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The Trip

Please note that the trip dates have changed from what was originally published. If you have questions, please contact us.

Home to the highest mountain in North America, Denali National Park comprises a massive area of six million acres, slightly more than the entire state of Massachusetts. Congress established the park in 1917 to protect its abundance of large mammals, especially the Dall sheep. Originally named Mount McKinley National Park, it was renamed to Denali National Park. In 1980 the park expanded in size by four million acres as part of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act.

Today it is common to see grizzly bears, caribou, Dall sheep, moose, and foxes throughout the park. Less common, but still regularly seen, are the park's many wolves. Black bears are also occasionally seen, and the very lucky visitor might glimpse a wolverine or a lynx.

The Project

Our project will be in the Savage River area near the end of the paved and publicly accessible portion of the Park Road. The National Park Service is building a 4.5-mile trail that leaves from the Savage Campground and leads to a vista where, if the weather cooperates, you can see Denali. The goal is to complete the trail in 2013.

Our work will be mostly trail work: building turnpikes, water bars, drainage work, and brushing. We will stay in the Savage River Group Campsite and walk each morning to the worksite. This hike is 2.5 miles with a 1,000-foot elevation gain.

On one workday we may take a bus two miles farther into the park and work on the trail that runs along the Savage River. The Savage River is near our campsite and is known for good fly fishing for grayling.

We will be treated to fun, informative ranger talks every evening at our campground. It is truly a great project in a wonderful area.

Itinerary

Day 1: We will meet at the Savage River Campground in the afternoon. There are both regularly scheduled bus and train services from Anchorage and Fairbanks to Denali National Park. Park staff will pick up participants at the train station or shuttle bus stop and take us to the campground.

We have the rest of the day to set up tents and get oriented. The campsite has running water, toilet facilities, and bear-proof food storage facilities. We will have a group dinner this evening when we can get to know each other and get briefing on our project. Please plan on arriving at the park no later than 4:00 p.m.

Days 2-5: We will work on the trail.

Day 6: This is our day to explore further into the Park. We can ride the park shuttle out to Wonder Lake (free). Wonder Lake provides awesome views of Denali when the weather cooperates. The tremendous 18,000-foot difference from the mountain's lowlands near Wonder Lake up to its peak is a greater vertical relief than that of Mount Everest! Our route parallels the Alaska Range and travels through low valleys and high mountain passes. It is the only road in the park. Along its route, beautiful landscapes can be seen at every turn, and there are many opportunities to view Denali's peaks -- if the normally cloudy skies permit. You're likely to see wildlife, although we can't guarantee it -- these are, after all, wild animals that follow their own schedule!

Day 7: Although our trip ends on Saturday, you may choose to stay in the park all day, fish, relax, schedule a shuttle trip to the Eleilson Visitor Center located at mile 66, or you can return to the park entrance where there is hiking, an excellent visitor's center, sled dog demonstrations, and private companies that run whitewater river rafting trips. You are welcome to spend one more night at the Savage River campground.

There is regular park bus service from the campground to the visitor complex, where you can catch your bus or train.

Getting There

It is easiest to get to Denali from Anchorage. Anchorage is a major air transportation hub served by numerous airlines. To meet our schedule you will need to arrive the night before our trip leaves. From Anchorage there are many bus services that run directly to the Park as well as the Alaska Railroad Denali Star. You can also reach the Park from Fairbanks.

Accommodations and Food

We will use our own tents during the trip. A group campsite will be provided by the National Park Service. All meals and plenty of snacks will be provided as part of the trip cost. The menu will be mostly vegetarian. Trip participants will take turns assisting the cook. Group water will be provided in camp for camp use. We will have a canvas-covered cooking area nearby to store our kitchen, food, and personal items during the night and times we are away from camp. If you have special dietary concerns or food allergies, make sure that you include this information on your trip application.

Trip Difficulty

Overall this trip is considered strenuous work. Participants should have had some past experience in hiking, camping, and backpacking. and be in relatively good physical shape. Beginners who have had some backpacking experience are welcome.

