How important is an early departure for Denali Shuttle?

[jmarks]

We have a full day at leisure in Denali and will be staying at the Princess Lodge. I've been advised by some on these boards not to reserve a tour before 8:30 due to the logistics of getting to the shuttle from the lodge. But I also have heard that it is walkable. So my question is, do you really see more and are there other advantages to doing a tour before 8:30? Thanks in advance.

[Yukon]

After a couple of decades of going into the park fairly regularly, I consider early trips to be crucial, simply because Denali (the mountain some call Mt. McKinley) often gets hidden by cloud before noon, even on days when most of the park is clear. Many animals will also go into hiding when it gets too warm as the day progresses.

[jmarks]

Thanks, Yukon. I guess I knew early was better, but the real question is; is 8:30 early enough?

[Yukon]

Thanks, Yukon. I guess I knew early was better, but the real question is; is 8:30 early enough?

 

I want to have been on the road for at least 2 hours by then, preferably even longer.

[wolfie11]

You don't mention when you are going to the park. From mid-August on, it probably doesn't make a lot of difference, as the sun isn't up until around 6am, and the odds of clouds and rain are higher then. If you are going in June, it will more likely make a difference.

 

I seldom go on the earliest shuttles because I drive out to Savage River in the evening to hike the trail and photograph the sunset. I often don't get back until after 11pm and no way am I getting up at 4am to make a 5:30 shuttle. We still tend to see wildlife. It's very hit and miss, as the bus 5 minutes ahead of you may have a totally different experience than your group does. But, as Yukon states, on warm, sunny days, animals will bed down by mid-day.

 

It is around a mile or more to walk to the access center with all your gear.

[jmarks]

We'll be there the last week in July. Will the timing make much difference then?

[Scrappy cruiser]

It is around a mile or more to walk to the access center with all your gear.

 

What do you mean by this? It's a mile walk from the parking area to the access center?

[Yukon]

What do you mean by this? It's a mile walk from the parking area to the access center?

 

No, from the hotel area - the huge parking lot is right at the WAC.

[grey_eyes]

I drive out to Savage River in the evening to hike the trail and photograph the sunset.

 

 

Can anyone do this? I would be interested in this if you could give me more information please. We will have 2 rentals cars, so a drive is not a problem.

[wolfie11]

The road is paved and open to anyone to drive to Savage River, 14 miles into the park. There's a parking lot and a loop trail (about 1 1/2-2 miles). If the mountain is out, as it often is in the evening, there is a spectacular view from around Mile 8. We see LOTS of wildlife here later in the evening and if we go early in the morning. This includes bears, wolves, moose, Dall sheep, hawk owls, raptors, ptarmigan (including babies), caribou, fox, pika, and marmot. The attached pictures were all taken along this stretch of the road.

[Budget Queen]

Can anyone do this? I would be interested in this if you could give me more information please. We will have 2 rentals cars, so a drive is not a problem.

 

Yes, it is a public road. I always make this trip several times during my visits. Stop frequently and get out with a good pair of binoculars, I recommend 10 power. There also are ranger activities at Savage River as well as some entrance trails to consider. http://www.nps.gov/dena

 

I just about always am on the first bus out to either Wonder Lake or Eielson.

[jenjens1023]

Wolfie--

 

Great pictures!

 

I'll admit to being computer stupid (but mildly literate, so I think I'm cureable). When I clicked on the link I got one picture for each link. Were there supposed to be multiple views as stated? How do I see those? I want MORE!!

[buhockey]

We have a full day at leisure in Denali and will be staying at the Princess Lodge. I've been advised by some on these boards not to reserve a tour before 8:30 due to the logistics of getting to the shuttle from the lodge. But I also have heard that it is walkable. So my question is, do you really see more and are there other advantages to doing a tour before 8:30? Thanks in advance.

I'm debating between a 6am vs. 7am shuttle to Eielson. I've been told you need to arrive 20 minutes before the shuttle leaves. Plus, add another 20 minutes of travel time from Healy. And considering the 30 to 45 minutes it takes us to prep in the morning -- we might be leaning towards the 7am. Hopefully that won't compromise our wildlife viewing pleasure.

[cruiseej]

I'm debating between a 6am vs. 7am shuttle to Eielson. I've been told you need to arrive 20 minutes before the shuttle leaves. Plus, add another 20 minutes of travel time from Healy. And considering the 30 to 45 minutes it takes us to prep in the morning -- we might be leaning towards the 7am. Hopefully that won't compromise our wildlife viewing pleasure.

