This post is part of the #StateChallenge Meetups from Team USA, hosted by @Kwiksatik and @Denise_Barlock
I visited Alaska in 2005 as part of our family vacation trip. We flew to Anchorage from San Francisco. We rented a van and drove around Alaska. Few key places visited Seward, Alaska, where we took a day cruise and Denali National Park where we experienced white water rafting for the first time.
Let us look at some of the interesting facts about Denali National Park.
Denali is Visible 200 Miles Away
Denali is so tall that with clear weather you can see the mountain from all over Anchorage, including the Anchorage International Airport or Earthquake Park in Anchorage. You can also catch glimpses of the monstrous mountain at the Reflection Pond at Wonder Lake and the University of Alaska campus overlook in Fairbanks.
The Frogs Freeze Themselves Alive
The wood frog, which was once proposed as the official amphibian of New York, is the only amphibian that naturally resides in Denali National Park. These frogs are fun and fascinating to researchers and visitors alike because the wood frog freezes itself into a cryogenic state in wintertime. The frog’s heart stops beating, and lungs cease pumping until the frog thaws in the spring. Afterward, they continue along as if winter never existed.
Climbers tried Summiting Denali a Century Ago
The first attempted summit of Denali took place in 1903. The mountaineer was Judge James Wickersham. He attempted to climb the mountain via Peters Glacier and the North Face, but he fell far short of his goal. The route Wickersham tried to ascend wasn’t accomplished until 1963 due to avalanche dangers. The summit he attempted is now known as Wickersham’s Wall.
The first verifiable ascent to Denali’s summit was achieved on June 7, 1913, by climbers Hudson Stuck, Harry Karstens, Walter Harper, and Robert Tatum. They ascended via the South Summit. Rumor has it, they celebrated their success with hot chocolate and donuts.
Denali has Been a National Park Twice
Denali is the park so nice, the government made it twice. Unlike the other national parks in Alaska, Denali used to be much smaller. The Alaska Native Interests Land Conservation Act in 1980 created Alaska’s eight national parks, but Denali was initially founded as Mount McKinley National Park on February 26, 1917. The entire park was a relatively small area set established to protect Dall sheep. Visit the Denali Visitor Center to learn more about the park and its unique history.
Denali is Perfect for Wildlife Watching, With a Permit
Denali National Park is home to more than 39 different types of mammals, many of which are apex predators. To really enjoy the wildlife Denali has to offer, you’ll need to acquire a special permit and go camping in the backcountry. When you’re planning a trip, keep in mind there is only one main road that runs through the official park called “Park” road. Private vehicles aren’t permitted after Mile 15. Unless you want to travel on foot from there, you’ll have to take the hop-on, hop-off park shuttle bus or a tour bus.
Depending on where in the park you have an overnight adventure, you have a good chance of encountering:
Moose
Caribou
Dall sheep
Wolves
Grizzly bears
Collared pika
Hoary marmot
Red fox
Arctic ground squirrel
Snowshoe hares
Wolverines
Black bears
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