Equipment and Clothing

In addition to your camping gear, bring your favorite work gloves (if not, the trail crew will have extra to share). It's Alaska so any given day can be snow or sun. Bring the right clothes for working in cold, driving rain -- if it's sunny, that's a bonus! Bring a day pack to carry lunch, extra clothes, water, work gloves, raingear, sunscreen, and other personal items to the work site. Be sure to bring mosquito repellent and possibly a head-net for use at Wonder Lake. Food and cooking equipment are provided as well as a first-aid kit for emergencies. There will be water available for camp and commissary use, but bring a water bottle for extra water when away from camp. A final detailed equipment list will be provided to you at a later time.

References

Maps:

• Trails Illustrated map of Denali National Park. It is waterproof and costs around $14.95 from Amazon.com and many local outdoor stores.

Books:

• The Denali Park web site has a comprehensive list of books (including one Harlequin romance): http://www.nps.gov/dena/upload/Booklistfor90thAnniversary.pdf
• Capps, Kirs, The Denali Road Guide. The classic guide to Denali Park Road's sights and experiences. Valuable if you are taking the bus to Wonder Lake on the last day.

Conservation

You would think that the size and remoteness of Denali National Park would make it immune from conservation issues. Unfortunately this is not true. Alaska and its national parks are feeling dramatic effects from our changing climate. Denali provides a special opportunity to study a large, intact, and naturally functioning ecosystem. Researchers can monitor climate change in Denali and contribute to larger-scale climate monitoring and management efforts.

Within the park there are still issues with ATV use, Park Road use, and stream heavy metal contamination due to historical and continued mining in the areas adjacent to the designated wilderness. Participants have conservation stories from home and will be invited to share hometown issues with the group.

Travel in Alaska and the Arctic

Sierra Club outings in Alaska and Arctic Canada are special experiences in true wilderness, but they also carry an element of risk. Trip locales are often remote, away from the amenities of civilization, including sophisticated medical care and immediate evacuation possibilities. Many of our Alaska and Arctic Canada trips now carry satellite phones, but even with this technology, communication with the outside world can be difficult and emergency assistance can be days away. Weather in Alaska and Arctic Canada is unpredictable, and inclement weather can be severe. Among other hazards are cold river and stream crossings, tidal activity, calving glaciers, the psychological effects of remoteness, and the presence of large wild animals. You're in good hands, though, so don't worry: Your trip leaders have vast experience in the Last Frontier, and they'll provide all the guidance you need.

Trip Price

See the How to Apply for an Outing section for more details on registering for this trip and details about our Reservation and Cancellation Policy.

The payment of a deposit does not confirm you as a member on the trip. Participants must be approved by the trip leader. After signing up for this trip, you will be sent a confirmation packet containing approval materials (Participant Approval Questionnaire, Medical Form, Liability Release Form). Each applicant (including those on the waitlist) must fill out these forms and promptly mail them to the trip leader. The leader will review the approval materials and notify you of your acceptance in a timely manner.

Staff

Leader:

Wendy Van Norden has been leading backpacking and camping trips for more than 30 years, hiking with friends, and introducing her science students to the mountains and deserts of the Southwest. She is an avid naturalist who has fallen in love with the solitude and the overwhelming beauty of wilderness. Hiking in the Yukon and meeting caribou and grizzly bears unfamiliar with humans convinced her that the Arctic is by far the best place to find pristine wilderness. Now, she intends to return each summer to the land of the midnight sun.

E-mail: wvannorden@hw.com

Cook:

Sarah O'Gara first joined the Sierra Club to meet people and discover new places to hike when she relocated from Los Angeles to Sacramento, California after college. She discovered National Outings Service Trips the summer when she worked in the Eastern Sierra to prepare for a Nepali trek in the fall. She has volunteered as a Service Trip leader for the past 10 years because it combines her love of working on conservation projects with like-minded people and Leave No Trace backcountry cooking. Sarah has a certificate in Natural Resources Management with an emphasis in botany and will be sure to include a wildflower identification book in her pack.

E-mail: sarah_ogara@yahoo.com

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General Notes About Sierra Club Trips

• Carbon Offsets
• Carpooling
• Electronic Devices
• Equipment
• How to Apply for a Trip
• Leader Gratuities
• Liability Release and Assumption of Risk
• Medical Issues
• Non-discrimination Statement
• Participant Approval
• Reservation and Cancellation Policy
• Seller of Travel Disclosure
• Travel Insurance
• Trip Feedback
• Wilderness Manners