August 6-7 - Discovering a new hike in Denali...and enjoying a trail from the past

As the 3rd largest national park in the NPS system, Denali might be expected to have miles and miles of trails.  Ironically, the 6 million acres of Denali (about the size of Massachusetts) has only about 30 miles of developed trails.  While off-trail hiking is encouraged (especially along the Park Road), I do like hiking on a trail, and a new trail is being developed right across the river from our summer location in Denali Park Village. 

The Nenana River Trail is still under construction, but the Park Service has completed 3.5 miles one-way, and I hiked it Tuesday. Hiking along the Nenana River and hearing this water rushing by at 7,000 cfs, this section of river is a favorite for the rafting companies in Denali. 

Alaska is big and humans feel small in this "great land" (that's what Alaska means in the original Aleut language - Alyeska - Great Land).  Can you find the 3 rafts in the Nenana River?

       

Here's a picture of Mt. Fellows from along the trail.  The left picture is zoomed out; the right picture is telephoto. 

 

This new trail is reasonably level as it follows the river, drifting in and out of the spruce and aspen forest.

Of course, what goes down, must go up.  And so it is with this trail, where the National Park Service has built 64 steps up from river level to a bluff above.  As an Appalachian Trail Maintainer, I appreciate good trail building and good steps.  These are the most perfect steps I've ever encountered.  

Each rise is exactly 6 inches and my foot fit inside each tread perfectly.  Magnificent work!!

This location is about 3 miles from the trailhead.  I'd like to know how NPS got these materials to the job site.  The sidehill cribbing provides an excellent trailbed leading up to the steps. 

When the Nenana River Trail is complete (I asked when that would be and could not get an answer), it will be about 10 miles from the newly opened Oxbow Triple Lakes Trailhead parking area to the Riley Creek Campground. A great day hike and one I'd like to complete someday.

Then on Wednesday, Susan and I hiked a trail we enjoyed several times in 2018.  The Horseshoe Lake Trail is a great lollipop trail:  hike in on the stick, go around Horseshoe Lake, and hike back out on the stick.  There are over 300 steps along this route leading down from the trailhead to the beaver dams that create Horseshoe Lake.  While they are good and necessary steps, these steps aren't nearly as perfect as the steps on the Nenana River Trail.  

This beaver dam is about 3 vertical feet.  That is holding back 160 acres of water!

Besides the easy 2.1 mile route, beaver activity can be seen everywhere.

                          Still working on this one.                                       Mission accomplished!

  

The previous week, we had hiked Triple Lakes Trail and actually found a beaver busy working on his lodge. All those sticks and logs in the upper right corner of the picture are his home. Beavers have to keep busy because those front teeth keep growing.  

 

Next week, our days off will take us to the largest national park in the US - Wrangell-St. Elias.  Our first time there...and look forward to sharing that experience with you.