Denali National Park, Alaska + Glacier National Park, Montana
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Like ALL OF US, Alison is spending much of her quarantine time bingeing so many shows, even revisiting some old favorites like her current obsession, Westworld. Lulu is obsessed with her iPad Pro. It’s handy for bingeing shows, but also for all the productive pandemic pastimes she is getting into like online classes and workshops, a little journaling in her notes app. It was an expensive purchase, but she is loving it.
Alison is wishing for a bicycle. She has been using an old hand-me-down bike and riding along very long trails with her 5-year-old on her own bike. Last ride her bike broke several miles from home, so it’s time for a new one. It’s overwhelming looking for one online, so if anyone has suggestions, hit her up! Adding to Lulu’s long list of bags she has or is wishing for, Rothy’s line of bags are going to the top of her list. They are made from recycled materials including marine plastic, and are machine washable. Win-WIN!
One of the most luxurious lodges in Alaska, and one of the most remote anywhere, is the Sheldon Chalet located in the heart of Denali National Park. Owned and operated by a family on their five private acres in the middle of the park, this isolated locale is situated on a rocky glacier outcropping -or nunatak - deep in the Alaskan wilderness. There is a maximum of 10 guests allowed, there are five guest rooms - with shared bathrooms, be warned - but don’t let that put you off…this place is the most luxurious remote lodge in the world. From its wraparound windows, guests can see the aurora borealis phenomenon and observe an “endless horizon of jagged peaks blanketed in untouched snow”. I guess when you are this far off the grid running water, electricity, and heat are considered luxury, but their food is world class no doubt. At $3150 per person per night, you are getting an EXPERIENCE. The cost includes the 45 minute helicopter ride it takes to get from the nearest airport to the chalet and back, all of your meals and the following activities:
Star and meteor shower gazing
On-Site Sauna
Local and natural history lessons
Mini mountaineering ropes course
Nunatak exploration
Historic Mountain House Tour
Glacier treks into the 35 square mile Don Sheldon Amphitheater and Great Gorge
Gourmet glacier picnic
Sledding
Rappelling
Relax by a nightly fire-pit on the deck
Additional activities are available for a charge including: guided ridge line hikes, fishing for Alaska’s prized species, skiing, “sky treks” to stunning vistas, visits to hot springs, and more!
There are 39 species of mammals, 169 species of birds, and over 1,500 species of plants in the Denali National Park. While all that is a sight to be seen, many of Denali’s visitors to see the big 5 of wildlifeVisitors often come to Denali to see the big five of wildlife: Caribou, Moose, Dall Sheep, Wolves, and Grizzly Bears. Here’s hoping Alison uses binoculars to see most of those.
While there is more than enough to do with her all-inclusive escape at Sheldon Chalet, Alison decides to see what else there is to do in the area. First, she heads out on a Denali Wilderness ATV Adventure Tour, a 2.5 hour excursion she found on Viator. For $98, they offer single and double ATVs, and guide you through rugged terrain traversing rocky creek beds going up to 30 mph! Sounds like a blast!
Next up is a visit to the Sled Dog Kennels, which was determined a must stop when Alison discovered that the Denali National Park rangers still travel by sled dogs to the far reaches of the park. You get to pet the beautiful dogs and take pictures with them, and you can catch one of the thrice-daily demonstrations the rangers put on in the summertime! Plus it’s FREE!
Preparing for her wanderings in Denali National Park, Alison brings a map, her new favorite bug spray from Sawyer (use 10KDDPOD25 for 25% off!) and an extra long lens to capture the beauty of the wildlife, but from a safe distance. Her google search ended with a recommendation of the Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM Lens, and she’s just going to use one of the many Canon cameras she’s purchased in her previous 10K Days. If that’s too close to cheating for our long-time listeners we can say that instead she is using our producer Ash’s camera, or one Alison’s filmmaker husband’s cameras. Any which way, she’s got it covered, guys.
Alison is very excited to bike Denali Park Road. You are allowed to bike all 92 miles of the Park Road, and for $195 you get a 24 hour bike rental, helmet, bike like, emergency repair kit, tire tube and pump, rain poncho….and High Visibility Day Pannier High Visibility Bear Spray. In addition to providing you with the bear spray, they provide you with this advice - you can not out cycle a bear. Ummm, yikes. But, exciting! But….yikes.
Alison heads back to her stunning accommodations for the included dinner, the evening fire pit, and some night sky-gazing. Denali is one of the best places in the U.S. to catch the Northern Lights. Your chance of catching the phenomenon is best in fall, winter and early spring. Though they say “if you don’t catch this hard-to-predict phenomenon, clear, cold nights at Denali can still provide incredible stargazing”!
Lulu is excited to be a bit outdoorsy on her day in Glacier National Park. Looking around this Montana park she found an amazing vacation spot in The Lodge at Whitefish Lake. They have everything from standard hotel rooms to suites, condominiums to standalone luxury homes. So no matter the size of your party, there are accommodations perfect for you! There are multiple on-site dining options, a spa, and all kinds of activities: hiking zip-line tours, mountain biking, fly fishing, stand up paddle boarding, whitewater rafting, skiing, and more! If you think Lulu is doing any of these activities, you are quite wrong.
It’s not that Lulu isn’t excited to take in the great outdoors…she’s just going to do it in a way that she knows she’ll actually enjoy it. She’s going on a scenic road trip! She rented a car from Enterprise, and is taking on the 50 miles of the Going-to-the-Sun road! “One of the most spectacular scenic drives in America” passes through glacial lakes, cedar forests, and alpine peaks, with loads of stopping points along the way to take in the view and take some memorable pictures! First she needs 4 5-Gallon gas jugs - this is not the kind of place you want to be with an empty tank, after all, and she likes to be prepared. Here are Lulu’s other must-haves for this epic roadtrip:
Road trip food — Chester’s hot fries, Levain Bakery 4-pack cookie assortment, string cheese, and beef jerky
A killer soundtrack - she’s gifting Spotify Premium to 10 friends and asking them to assemble a playlist for her
Yeti rambler jug - she’s getting 5 at $129.99 each because she’s also getting…
Soup or Bust — when Karla Hartley was our guest googler, she brought us home made soups to the recording session. Lulu wants 5 gallons for her trip!
Igloo Playmate “Mystery Machine Coolers - 2 for $49.99 each
4-pack of unbreakable cereal bowls (made from wheat straw fiber, so cool!) - $12.98
She’s going to need these Williams Sonoma absorbent kitchen towels to clean her dishes - 2 packs of 4 towels each for $49.98
Planet wise reusable trash can liner - $13.95
Now that she is ever-so-prepared for her road trip, she hits the road. Snacks and soup keep her going, as she stops to take in all the sights. The Going-to-the-Sun Road takes you to Logan Pass, where the Reynolds Mountain and Clements Mountain, with views of endless wildflowers or lilies pushing up through the snow, depending on the season. Lulu is excited to see mountain goats, bighorn sheep, and perhaps even a grizzly bear, at which point she hops in her car and drives a safe distance away.
For her dinner plans, Lulu hires a chef from The Lodge at Whitefish Lake where she is staying to make her a private meal. To entice this culinary connoisseur, Lulu buys this Blaze Professional gas grill This isn’t your typical backyard grill, this 34-inch 3-burner burner propane gas grill comes with a rear infrared burner and costs $5500. Ending her day with that purchase feels like a virtual mic drop is warranted.
CHECK OUT THE CHARITIES WE FOUND IN THE CITIES WE VISITED:
Glacier National Park Conservancy
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