Meeting Mount Denali
After going on an Alaskan Cruise in 2019, we knew we weren’t finished with Alaska. There was so much in-land that we wanted to see and explore. We decided to plan a trip of a lifetime for the summer of 2021 to visit Denali National Park and hopefully catch a glimpse of the park’s namesake, Mount Denali. Now, we love to hike, but we are perfectly aware that we are not mountaineers. We did not have any plans to summit the mountain, but we knew we would be perfectly content with simply staring in awe of “The Great One.”
When we arrived to Denali (the park, not the mountain), we had arrangements to stay at the Skyline Lodge 96 miles into the park. Vehicles are not allowed into the park past Mile 15, so you can either take a bus or a plane to the lodge. We opted for the plane ride of course. The views were incredible, and it really put into perspective just how huge, beautiful, and wild the park is. Unfortunately, Mount Denali was not ready to reveal itself on our plane ride and was completely covered by clouds. We could see the massive base of the mountain and could only imagine the powerful formation behind the clouds. One so powerful, that it basically creates its own weather systems. The pilot told us that there’s typically a 30% chance of seeing Mount Denali in its full glory, but we were in one of the most beautiful places on Earth, so we knew we would survive even if we wound up being a part of the unlucky 70%.
The next day, we planned to hike to the peak of a much smaller mountain, Wickersham Dome. On our way to the top, we caught just the tiniest glimpse of the mountain peak! We nearly sprinted the rest of the way up to the top of Quigley Ridge (a trail that leads to Wickersham Dome) to set up a time-lapse of the incredible sight. We were greeted at the top with at least 5,000 mosquitoes. And about 30 seconds after pressing record, the mountain was covered up, and we had lost a liter of blood to the relentless Alaskan mosquitos.
We retreated and continued on our hike, enjoying the breathtaking scenery around us. We hoped the clouds would clear again and reveal the peak by the time we reached the summit of Wickersham Dome. However, our hopes were not met. It was so cloudy when we reached the top that the only reason I even knew where to look for the mountain was because I remembered it was supposed to be on the far side of Wonder Lake. Again, we were disappointed but also very aware that we were in Alaska, and it’s really hard to be bummed out while you’re surrounded by the breathtaking landscape of Denali National Park.
Yet again, the next morning, we woke up to another gorgeous but cloudy day. We set off on a hike less traveled as recommended by one of the drivers at the lodge. The peak was supposed to boast an incredible view of Wonder Lake, and we were hoping to either see Mount Denali or some wildlife if we could be so lucky. The hike was short but involved a bit of bushwhacking. Because of this, we were unaware of what would greet us at the top. When we reached the viewpoint, something incredible happened. The clouds parted, and the mountain revealed itself. We weren’t sure how long we would have to see it this time, so I sat down to take it in with my eyes, and Ethan set up to capture it with our cameras.
We both understood the significance of this gift. Sometimes it feels as if we are always going, going, going; trying to get the best footage and photo. We were lucky enough to get both of those things, but this was one of those serene moments where we just needed to be still and let Mother Nature show off. We sat there for over half an hour, enjoying and admiring the moment before us. When Mount Denali invited the clouds back to its peak, we looked at each other and laughed in amazement as if to say, “Did you just see that? Did you just feel what I felt?”
It felt like I was floating back down from the viewpoint. We spent the next couple of hours wandering around Wonder Lake; shifting between chattering away about what we had just seen and being in complete silence as we processed the moment. We were overjoyed and completely satisfied with our experience in the 30% club. But as we headed back to the lodge, we didn’t realize there would be more.
Maybe it’s because Denali appreciated that we stopped, stared and showed the attention and patience it deserved. Maybe we are incredibly lucky individuals. Maybe weather patterns just work this way. But when we got back to the lodge, one of the pilots told us that Mount Denali was clear again and that the weather conditions were perfect for a flight around the mountain. We are not the kind of people to say no to a once in a lifetime opportunity, so we went.
At this point, there is no way my words can truly offer up justice to the experience of flying 360 degrees around the 20,310 ft mountain that eludes so many without a cloud in sight. I cannot describe what it was like to see it like that, in its full glory. So, I recommend you watch the moment below. Ethan truly captured the experience, and it’s hard to watch without tearing up with emotion. It was undoubtedly one of the most beautiful moments of my life. (Skip to 11:07 if you’re impatient and don’t want to watch the whole video.)