Volunteering in Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska

The Trip

Home to Mount Denali, the highest mountain in North America, Denali National Park and Preserve comprises a massive area of six million acres -- the park is slightly larger than the entire state of Massachusetts. Forests cover the lower elevations and slowly merge into tundra, which in turn rises to meet the snowcapped peaks and flowing glaciers of the Alaska Range. Congress established the park in 1917 to protect its abundance of large mammals, especially the Dall sheep. Originally named Mount McKinley National Park, it was renamed Denali NP in 1980 to honor Alaska’s native people. Denali, "the High One," is the native Athabaskan name for this majestic mountain. Also in 1980, the park expanded in size by four million acres as part of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act.

Denali is unique among America’s national parks because it gives ordinary visitors access to true wilderness -- with sweeping tundra vistas, breathtaking views of Denali, and abundant and diverse wildlife -- while remaining largely unspoiled. Throughout the park it is common to see grizzly bears, caribou, Dall sheep, moose, foxes, and porcupines. Less common, but still regularly sighted, are wolves and black bears. The lucky visitor might glimpse a wolverine or a lynx. Bird-watchers can keep an eye out for bald eagles, peregrine falcons, willow ptarmigan, and many other species; the summer avian population explodes with over 140 migrants joining the roughly 25 year-round species. The high glacial silt content in the rivers and lakes in the park do not provide for optimum trout or salmon habitat. However, lake trout and grayling can be found in clear streams and lakes.

The Project

Our work project will be trail maintenance on one of the public trails in Denali. Our work will likely include building or repairing puncheons, boardwalks, water bars, and drainage structures as well as brushing and restoration. We also might be pressed into service to control invasive plants, which thrive in disturbed soil and are being spread by hikers. As with all service projects, flexibility is essential. As we get closer to the trip dates and park staff further prioritize their needs, a more exact project description will be provided to participants. We can look forward to a great project in a wonderful area.

Trip participants should plan on arriving in Anchorage at least one day early to allow for flight and baggage delays and to do some exploring. Two days early is better. There will be a pre-trip meeting on Saturday in the late afternoon. This is a good opportunity to meet the other trip participants, go over some logistics, and solve any last-minute gear challenges (e.g. rain gear). We’ll also go to dinner together (no-host) that night.

Day 1: We will depart early in the morning from Anchorage and travel by private van to Denali. This is about a seven-hour drive (with stops) full of beautiful scenery along the Parks Highway. We’ll stop for rest breaks, lunch, and photo ops at several places along the way. Our knowledgeable driver will point out interesting sights on our journey and answer your questions. Along the way, we may catch a glimpse of Mt. Denali and maybe a moose or bear. When we arrive at the park, park staff will pick us up and take us to a group campground. The campsite has running water, toilet facilities, and bear-proof food storage, but no showers. We will have time to set up tents and get oriented before our first group dinner. In the evening our liaison will give us a briefing on our work project for the week.

Days 2-5: We will work alongside the trail crew and enjoy being among the flora and fauna of this magnificent park. It is rewarding to help with needed maintenance in this beautiful wilderness area. We will end our days with a hearty meal, and on some evenings informative ranger talks.

Day 6: This is our day to explore the park. We will be able to ride the park bus anywhere from the farthest point on the park road all the way to the front-country. Our route, the only road in the park, parallels the Alaska Range and travels through low valleys and high mountain passes. Along the way, beautiful landscapes can be seen at every turn, and there may be opportunities to view Denali's peaks -- if the normally cloudy skies permit. This bus ride through the park also provides the best opportunity to see abundant wildlife, although we can't guarantee it -- these are, after all, wild animals that follow their own schedule! You’ll have the freedom to step off the bus at any point to hike, take photos, or simply spend time relaxing in the heart of Denali before reboarding a later shuttle bus. If you aren’t sure where you want to hike, your Sierra Club leaders and trail crew liaison will have plenty of ideas.

Day 7: We’ll break camp and take the world-famous Alaska Railroad back to Anchorage. As we leave the park, the railway veers away from the road system and into the Hurricane backcountry area. This region offers views of the snaking Indian River and the breathtaking sight of Hurricane Gulch from the top of a 296-foot bridge. As we travel away from the park, we may have a last opportunity to get a view of Denali. We will arrive in Anchorage in the evening. We strongly recommend that you don’t plan to fly out of Anchorage until very late that night, or the next day.

Getting There

The trip will start and end in Anchorage. To meet our schedule -- and to avoid problems with delayed flights or misplaced luggage -- you will need to arrive at least the day before our trip leaves; two days before is better. We will depart early in the morning from a designated location.

