This is how you access one of the most famous backpacking trips in Alaska: Kesugi Ridge…read more There are numerous trailheads that access the route, this the first. Calling it a "ridge" is a bit extremely, it's more like a long, flatish hill. Its claims to fame is the jaw-dropping views of Denali, Moose's Tooth, and Broken Tooth. Other things you can do here: Car camp, right next to your car. Backcountry camp ~1 mile from your car. Rent cabins. (even in winter) Canoe in the lake. This is a great place to get out of your car and get some fresh air. It is WAY less crowded than Denali National Park and the views are nearly just as good.

Great campgrounds, great history, fun hiking trails, you can eat almost everything! Take a guided…read moretour, its very much worth it!

I liked this viewpoint more than the South viewpoint. But again unfortunately it was a cloudy day…read more We got to see more of the base of the mountain despite that though. We got to see a lot more of the mountain range. And it was more peaceful. If you bring binoculars, you might be lucky enough to spot some animals.

The service and experience with Talkeetna Air Taxi was great! There was a mixup and they were late…read moreto pick us up, but once we called they were there within minutes and made it right. The flight was amazing and the views were incredible. Our pilot was super friendly and overall it was a great experience. I would definitely recommend and use them again.

The Best Air taxi service in Talkeetna !! I flew with them…read morein 1990 for the first time. I flew in the range 10 times with the service. Their safety record is absolutely the best in the Alaska range. The pilots are top notch !!

Mahay's backpack/small luggage temporary storage review!…read more I am sure for those reading this they are probably on the Princess land tour. Talkeetna seems to be a major stop for the cruise line, The bus drivers encourage people to leave their backpack here 1. Its only $2 2. You don't have to carry it around, if its heavy or if it's raining it'll stay dry 3. Its convenient since the bus drivers meet in front of the shop. At first it was quite the scene, some lady takes your money and doesn't give you a ticket or anything in return, she just tells you to keep moving... Goodness they make money! We'll you have to walk in the shop to put your bag in there, might as well souvenir shop. When we were done, I was happy to know that our stuff was still there and the workers were very attentive to what people were grabbing asked the color of the bag/location etc etc. Overall, it worked out - trustworthy spot! =)

Loved everything about this. Cory and Brian our guides were fantastic. Didn't see much for wild…read morelife but the views were beautiful and their stories of the area were great. Jet boat was so fun to ride in. Thank you!

Professional, clean, safe and totally classy!…read more Walk in and you know it's a quality business. They will explain all the options, take your weight and get you on the right flight. The pilots are all knowledgeable and qualified. The flight time was much longer than expected, the landing was unbelievable- how amazing we LANDED on a glacier and took off again! I flew with KYLE and he was so patient and answered everyone's questions. He knew all the peaks and glaciers by name. It is 100% worth the price and absolutely THE THING TO DO since you're coming to the interior to see Denali! Lots of restrooms, glacier boots to keep your feet dry and plenty of room in the plane!

The Denali Grand tour was amazing. All staff were polite and friendly. They had to cancel our…read moreflight due to weather but we were booked on the next flight for the following day. My best friend/(soul sister) and my Godson came up from Wyoming and we had the best time. The pilot was phenomenal! We landed on a glacier and took some incredible photos. My Godson even sat copilot. And experience he said he would always treasure. Highly recommended.

I don't think that I can say enough good things about Ute and Billy FitzGerald, the good folks who…read moreown and operate Denali Trekking Company. The New Wife and I are active hikers and adventurers. When it came time to decide on a honeymoon location Alaska was top of the list. As a matter of fact, it was the ONLY locale on the list! A little research sent us north of Anchorage to the great little hamlet of Talkeetna. We booked a 3 day base camp hiking adventure with Denali Trekking Company. Several months in advance we had contacted Billy via email. He responded promptly asking for a good time to call us. The New Wife spoke with Billy for about 45 minutes. She then turned to me and said "We have found our guy!" Just read the "about us" section of their website to learn about the FitzGeralds. They are not just active in Talkeetna, they are the people who make up the heart and soul of the place. The Trip: After a couple of days in Talkeetna we contacted Billy to let him know we had arrived. He invited us to his cabin to meet and discuss our trip. We spent an hour talking about our lives, local politics and Alaska. We were pumped for the adventure! The trip was delayed one day due to rain, rain, rain and low ceilings. Great call on Billy's part. It would not have been safe or enjoyable. Day One: Rain and low ceilings still. Billy called and said to come out to his place. We met our guide Wade. Homemade Blueberry brownies passed the time. We went to a little cafe for a some lunch and then checked with the local float plane dock regarding the weather. Cleared to go a 4 seater loaded us up and off we went to the campsite. We made it out sans any issues, set up camp and the rain and wind started again. Time to hunker down in the Honeymoon Suite with amazing moose spaghetti made for us by Wade. I woke up at 3 am and looked out of the tent. The payoff was there! Crystal clear skies with more stars than you can imagine! Days Two and Three: More clear skies! Wade had coffee and breakfast for us. Off we went for nice hikes. The views were fantastic. Wade made it very enjoyable by pointing out everything from birds to wildlife to plant life. Bald Eagles, Osprey, a Golden Eagle!, Loons and caribou were checked off of the "seen it" list. After a great day 3 hike Wade called in the transportation. Billy landed on the lake next to the campsite in his beauty of a Piper Super Cub. The Super Cub is one of the finest little 2 seaters ever to grace the sky. The New Wife went in first. About 40 minutes later I was loaded up and had an enjoyable ride back to the dock where our car was waiting. We are still smiling. Tips: This is not a trail hiking adventure. It's "path of least resistance" hiking. The tundra is mossy and soft. Come ready. Get In Shape!! It will make all the difference. Bring quality gear. Hiking sucks if your feet are wet and hurting. LISTEN TO YOUR GUIDE! They know more than you and will keep you safe. I'd trust Wade to lead me into any back country Alaskan adventure. He was professional, friendly and never condescending. Thanks to Denali Trekking Company, to Billy and to Wade for a great honeymoon adventure!

