Into the Wild: Denali & the Arrigetch Peaks
In the summer of 2017, I took one of the best trips of my life. I joined my friends John and Ryan at the start of their “Arctic to Andes” journey—a yearlong drive from Northern Alaska down to Ushuaia, Argentina. After rendezvousing in Anchorage, we drove up to Denali National Park for a three-day backpacking and climbing trip. It was here that I had the best night I’ve ever had in the mountains, and I doubt it’ll ever be topped.
Around 10 PM, we set out to climb a peak near our backcountry camp—bottle of whiskey in hand—hoping to catch a glimpse of Denali from the top. Only 10% of park visitors end up seeing it, so the odds were already stacked against us. The sky was overcast and it was looking like a bust. But just as we reached the summit, the clouds suddenly broke and the sky erupted with color. We sat there completely alone, watching this slow-burning sunset illuminate North America’s tallest peak until 2 AM. It was surreal—one of those rare, perfect moments you never forget.
Next, we drove to Fairbanks and hopped on the Dalton Highway, one of the most remote and rugged roads in North America. After arriving in the small town of Coldfoot, we took a bush plane flight deep into the Arrigetch Peaks in Gates of the Arctic National Park, the USA’s least-visited national park. We spent five blissful days entirely cut off from civilization, hiking and experiencing 24 hours of daylight in one of the most picturesque and dramatic locations on Earth.
