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Doug Buchanan
Mountain climber
Fairbanks Alaska
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Jul 12, 2008 - 02:39am PT
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Cheap way to get to Talkeetna...
Because he stated that the approach to the mountain should be pure, and therefore a climber coming to Alaska to climb Denali should start hiking from the Anchorage airport, John Waterman relayed packs of all his gear to Denali, past the turn-off to Talkeetna, from the Anchorage airport.
Took awhile. He got to be known as the guy hiking along the highway.
Well, the choice should be mentioned. And it was done.
Doug
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Webmusher
Boulder climber
Meadow Lakes, Alaska
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Just a short walk South from Beautiful Downtown Talkeetna the Susitna River Lodges are a great place to get a cabin or lodge suite on the cheap.
http://www.susitna-river-lodging.com/talkeetna.html
A few guys can get a limo from Anch to Talkeetna for less than a cab. Stretch Hummer anyone? Lowest priced Airport Shuttle Service, from Anchorage to Palmer/Wasilla area $30 seat (based on two) or $60 for one each Way!
http://www.alaskansplendor.com/limo.shtml
From Wasilla you can stock up at the Sports Stores, Grocery stores, etc. and catch the train, cab, shuttle or hitch the rest of the way.
The ride from Anchorage to Talkeetna is about 2 1/2 hours.
Other ride options include...
Denali Overland Transportation
PO Box 330
Talkeetna AK 99676
(907)733-2384
(800)651-5221
FAX: (907)733-2385
E-mail: denaliak@alaska.net
Exposure Alaska (Also provides Expedition Food Packages)
200 W. 34th Ave. #82
Anchorage Alaska 99503
(907)761-3761
(800)956-6422
Talkeetna Shuttle Service
PO Box 468
Talkeetna AK 99676
(907)733-1725 or
(888)288-6008
FAX: (907)733-2222
E-mail: tshuttle@alaska.net
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Ottawa Doug
Social climber
Ottawa, Canada
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April 1979, Cliff Hudson is our pilot with a no smoking sign on dash and cigarette in his hand as we head towards Denali. Two weeks later into the Fairview Inn for beers. I didn't see any guns, but Cliff had told us that they didn't need police in town because if they had any problems, locals would handle it themselves. Great memories.
Cheers,
Doug
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Gimp
Trad climber
Grand Junction
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Been there 5 times between 1984-2001, lots of memories.
Like all places it has changed a lot.
People I can remember flying with
-Doug Geeting (also remember his airshow in 84 during Talkeetna Days with his biplane, he obviously doesn't get air sick even with a few under his belt)
-Lowell Thomas Jr, beautiful plane and real gentleman
-Cliff Hudson-Agree with Dougs comments.
-Jay Hudson-No flaps take off from the glacier and landing in talkeetna
-Jim Okonek-No comment
-Keli Mahoney-She talked me into serving as a Vet(to clarify since I in the past have answered some Doc questions,I am a MD&DVM) the next year at the Iditarod, a real loss.
Gimp
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ms55401
Trad climber
minneapolis, mn
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fun place, but not a lot of snow or ice, tourists, but not as many as one would find in, say, Yosemite Valley
days are long in summer; nights are long in winter
haven't had sex within city limits, but perhaps I will on my next visit
pizza in town is okay/not bad, breakfast usually is pretty good, no espresso machine in town as far as I know
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overwatch
climber
Arizona
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I have never been there but I felt compelled to post because of the thread title.
good thread always wanted to go
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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They know how to partay!
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SC seagoat
Trad climber
Santa Cruz, Moab, A sailboat, or some time zone
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Wonderful little town with mostly unpaved streets.
The West Rib pub is a must see. The walls are covered with signatures of folks from around the world that come to climb Denali. They have a 5# caribou burger with 12 slices each of bacon and cheese. If you can eat it in an hour you get a t shirt! And I think the burger is free.
A visit to Don Sheldon's hangar is a must. They frequently do a slide show and you can see the planes and think about all the adventures they were on. If you aren't a heavy duty mountaineer you can get dropped off at the Ruth Glacier for a few days, stagger around and get picked back up.
