Wednesday, June 21, 1995
Ate breakfast at the hotel then went food shopping. We bought all the non-perishables we could in Anchorage expecting (rightfully) grocery prices to be much higher in Denali. The Ford Explorer was absolutely packed with all of our luggage and groceries, but we were ready to set out for Denali.
On the way to Denali we stopped in Wasilla to visit the Iditarod Trail
Committee headquarters and museum. A nearby park was a nice place for a
picnic lunch before proceeding. We stopped a few more times at various
scenic areas along the way. The most memorable stop was
Hurricane Gulch.
We hiked a half mile or so off the highway along the rim of the gulch.
After a leisurely 6 hour drive we reached the park. Made a quick stop at
the visitor's center to gather literature then on to
Denali Suites.
The
apartment at Denali Suites was lovely. It was a true 2 bedroom apartment
with a fully equipped kitchen. The apartment was in perfect condition and
nicely decorated. While the exterior isn't striking, Denali Suites is a
fantastic place to stay for a day, a week or a month (a welcome change from
the Executive Suites Hotel in Anchorage which was barely tolerable for one
night). It is highly recommended, but book early -- they only have four
apartments.
Made a quick trip to the local Grocery and Liquor store for perishables. The small store had just about everything, but it was pricey. Paying $4.90 for a gallon of milk was a bit more than the $1.89 we pay at the Kroger in League City. With all of our supplies in hand, Donna prepared a wonderful meal of fajitas while Rob and I played a quick game of Pente. It was late, but not dark. June 21st happened to be the summer solstice in 1995. At that latitude the sun sets for about 3 hours, but it never dips much below the horizon. The sky approached twilight, but never really darkened.
Grateful for:
- Purchasing most supplies in Anchorage
- Heavy curtains on the bedroom windows
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