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I got up that morning in Anchorage, stuck my pack on my back and made for the train station. The way down to that part of town was being blocked by a street fair being set up. It was all no entry. The ways around would take some time so I called a car. The car went a bit astray. The guy just kept talking as he made another wrong turn and I was just 'um, yeah, train. The big building right there ... just please?'
When I walked in the depot there was a lady there who said 'Are you Rathany?' I was like 'oh, this is a bad sign. I still have 15 minutes, right?'
I did. I made the train, but I was the last one aboard.
I was in Adventure Class for this leg, which I quite enjoyed. My original seat was not good, but I was quickly reseated.
This leg did not have the free mimosas, back decks or grand views of the Seward-Anchorage leg. I was in a well maintained vintage car going through birch forest with the ground blanketed with giant ferns. I loved it. This was exactly my speed. I was too relaxed to bother taking pictures to document my favorite parts. I had my seat back, feet up, The Midnight and Timecop1983 in my ears and just watched the woods. It was raining. I was absolutely happy.
There was a dome, but it was a small vintage one with only 20 seats for all adventure class peeps to share. Fortunately, nearly all the tour groups got off in Talkeetna, leaving those left with plenty of space.
Up in the dome:
The seats across from me:
The trees are so smol up in the Denali area:
I felt like a giant. I wish I had gotten a picture of myself standing among the mature but smol trees looking confused.
Bumpy start, but I enjoyed that ride thoroughly.
That night I stayed at the entrance. I didn't intend to do much as it's a long train ride and I hadn't had a rest day yet. Then I saw I sign saying that there was vegan panna cotta on a restaurant up on a ridge, about a 300 ft climb, and I walked up.
I had beer, salmon and coconut milk panna cotta.
I also walked the entrance area a bit. I picked up my bear spray from a shop, which was a mistake as the park can provide some for free. Also my lodge had it, because you can't fly with it. People just leave the spray there and a couple of places take it in and re-distribute the cans.
This was the night I had to last-minute rebook because the place I'd originally booked pulled some BS on me. I paid a lot for my room that night, but the McKinley Chalet was amazing. Well informed and helpful staff, great bus service, rooms designed to help deal with the sheer brightness of the area, etc. I am rarely impressed by hotels, but this place was great.
My room:
It's briiiight out. That white spot up in the right corner is not the sun low in the sky. My room was below a large ridge of rock. The sun was still in noon-time position and just pounding down. The room had a deck wiht roof that helped shade the room from the sun and still, yeah. There were dark wood walls and blackout curtains though. I liked the room's design with plaids and vintage maps. I could rave about it a while, but that is boring. When I had to stay at another hotel on my way out of the area it was horrible compared to the Chalet. I wound up coming back to the Chalet for breakfasts I could eat and also abused their far superior bus service.
Mmmm.... breakfast:
Part 6: Into Denali National Park.
When I walked in the depot there was a lady there who said 'Are you Rathany?' I was like 'oh, this is a bad sign. I still have 15 minutes, right?'
I did. I made the train, but I was the last one aboard.
I was in Adventure Class for this leg, which I quite enjoyed. My original seat was not good, but I was quickly reseated.
This leg did not have the free mimosas, back decks or grand views of the Seward-Anchorage leg. I was in a well maintained vintage car going through birch forest with the ground blanketed with giant ferns. I loved it. This was exactly my speed. I was too relaxed to bother taking pictures to document my favorite parts. I had my seat back, feet up, The Midnight and Timecop1983 in my ears and just watched the woods. It was raining. I was absolutely happy.
There was a dome, but it was a small vintage one with only 20 seats for all adventure class peeps to share. Fortunately, nearly all the tour groups got off in Talkeetna, leaving those left with plenty of space.
Up in the dome:
The seats across from me:
The trees are so smol up in the Denali area:
I felt like a giant. I wish I had gotten a picture of myself standing among the mature but smol trees looking confused.
Bumpy start, but I enjoyed that ride thoroughly.
That night I stayed at the entrance. I didn't intend to do much as it's a long train ride and I hadn't had a rest day yet. Then I saw I sign saying that there was vegan panna cotta on a restaurant up on a ridge, about a 300 ft climb, and I walked up.
I had beer, salmon and coconut milk panna cotta.
I also walked the entrance area a bit. I picked up my bear spray from a shop, which was a mistake as the park can provide some for free. Also my lodge had it, because you can't fly with it. People just leave the spray there and a couple of places take it in and re-distribute the cans.
This was the night I had to last-minute rebook because the place I'd originally booked pulled some BS on me. I paid a lot for my room that night, but the McKinley Chalet was amazing. Well informed and helpful staff, great bus service, rooms designed to help deal with the sheer brightness of the area, etc. I am rarely impressed by hotels, but this place was great.
My room:
It's briiiight out. That white spot up in the right corner is not the sun low in the sky. My room was below a large ridge of rock. The sun was still in noon-time position and just pounding down. The room had a deck wiht roof that helped shade the room from the sun and still, yeah. There were dark wood walls and blackout curtains though. I liked the room's design with plaids and vintage maps. I could rave about it a while, but that is boring. When I had to stay at another hotel on my way out of the area it was horrible compared to the Chalet. I wound up coming back to the Chalet for breakfasts I could eat and also abused their far superior bus service.
Mmmm.... breakfast:
Part 6: Into Denali National Park.
