Mt. McKinley Flightseeing - what time?

[Denverite]

We only have one morning when we can attempt flightseeing from Talkeetna (staying at the Princess McKinley Lodge). It is offered at 7:00am (which means the flight would leave about 8:15am) or 9:00am (which means the flight would leave about 10:15am) since we hve to take the shuttle to Talkeetna. We usually book private excursions but this time we are thinking of doing the Princess McKinley Discovery Tour because we leave for Anchorage that afternoon. We will be there mid-September so I realize the flight could be cancelled. Any thoughts if earlier or a bit later would be better? Or perhaps it doesn't really matter?

[mytime53]

We have a cabin where we see Denali out the window. Some days it starts off clear as can be, and then 2 hours later the mountain is shrouded in clouds. Other days, when we first get up and look out, you wouldn't even know there's a mountain there, but 2 hours later, she's out in all her magnificence. And of course there are the days where it's either socked in or clear all day long...what I'm saying is, there is absolutely no predicting which time is better. I would go for the earliest flight, and then if that one is cancelled, you might be able to get on the later flight.

[Budget Queen]

I too would suggest the earliest flight.

Do you have other touring scheduled, otherwise why is your time so tight?

[Denverite]

Thanks! Our time is tight because we leave that afternoon for Anchorage and have other activities planned for our other days. We'll try for the early flight.

[rayliang]

The added benefit for first flight of the day:

1) sometimes operators will discount them because not as many people flies it...
2) in my case, my flight had to be canceled because only my family signed up for it. The operator put us with no extra costs onto a flight for the "Grand Denali" tour. So I essentially paid for the least expensive trip, and got the most expensive trip. Awesome :)