I cannot say enough good things about Billy FitzGerald and his Denali Trekking Company. I have been…read moreon many great treks throughout the world - from Asia to South America to Europe to North America - but this was my best experience yet. While Billy deserves a ton of credit, it was really our guide, Wade, that made the trip so special. We did a five night hiking / packrafting trip of the Talkeetna Mountains. We did not encounter another individual during our trip and it was unlikely that any other hikers had been in that remote area all year. However, we did see a bald eagle and had a scary run in with a bear. The hiking and rafting were challenging but Wade was careful to make sure we weren't in unsafe situations. The river had swelled recently due to steady rainfall and we ended up rafting Class IV rapids. At times, the water got a little too big to travel safely over so we ported our rafts until we found calmer waters. The hiking was also very tough as we had 50+ pound packs on our backs, ascended some steep hills, and were traversing across dense and soggy terrain. We asked Billy and Wade for a challenging adventure and they certainly have us one. While celebrating the end of the trip at a local bar, we met two young women who had also just returned from one of Billy's trips. Their experience was very different than ours - they did a number of short and less strenuous day hikes from a single base camp - but they also had a great time. Our trip was booked at the very last minute and we had some poor weather, but Billy and Wade scrambled to make sure everything worked out. I was initially hesitant to book with Billy as I couldn't find many reviews online. He doesn't push his clients to review and probably doesn't get the same type of crowds that other tour operators get. Most of the locals in town know Billy and Wade and everyone had good things to say. Their operations might not appear as "professional" as many of the tour operators that cater to the cruise ship crowds; Billy was sometimes slow to respond to inquires as he was often in the field and the orientation is run out of his home. But despite being a small family run operation, their was a real emphasis on safety and professionalism. My only major complaint about our tour was the weather as it rained the entire week we were in Talkeetna. Not only did it make the excursion more uncomfortable, but it also made getting in and out of our locations challenging. Billy uses seaplanes to transport his guests to remote lakes and he is hesitant to fly if the conditions are unsafe. As a result of poor visibility, we pushed our departure back a day and returned a day early. We still got in a great trek, but we had to find hotel rooms for two extra nights. My advice would be to give yourself as long a window as possible in Talkeetna so you have flexibility to deal with unexpected weather delays. Overall, it was a magical experience. There is no place like Alaska and no one better to show you it's true beauty than Billy and Wade. There are other easier trips that will give you a glimpse of the state's wonders, but if you want to get off the beaten path and see the REAL Alaska, Billy and Wade are your guys.

It is a long round trip ride, but you do see wildlife. The highlight for us was a black bear with…read moreher two cubs. The ride is smooth with a few quick stops for photo opportunities. Our tour guide, Mary, is amazing and full of knowledge of the area. She's great and keeps us entertained.

What a fantastic trip! Mary was our amazing guide. This is not just a tourist attraction, my son…read morelives in Talkeetna and does this once a year. Highly recommend!

This experience blew past my expectations! It was an unforgettable, fun, mesmerizing time. The…read moreguides are so nice, knowledgeable and kind. The dogs are so cute and you can truly tell they love going out in the snow. If you have the opportunity do not miss this.

We did a dog sled tour in Alaska and it was hands-down one of the highlights of our trip. Cooper…read morewas our musher and he was dope. Jessica, our kennel guide, was just as amazing. She walked us through everything, answered all our questions, and made sure we felt comfortable the entire time. Her passion for the dogs really showed. If you're in Alaska and even thinking about doing a dog sled tour--do it. And if you get Cooper and Jessica, you're in excellent hands. Highly recommend!