Post-reunion: Alaska 8/6 - 8/19 2006

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) http://www.terragalleria.com/parks/np.denali.3.html 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. Day 4: Wednesday, August 9, 2006 Camp at Wonder Lake Campground (already paid: $18/day) Hike around Toklat River at milepost 54 of the Park Road. Hike around Stony Hill Overlook at milepost 62 where Mount McKinley first becomes fully visible from base to summit - an impressive view . Day 5: Thursday, August 10, 2006 Camp at Savage River (Mile 13) (already paid: $18/day) Hike from Riley Creek to Savage River Trail : pictures at following link http://www.terragalleria.com/parks/np.denali.2.html Hike in a tundra along the Teklanika River to the Cathedral Mountains with its glaciers. Day 6: Friday, August 11, 2006 Denali NP – Fairbanks – Delta Jct. – Tok – Wrangell-St. Elias NP 8:00am – leave from Denali NP;take George Parks Highway (route 3) to Fairbanks 10:30am – leave from Fairbanks, drive along Alaska Pipeline;take Alaska Highway (route 2) to Delta Jct. 1:30pm – leave from Delta Jct., take Alaska Highway to Tok 4:30pm – leave from Tok and take Tok Cut Off Highway (route 1)to Slana 7:00pm – leave from Slana to Nebesna Road 8:30pm – Camp anywhere we like! We will be fishing for our dinner http://www.nps.gov/wrst/nabesnaroadgeology.htm In 1978, in combination with its Yukon neighbor Kluane National Park, the United Nations recognized Wrangell-St. Elias National Monument (10,950,000 acres) as an international World Heritage site – the first bi-national designation. Glacier Bay National Park in Alaska, and Tatshenshini-Alsek Provincial Park in British Columbia were added in 1993. Together, these four units include 24.3 million acres, one of the largest internationally protected ecosystems on the planet! Mt. St. Elias, at 18,008 feet, is the second highest peak in the United States. Nine of the 16 highest peaks in the United States are in Alaska. Mt. Wrangell, at 14,163 feet, is one of the largest active volcanoes in North America. Day 7: Saturday, August 12, 2006 Wrangell-St. Elias National Park Hike and fish along Nebesna Road. Camp anywhere we like! Day 8: Sunday, August 13, 2006 Wrangell-St. Elias National Park 8:00am – Take route 1 to Chitina 10:00am – Drive from Chitina to McCathy. 12:00pm – McCathy; Camp anywhere we like! Hike and fish along McCathy Road. http://www.nps.gov/wrst/mccarthyroadgeology.htm Day 9: Monday, August 14, 2006 Wrangell-St. Elias National Park Day 10: Tuesday, August 15, 2006 Glennallen to Valdez (Richardson Hwy) 8:00am – drive from Glennallen to Valdez (Richardson Hwy)The drive takes 2 hours without stopping. Waterfalls and glaciers along the way while passing through Chugach Mountains. 10:30am – Valdez http://www.valdezalaska.org/ We will stay in a very NICE hotel ( take a nice shower!) Day 11: Wednesday, August 16, 2006 Take a ferry from Valdez to Whittier through Prince William Sound. 8:00am – take a ferry across Alaska Marine Highway, on time http://akms.com/ferry/ need reserve $85/person 1:45pm – arrive in Whittier, go out second tunnel Chugach National Forest 907-783-3242, Portgage Glacier Visitor Center: Byron Glacier Trail (1 mile), Willawaw Trail, Moraine Trail. Burns Glacier Boggs Visitor Center beside Portage Lake: Explorer Glacier and Middle Glacier 7:00pm – Williwaw Campground and Black Bear Campground, www.reserveUSA.com 877- 444 – 6777 need reserve Day 12: Thursday, August 17, 2006 Kenai Fjord National Park 907-224-7500 8:00am – leave from Whittier. Go through tunnel and take route 9 9:30am – arrive Seward Visit Center 10:00am – arrive Exit Glacier: first 3 miles paved then 8 mile unpaved; need to reserve a campsite, first come first serve 10:30am – hike Kenai Fjords National Park is capped by the Harding Icefield, a relic from past ice-ages and the largest icefield entirely within U.S. borders. see attached file Kenai Fjords National Park.jpg Day 13: Friday, August 18, 2006 Seward to Anchorage 8:00am – leave Kenai Fjord National Park 12:00am – arrive Anchorage, The drive takes 2 hours without stopping. Day 14: Saturday, August 19, 2006 Home home sweet home! Depart: ANC 12:43pm -> SEA 5:06pm -> 8:12pm SFO