Denali National Park - Zone 28 - June 30, 2000 - Member Trip Report

Hike Name: Denali National Park - Zone 28
Country: United States
State: Alaska
Trip Rating: 2 stars
Trip Date: June 30, 2000
Duration: 1 day
Trail Conditions: Poor
Trail Traffic: None
Trip Weather: Sunny, Partly Sunny, Partly Cloudy, Cloudy
Trip Winds: Heavy
Trip Precipitation: Rain, Showers
Trip Temperature: High: 71-80, Low: 41-50 degrees Fahrenheit
Trip Report: 6/30/00: (Canyon Campsite, 3 miles) – We left a car camping site off US 3 by 9:15am to stop at a small outfitter and get a new stove (since my old MSR quit working). Then we grabbed a quick breakfast at the Quickie Mart and drove to our pick-up site at Riley Creek in Denali National Park. Left the parking lot at 10:30am and took an hour ride on the park bus to Zone 28 on the Teklanika River. Started hiking immediately, and the first mile was a cruise since we followed the river along a wide creek bank. During our first river crossing, Candy A’s boots (borrowed from me) came untied from his pack and he chased them downstream for about a half mile before catching them in the fast water.

Decided to follow the Teqlanika River through the canyon rather than cross the mountain range. This, as it turned out, was a fatal error. The canyon looked deceptively easy from a distance (although the topographical lines indicated otherwise). We debated the decision as a group, but the easy hiking along the river won out and we agreed to push forward until we were forced up the canyon walls.

Saw a lot of moose, grizzly, and wolf tracks along the sandy shores of the river, but it became immediately clear that the canyon was going to defeat us. Within about 15 minutes we were forced up and along the western canyon walls through thick alder and bush. Some was over six feet in height and the hike was extremely challenging until about 5pm when we returned to the canyon floor and the Teklanika River. After a short break on a sandy bank, we decided that the campsite was too dangerous. It was too close to the water (only about 10 feet) and would be problematic if heavy rains came during the night. The water source (a small creek) was also on the other side of the river, and class five rapids separated us from the non-glacial water source.

So much to Smoky’s dissatisfaction (and rightly so), we trudged on for about 90 minutes to reach a moderately flat area about 20 feet above the Teklanika River. Unfortunately, it was covered with boulders that had fallen from the canyon walls, but it was 7pm and none of us had the energy to go any further (nor did we see a suitable campsite up ahead).

So we stopped, beaten and exhausted, and camped on a pile of rocks for the night – thank God for the Thermarest. Pumping water was very difficult this evening. The decent to the river was steep and covered with scree, and the Teklanika was a milky grey color from all the glacial melt in the Park. Cooked up dinner this evening and actually had an enjoyable evening hanging out on the rocks. Smoked a few cigars and hung out until about 11pm in the twilight.

Hiker:

BirdShooter


47,200 points


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