 

I went though the same agonizing over shuttle time, and got agreement from DW and parents to go for the very first bus at -- yikes! -- 5:30. We're also staying in Healy. Our drive up the day before should allow us to go pick up our tickets at the park entrance and scout out where we need to be in the morning, so we can cut it a little tighter in the morning. I'm figuring on pretty quick morning prep time, 15 minutes to the parking lot, and being there 15 minutes early since it won't be too crowded at that hour! So we'll be getting up about 4:20 -- just in time for sunrise over Otto Lake in Healy! But I know that if we don't see wildlife, I may be getting a lot of angry looks from my family, since I'm the one who pushed for the early shuttle! ;)

 

-- Eric

[wolfie11]

Wolfie--

 

Great pictures!

 

I'll admit to being computer stupid (but mildly literate, so I think I'm cureable). When I clicked on the link I got one picture for each link. Were there supposed to be multiple views as stated? How do I see those? I want MORE!!

 

Try these links to my photo albums on Facebook. For animals http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=50877&id=689999586&l=7329e

 

and for scenery http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=51577&id=689999586&l=b05e8

 

I'd be happy to answer any questions as to where photos were taken, etc.

[Budget Queen]

and being there 15 minutes early since it won't be too crowded at that hour!

 

-- Eric

 

 

Sorry, Don't count on this. The first shuttles are VERY popular and often run full. I'm always there 30 minutes ahead and in line, since I am very picky about my seating.

[jenjens1023]

Wolfie--thanks for the additional photos. I hope I have the wildlife luck you do!

 

Budget Queen--where do you recommend sitting? Please whisper your answer so no one else finds out!

[Budget Queen]

I like the entire front row, who I'm with, splits up and sits across. IF someone sits with us, they are on the aisle. :) I'm often getting information from the driver, which is a priority to me. With the full front row, I have access to both windows- easily.

[agabbymama]

I'm debating between a 6am vs. 7am shuttle to Eielson. I've been told you need to arrive 20 minutes before the shuttle leaves. Plus, add another 20 minutes of travel time from Healy. And considering the 30 to 45 minutes it takes us to prep in the morning -- we might be leaning towards the 7am. Hopefully that won't compromise our wildlife viewing pleasure.

 

 

After reading all of the posts here about the early tours to Eilson or Wonder Lake, I was very disappointed when we were given our tour time by HAL on our cruisetour in Aug '07. We were scheduled for the 2:30 TWT and I was sure we weren't going to see anything. I was so bummed.

 

We actually got on the road at 3:00 pm, not too far into the park saw a lone caribou and 1 lone prairie dog. Everyone on the bus kept their eyes peeled. After a rest room break, the driver spied a family of bears (5 of them) and commented it looked like Dad was with Mom and the cubs, very unusual. We sat about 30 minutes watching them cavort. On the way to the turn around point, Denali decided to pop out of the clouds. At the turn around point we saw 7 Dall sheep on the mountain side, quite high up, but with the binoculars, clearly visible. We had hot chocolate and were there about 30 minutes. On the return, we saw a Golden Eagle fly right even with the bus, then cut across in front of us and land on a cliff, stop for photos of course, a little further on we saw a couple of moose in some marshy area, and onward a young male grizzly right beside the road. Maybe 10 feet from the actual road, he watched us as we were watching him, then decided he had had enough of this stuff, and sauntered away. Then one of the passengers asked what the cloud of dust was, the driver again stopped, and told us we were in for a treat. There was a herd of 30-50 caribou racing at full speed across the tundra. So exciting to see them in their natural habitat. Then someone spotted one lone fox. And that's not counting the 1000 little bunnies, after dark. The only animal on my list I missed seeing was a wolf. My sister-in-law and our friend was tired of the tour by the first rest room break, so they got off, asked the driver if there was a way back to the lodge, they waited for the next shuttle, and they did see a gray wolf on the way back to the lodge. They arrived at the lodge only 2 hours ahead of us, so it wasn't that much faster. We finished our tour in the rain, at 11:00 pm, but had to wait for the shuttle, so in our room at 11:30. We were some tired puppies after the train ride from Fairbanks that same day, but it was well worth it.

