Traveling to Alaska for the AMS Denali Prep Course I signed up for back in February was finally here. Since this was my first time to the 49th state, I arrived a few days early to check out the Alaskan vibe.
I didn’t capture a good picture of it, but downtown Anchorage is a few square blocks that’s abuzz with tourists. It’s the hub of much activity since many start here for their respective Alaskan adventures.
I expected to see a bunch of cruise ships docked in Anchorage but I guess the city’s port is designed more for cargo and commercial shipping. As a result, cruise goers only spend a night or so in town waiting for their tour bus to transport them to cruise ship docks in Whittier and Seward.
Adventure’s Second Stop
Where do you think my second stop was?
You guessed it… REI in Anchorage! I just had to play my proposed urban adventure game.
I also needed a few things I didn’t have time to get before leaving Salt Lake. Not to mention, their biggest sale of the year was going on so how could I not take advantage of that.
Now you might think I’ve got some special deal going on with REI with how much I’ve promoted them, but I don’t. I’ve just been a happy/loyal customer since 1999.
I also stopped in at AMH, a local shop for all your Alaska Mountaineering and Hiking needs. Later, I learned that if you don’t get it somewhere there in Anchorage, you will be SOL in Talkeetna.
The rest of the afternoon was spent driving out to Girdwood to have a look at the Alyeska Ski Resort.
Off to Talkeetna
I chose the Park Connection Motorcoach service to Talkeetna despite a train that is also available through Alaska Tour and Travel. Someone told me the views from the train weren’t any better, so I was fine paying only $75 each way. It also shaved 30 minutes off my travel time.
Talkeetna is an historic town on the way to Denali National Park. Not only is it the starting point for climbers, but other travelers make the stop here for fishing, flightseeing and food. Speaking of food, I recommend Mountain High Pizza Pie, Crepes at Conscious Coffee and the Breakfast Burrito from Shirley’s Famous Food Truck. She loads that burrito with everything!
I stayed at the Talkeetna Roadhouse for two nights.
Their Little Cabin in the back was very cozy and quiet being disconnected from the main house.
It was definitely more than I needed, but also cheaper than any other option in town.
Breakfast at the Roadhouse was delicious too!
You can also find a limited selection of grocery items at Nagley’s General Store.
It was fun to wander around town, walk the waterfront, and just take in these Alaskan views.
A walking path is accessible across this trestle if you want to explore the other side of Talkeetna River.
You might also be interested to see the Climber’s Memorial in Talkeetna’s Cemetery. A list of fallen climbers can be viewed here.
By Tuesday morning, it was time to start my Denali Prep Course with AMS!
The next 10 days would be spent living on the Kahiltna Glacier.