The Road House is truly a Road House. It's a combination cafe and hostel. At night the visitors will pick up a guitar and everyone starts singing. There are only large family style tables for eating and the best scones I've had anywhere. I've met people there from all over the world.
If you are sitting down by the river and the fog is clear seeing Denali in the distance is breathtaking. Especially if you see it as the fog is clearing. Just UNREAL.
If you get a chance do go see it. Especially if it's climbing season. A very special kind of deep resonating energy.
Susan
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fear
Ice climber
hartford, ct
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All roads lead to Talkeetna.
The reindeer sausages were good. Helped replace he 20 pounds I lost somewhere up higher.
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Sierra Ledge Rat
Mountain climber
Old and Broken Down in Appalachia
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I went to the Fairview Inn in scenic downtown Talkeetna for the first time back in May 1979.
A sign on the front door read, "Hippies use side door."
So, naturally, I went to the side door.
It was locked.
There was a deli across the street from the Fairview. On the counter was a very large pickle jar stuffed with cash. The jar was labeled, "Jimmy Carter Contract Fund."
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Sierra Ledge Rat
Mountain climber
Old and Broken Down in Appalachia
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Cliff Hudson's "hangar" in Talkeetna in May 1979
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overwatch
climber
Arizona
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funny s h i t about the hippies entrance
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rmuir
Social climber
From the Time Before the Rocks Cooled.
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Somebody left the screen door open, and now we've got a damned mosquito in here!
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Fossil climber
Trad climber
Atlin, B. C.
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Flew in and out of Talkeetna repeatedly with Don Sheldon in the 60s, had tea (with honey and rum) with him and lovely Roberta on occasion. The town was even more primitive then, but no one was packing far as I could see.
His hanger is still there but the airstrip has changed. Helped pack Winter Expedition gear into his Cessna 180, 42U. Plane was so packed that when "Farine" Batkin tried to get in with it I actually had to help him force his bunny boot into the last tiny space. He went into a crevasse next day and died.
Came back later to coordinate the rescue effort (that was a zoo!) for that team after they got pinned by storms. (Good book on that, "Minus 148" by Art Davidson.)
Sheldon was a funny duck, given to dramatic overstatement. When the summit party (Davidson, Johnson, Genet) emerged from their snow cave above Denali Pass and were spotted by military aircraft, Sheldon took off in a hurry with a reporter. When he landed I asked why he hadn't waited for supplies to drop. He said, "Oh heck, I dropped 'em a whole crate of oranges and a radio!" I questioned the crate of oranges and he said that "...well, there were three big ones!" They did not survive the drop.
I think the number of people involved in the rescue attempt damn near equalled the population. Must have been a real boost to the Talkeetna economy.
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christoph benells
Trad climber
Tahoma, Ca
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this plane?
and, we should start the same thread for Atlin, Fossil?
do you recognize this man?
how about this one?
Atlin Lake, sure is pretty
BACK TO TALKEETNA
oh, where you get beer to go drink by the river
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Fossil climber
Trad climber
Atlin, B. C.
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Don had a series of Supercubs - that may be a later one - can't see the number.
Guy by the boat is Archie Wiggins, a guy who can do almost anything, it seems.
Second guy -I think - is Toby Dittrich, a prof who works with the Juneau Icefield Research Project.
Atlin isn't a climbing destination so don't think it merits a thread, except OT. But it is awesomely beautiful,and there are great mountains and the adjacent icefield with some great challenging spires, and a heliski operation here. Nice thought, though!
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Vitaliy M.
Mountain climber
San Francisco
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The food....one has to climb a mountain to justify it. :)
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cyndiebransford
climber
Kenai Peninsula, Alaska
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Feb 14, 2016 - 06:35pm PT
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Talkeetna has a little of everything. I was there for the 4th of July last year. The parade was small but had everything great about America parades. There was live music in the town park, an auction for half-life size wooden painted moose, and you can buy tickets for numbered dry moose poop that is dropped onto a target at the VFW and have a chance to win some money back. A new local brewery is in town. The residents have elected a cat as the mayor for the last 12 years. There is good food and a variety of people watching opportunities.
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