 

So you just take your chances with whatever tour you take. It's not a zoo, and sometimes even in a zoo, the animals may be sleeping or hiding. In their natural habitat, it can be very difficult to even see them.

 

I would not hesitate to take the 7:00 am bus versus the 6:00 am bus. I can't believe that hour is going to make that much difference in what you see. Have a great trip.

[cruiseej]

The first shuttles are VERY popular and often run full. I'm always there 30 minutes ahead and in line, since I am very picky about my seating.

 

Alrighty, then -- I guess we'll be getting up just at sunrise at 4:00. 'Cause if I'm getting up this early, I do want a good seat up front, too. ;)

 

We'll have four of us -- would those who have done this advise taking four seats across one row to have both sides, or two rows on the left side (is that the side for generally better views on the trip out)? If we take one row across both sides, will the two people in our group on the right be annoyed that they have less of a good view, or would you say it doesn't really matter? Thanks!

 

Ah, the things this board gets us to obsess over! ;)

 

-- Eric

[compulady]

I have had the Denali shuttle order page opened on my computer for several days. We will be in Denali June 8th, the first day of the shuttle to Wonder Laker this year. I am trying to decide on Wonder Lake Shuttle or just get Eielson Shuttle and upgrade if the mountain is out. I am also pretty sure 6:15 would be a good bus for us to take.

[wolfie11]

I do think there is a "bus effect" on sighting animals, especially in the first 30 miles in the park, which are well-travelled. There are two ways to see animals in the park - those that are along the road or using the road as a travel corridor, and those that are just crossing the road. Obviously, the animals crossing the road are going to be visible for about 5 minutes to one or two buses. The ones using the road will often be visible for a much longer time and lots of people will get to see them. The heavier the traffic, the lower the number of animals using the road, so sightings will be the opportunistic "crossing the road" animals. The later you go in the morning, the more traffic has passed, and fewer animals are using the road. Add this in with the "sunny day" effect that animals will be sleeping in the shade by noon on warm, sunny days, and the chances of seeing animals goes down considerably by mid-afternoon. On the other hand, later in the evening as traffic dies down (and it cools off), the number of animals seen goes up.

 

There is no real scientific basis to this - just observations from 20 years of visiting the park.

[wolfie11]

Alrighty, then -- I guess we'll be getting up just at sunrise at 4:00. 'Cause if I'm getting up this early, I do want a good seat up front, too. ;)

 

We'll have four of us -- would those who have done this advise taking four seats across one row to have both sides, or two rows on the left side (is that the side for generally better views on the trip out)? If we take one row across both sides, will the two people in our group on the right be annoyed that they have less of a good view, or would you say it doesn't really matter? Thanks!

 

Ah, the things this board gets us to obsess over! ;)

 

-- Eric

 

Some of the shuttles (the Eielson ones) have wheel wells in the front rows behind the driver's seat. Do not sit two people in this row as the person on the wheel well will be very unhappy after the first couple of hours, unless they are a child or smaller person. I always get to the shuttle at least 45 minutes early, put my pack on the ground right at the curb to "save" my place, and go get a coffee. I can then be one of the first on, and take the spot right behind the driver. If someone is with me, I tell them to take the opposite seat. If someone gets on later and wants to share with me, I offer to let them sit next to the window on the hump. They invariably decline, so I get the seat to myself. If you take photos, this is the best seat, as the driver will often open the door for you to take pictures of animals (you can't get off though).

 

The newer Wonder Lake and Kantishna shuttles have the wheels further up and no wheel wells, so you can sit two people in the front seats.

[cruiseej]

Thanks, Wolfie -- just the type of incredibly detailed information I love on this board!

 

So with four of us -- two of us picture-takers, me seriously -- would you advise sitting behind each other on the left side, or spreading out to capture seats on both sides?

 

Also, on the first Wonder Lake shuttle of the morning in mid-June, can I try to grab two seats for myself (my camera bag does take up a seat!:)) and have my wife sit in a different row, or should we be polite and just take two seats next to each other because the bus is likely to be close to full? How many seats to they typically leave unsold so they're free for picking up people later in the day on the return trip?

 

-- Eric

[JerseyJaguar]

No, from the hotel area - the huge parking lot is right at the WAC.

Is this an easy and safe walk? Is there a shoulder to walk on? Is it all uphill? I want to take an early shuttle and if I can walk to the starting point without getting run over then I wouldn't be worried about whether or not to do it.