, trekking poles, and group-size tarp shelters to house the best nomadic cooking equipment in the camping world. We’ll eat well along the way, with delicious campsite meals to restore ourselves after a day on the trail.
Inclusions & Exclusions
INCLUSIONS
On a Modern Adventure, we’ve worked out all the details for you. Included in your experience are all the gear, delicious food, private air transport, expert local guides, and much more. Here’s what’s included:
Hotel accommodation for one night, backcountry camping for five nights
All group gear (see Gear & Packing)
Internal floatplane flights
All meals and beverages
Trekking poles
Satellite phones, medical kit, rescue equipment
All permit and entrance fees
Ground transportation
Departure transfer to Anchorage's ANC airport
EXCLUSIONS
Roundtrip airfare to/from Alaska
Travel insurance (see Get Ready)
Activities not included in the trip itinerary
Hotel incidentals
Personal camping gear such as sleeping bags & mats (see Gear & Packing for full list of items you'll need to bring)
Gratuity for Modern Adventure trip leader & guides