A trip to Alaska isn’t complete without getting a few amazing views of Mount Denali, North America’s tallest peak (at 20,320 feet). Maybe one day I’ll summit that peak, but for this trip I was okay viewing it from afar. The problem is, Denali is so big it’s completely covered by clouds 1/3 of the time (and in Alaska the weather usually includes heavy cloud cover, storms, and fog). Seeing the peak of Denali is considered lucky. I wasn’t willing to gamble with this chance, so we started researching ways to see Denali by plane, and that’s when we found out about the glacier landing tour in Denali National Park.
The glacier landing tour would allow us to fly right by Denali, and land on a nearby glacier. Actually, some people that summit Denali (and take the easier route) do the exact same thing. This sounded like an incredible option, plus we already landed on a gravel runway in Barter Island, so we figured why not.
The Glacier Landing Tour in Denali
We boarded a small 6 person plane on the outskirts of Denali National Park and we were on our way. Seeing the Alaskan mountains by plane puts everything into perspective. From the sky, you can really get an idea of how large Denali National Park is, and it’s massive. The mountains continue on for as far as you can see.
Since Mount Denali is so enormous, it quickly comes into view. As we got closer, we were flying next to some of the largest mountains I’ve ever seen. I heard that Alaska has the best pilots in the US, and I believe it after seeing our pilot fly over clouds and weave around these massive peaks.
The Glacier Landing
We began our descent into the Great Gorge of Ruth Glacier (the world’s deepest gorge). Finally a set of tire tracks in the snow appeared and we guessed that that would be our runway. We were right, and in 5 minutes we were landed on a snowy glacier in the middle of the Alaskan mountains. And boy, was it cold. Definitely recommend bringing some heavy layers for this tour!
We hopped out and took a few pictures of the surrounding mountains. But, as you can imagine, we were happy to jump back in the plane after about 20 minutes since we weren’t in the mood for frostbite.
Taking Off
The glacier landing was pretty smooth, but taking off was another story. The back of the plane slid back and forth and was a little (or a lot) bumpy on take off. I found it fun, but I know a lot of people that don’t like flying that wouldn’t have enjoyed it as much (hi mom).
After 100 minutes of flight time and outstanding views, we were back at the Healy River Airport. The glacier landing tour was awesome and I got some incredible shots from this day. Not to mention, I saw some of the most amazing scenery in Alaska by plane, so definitely make sure to take at least one tour that involves a small fight while you are visiting. We also did the brown bear tour in Lake Clark National Park which I highly recommend.
Have any questions about the glacier landing tour in Alaska? Feel free to ask away below!
