Experience of a Lifetime

Roger and I had the opportunity to fly Mt. McKinley yesterday.  The highlight of the trip was landing on the Ruth Glacier which is 5500' up and 3000' thick.  We arrived at the Talkeetna Air Taxi office about a half hour before our flight was to leave.  Our party consisted of 6 adults and 1 child who was 2 1/2 and our pilot; Trevor.  Trevor has 6 years experience landing on the glacier and flying the mountains of Alaska.  When winter hits, he heads for Hawaii where he pilots plane tours of the islands.

Talkeetna Air Taxi Office

Our plane - DHC-2 DeHavilland Beaver - holds 7 passengers & pilot

Roger - Ready to Fly

Sue - Ready to Fly

Trevor, our pilot

We took off in our DHC-2 DeHavilland Beaver at 100 miles an hour.  We rose to 10,000' and flew between Mt. Foraker which stands at 17,400' and Mt. Hunter; which stands at 14,573'.  We flew over the Tokositna Glacier which is the longest glaciers in Alaska.  We then flew around Mt. McKinley and proceeded to land on the Ruth Glacier.  What a view!

Tokositna Glacier

North Face of Mt. McKinley

North & South Face of Mt. McKinley looking from West

Median of Tokositna Glacier

Mt. Hunter 14,573'

Sheer side of the Great Gorge

Coming into Ruth Glacier

Ruth Glacier

Roger & Sue standing on the Ruth Glacier

Sue in front of the sheer side of the Great Gorge on Ruth Glacier

K2 plane taking off from the glacier

Trevor, our pilot, & Roger

Glacier Ice

Glacier Lake with Glacier Ice floating in the lake