by Lilly Schneider

Frankly, and I say this with love, the staff at Camp Denali are a bunch of overachievers. It’s not enough they’ve spent ten hours cooking world-class food for a hundred people, or taking guests on the best hike of their lives, or cleaning the community spaces until they’re sparkling--oh no; now that they’re off work, they’re going to learn to make blueberry jam from berries they picked themselves, or build a shelf for their cabin, or stay up half the night creating an elaborate murder mystery for the annual staff party. When do these people sleep? And why are they so excellent at all the many things they do?

Who says you can’t go trick or treating when it’s cold and dark? Or when the closest neighbor is sometimes a mile away? As usual, when you live in the subarctic, you adapt! Our winter office staff had many laughs swapping stories of Halloween’s festivities. Here are a few of the highlights.

In Alaska, as anywhere, there are certain things you expect and plan for each season. Winter brings wool-lined boots, fur hats, dark skies and time for snow sports. Summer ushers in “manic” days with 24 hours of sunlight and the busy tourism season.  As we were reminded this year, when the two collide, things get interesting.

Alaska’s Interior didn’t break any snowfall records this past winter, but it came close. It was clear that winter would tarry for a while as the white landscape refused to melt away and reveal its wildflowers and tundra ponds. What we encountered after flying into Kantishna with our small opening crew on May 6^th was not a lingering winter, but actual winter.

In the theater the phrase is, “The show must go on.” It would follow that in the world of tourism we say, “The season must start.” And so we began.

A gourmet culinary experience is totally unexpected at the end of the 90-mile Denali Park road, and 350 miles away from Anchorage.

Our guests are not in pursuit of a unique and memorable eating experience when they book a stay at our lodges, but that is exactly what they get.  Over 60 years since our founding, the availability of good ingredients has expanded, as have the expectations of our palates. Long gone are the days of freeze-dried green beans and corned beef from a can. Today, the plates of delicious food served up in our kitchens represent the best flavors and ingredients available to us, and our commitment to source from suppliers dedicated to organic and sustainable production. We pride ourselves in making your dining experience a featured part of a stay at Camp Denali and North Face Lodge.

Last month, our lodges closed for the 2017 season. They will be tucked away in snow at the foot of the Kantishna Hills until May. It’s an incredible thing to see; within two weeks, we go from a full house to shutters on the windows. After decades of fine-tuning the operation, a small crew manages to wrap up fall projects and batten down the hatches for the winter in less than two weeks.

Guests often ask: What is involved in this process? What does it take? How do you do it? You mean nobody watches over the place in the winter? This year we decided to keep a daily log about each day’s accomplishments.

Day 1, September 11^th

The final guests of the season departed today. Wheels were down the driveway at 6:45 a.m. as the staff consumed as much coffee as they could before their last 7 a.m. shift. Today was “strip and clean.” All the linens, carpets, duvets, curtains, quilts, wool blankets, and hand towels were gathered from the guest cabins and rooms. Laundry will dictate the pace of closing; the water lines can’t be shut off and drained until the laundry is done. Our four washing machines will be running on the hour every hour for the next several days as each and every item is cleaned one last time and folded on shelves. At 6 p.m. sharp, the staff gathers for our “Thanksgiving” feast to celebrate the year.

It’s not accurate to say that staff members start the day before sunrise at Camp Denali & North Face Lodge, as the sun doesn’t set for a large portion of the summer. Regardless, there are very few hours of the day when you won’t find someone hard at work, making sure each day provides the highest level of service and hospitality to our guests. By 4 a.m. the lights flick on in the kitchen at Camp Denali announcing the arrival of the day’s baker. Shortly after they are joined by the breakfast cook who will spend the next three hours preparing a nourishing and fresh meal from that day’s menu, be it Alaskan crab quiche or sourdough pancakes with a compote made from blueberries gathered from the surrounding tundra. The host at each lodge has a fire lit before the first coffee-seekers arrive, creating a warm and comfortable atmosphere. By the time staff sit down to their breakfast at 8:30 a.m., several hours of the workday have been completed across most departments: buses are washed and detailed, the dining room has been set and served, and the dishwasher has been running for hours. 

June brought an abundance of wildlife observation opportunities. Staff and guests alike returned from our guided outings proud of the photos they would bring home of their adventures in Denali National Park. Camp Denali & North Face Lodge’s commitment to active learning and stewardship enhances these stunning moments. Many guests will attest to the unique experience of being able to learn about wildlife in Denali’s natural and remote setting. 

Beginning in March when the Golden Eagles arrive to hunt snowshoe hares until June 6th when the Arctic Warbler reliably arrives from Southeast Asia, around 155 species migrate from all over the world to nest in Denali.

If you have ever birded in North America, you are likely familiar with David Sibley’s field guides. Sibley’s illustrations help point out key distinguishing characteristics from a plethora of angles and views, plumages, and variants. Sibley has grown up observing and drawing birds and brings decades of experience to bear. With a bewildering array of species most of us have never observed before, it is an unparalleled opportunity to have a guide like David Sibley to help us find the birds we are looking for.

Throughout the years of operating Camp Denali and North Face Lodge, we’ve spent many a phone call talking to people about our lodges. Camp Denali, specifically, is regarded as a must-do, truly authentic, Alaskan experience. We are the first to admit it is not for everyone, but it can be a perfect fit for many travelers, even if it doesn’t seem so at first glance. What is one of the most common hesitations people have about Camp Denali? Outhouses!

We know what you are thinking: A midnight nature call, dark, stumbling along a trail, and then, OH NO! A BEAR! Forget it, no way, I need an indoor bathroom.

Few people would contest the statement that Ginny Wood, born Ginny Hill, and Celia Hunter were two of Alaska’s pioneer conservationists, each with a heart that was drawn towards exploration. Their friendship started as they worked side by side as WASP pilots during WWII; shuttling planes around the United States for the war effort. For them, the freedom that came with flight “...was sheer magic!” Early in their friendship their mutual sense of adventure enticed them to attempt sailing from Seattle to Anchorage, and then later carried them to Europe, cycling through the war-torn landscapes of western Europe.