Please do not make non-refundable travel arrangements until notified to do so by the trip leader.

Accommodations and Food

Participants will be sharing cabins, two to a cabin. Each cabin has two twin bed slats and participants need to provide a pad and sleeping bag or equivalent.  If participants prefer to set up a tent, there are tenting locations in the area. The trip leaders can't guarantee that single participants will be matched with someone of their preferred gender. If participants would like to have their own sleeping space then the trip leaders suggest bringing your own tent. While in the park, all meals and plenty of snacks will be provided. Meals will be hearty and sustaining. Trip leaders will work to accommodate specific dietary requirements as much as possible given the wilderness setting. Any dietary restrictions must be discussed in detail with the leader well in advance of the trip. It may be that not all restrictions can be met. Please come with the attitude that food is part of the adventure. To fully facilitate the group experience of Sierra Club trips, we’ll be asking for volunteers to help with meal preparation and clean-up.

The first meal provided will be evening dinner on the first day and the last meal will be breakfast on the last day. Participants will be responsible for their own food during the van and train ride to and from the park. Participants can bring their own food for the ride or there will be various options for purchasing food.

Trip Difficulty

This trip is considered strenuous. Building and maintaining trail is physically demanding work. We may be doing trail repair work on a trail that has some steep sections. There will be times when we will be working in the rain, and other times when the temperature could reach the 80s. Participants should be in good physical shape. Though you will be working hard and getting tired, we recognize that this is your vacation -- no one will be asked to work beyond their abilities and will always be given time to “stop and smell the tundra.” Participants should have some past experience in hiking and camping, but it is not necessary to have any prior trail building experience.

Equipment and Clothing

This is a camping trip, so you will need to bring your own tent, sleeping bag, and pad. In Alaska, any given day can bring snow, rain, or sun, so plan to have clothing for any of these weather conditions. The National Park will provide the tools for our work project, but you will bring work gloves, sturdy boots, and work clothes. Also plan to bring a daypack to carry lunch, extra clothes, water, and other personal items to the work site. We will provide a first-aid kit for emergencies, but you will want any personal medications you require, as well as toiletries and a small first aid kit for dealing with life’s little aggravations. Food and the necessary equipment for cooking will be provided, but you will need personal eating utensils. Bring a couple of water bottles and plastic containers with tight-fitting lids for carrying your lunch to the work site each day. We will be limited on space for baggage, so we ask that you bring all of your gear in only two bags -- one large soft-sided duffel or backpack, and one daypack. A final detailed equipment list will be sent to you after you’ve been accepted onto the trip.

References

Maps: 

• Trails Illustrated map of Denali National Park. It is waterproof and costs around $14.95 from Amazon.com and many local outdoor stores.

Books:

• The Denali Park web site has a comprehensive list of books (including one Harlequin romance): http://www.nps.gov/dena/upload/Booklistfor90thAnniversary.pdf
• Capps, Kris, The Denali Road Guide. This is the classic guide to Denali Park Road's sights and experiences and it is particularly helpful if you are taking the bus ride through the park to Wonder Lake.

Conservation

You might think that the size and remoteness of Denali National Park and Preserve would make it immune from conservation issues. Unfortunately, this is not true. Alaska and its national parks are feeling dramatic effects from our changing climate. Denali provides a special opportunity to study a large, intact, and naturally functioning ecosystem. Researchers can monitor climate change in Denali and contribute to larger-scale climate monitoring and management efforts.

Within the park there are still issues with ATV use, Park Road use, and heavy metal contamination of streams due to historical and continued mining in the areas adjacent to the designated wilderness. Participants may have conservation stories from home and will be invited to share hometown issues with the group.

Since its founding in 1892, The Sierra Club has worked to preserve and restore the natural environment we all share on this planet. Thousands of grassroots-level volunteers spearhead our efforts to conserve and sustain resources, both in our own backyards and on a global scale. Through direct experience in the outdoors, Sierra Club outings enable participants to better understand, advocate, and participate in the environmental conservation goals of the Club.

Service outings, in particular, stand out as one of the Sierra Club’s most important “boots on the ground” conservation efforts. The work done by service trip participants in our nation’s public lands is a way of practicing conservation in a very direct way, whether it’s improving access while preserving wilderness values, restoring wildlife habitat, or repairing human-caused damage to a natural area. Service trips are a great way to pitch in and do something tangible to make the world a better place; they’re a way to go beyond just talking about conservation; a way to get out there and experience conservation with your whole being.

Sierra Club National Outings is an equal-opportunity provider and when applicable will operate under permits obtained from U.S. federal land agencies.