Alaska, the place of absolute beauty and life. It is the one place on Earth that hasn't been altered by humans. Let's all go to see this amazing and fascinating place.
Cost/person: around $1700 USD including plane ticket from San Francisco to Alaska
Itinerary
Day 1: Sunday August 6, 2006
Leave from San Francisco, Arrive in Anchorage, go to hotel
Depart: SFO 12:46pm –> SEA 2:43pm –> Anchorage 5:54pm
Day 2: Monday August 7, 2006
Drive from Anchorage to Denali National Park (1-800-622-7275)
Camp at Wonder Lake Campground (already paid: $18/day)
see attach file Wonder_Lake_Denali.jpg
7:30am – take George Parks Highway, route 3
10:30pm – arrive at Denali National Park Visitor Center. Get permit,
park vehicle in the Riley Creek Overflow parking lot.
11:00pm – Hike up the Mount Healy Overlook Trail
4:00pm – take Camper Bus to Wonder Lake Campground,
need to reserve the bus seats: $25/ person
The Mount Healy Overlook Trail: 4 hours for the round-trip, the trail gains 1,700 feet in elevation. You're rewarded with photo-worthy views of the Nenana River coursing below and the Alaska Range towering above.
Denali National Park and Preserve contains Mount McKinley, the tallest mountain in North America. The park covers 9,492 mi2 (24,585 km2). The word "Denali" means "the High One" in the native Athabaskan language and refers to the mountain itself. see attach file Denali National Park map.pdf & Denali Cottongrass.jpg
Day 3: Tuesday, August 8, 2006
Camp at Wonder Lake Campground (already paid: $18/day)
Hike from Eielson to Wonder Lake Trail:pictures at following link
http://www.terragalleria.com/parks/np.denali.4.html
Hike from Sable to Polychrome Pass:pictures at following link
Trail winds across the foothills of Mount McKinley (20320 feet, 6200m)
see attach file Mckinley base camp.jpg
The base camp, at 7000 feet, is in the heart of a huge glacier system. Alaska. In the Himalayas, at 15000 feet, you would find villages.