Susitna Valley, Alaska

See Denali National Park in the air from Talkeetna. Soar over gentle foothills, along meandering glaciers, and up to the enormous peaks of the Alaska Range. Learn from your bush pilot who loves to share Alaska’s most inaccessible and spectacularly wild settings. Get ready for your flight tour with a warm welcome and coffee, tea, or hot cocoa by the fireplace in a lodge-style, timber-framed office. Then, follow your knowledgeable pilot to your aircraft. Listen to a safety briefing, do a microphone check, and take off toward the Alaska Range. Experience Option (1 hour)This magnificent flightseeing tour of Denali takes you within six miles of the summit. As your flight departs Talkeetna, see how the last ice age has shaped the land. Next, enter a world of rugged high mountain peaks and wide glacier-filled valleys. Listen as your pilot describes the natural wonders of Denali National Park. See the Sheldon Amphitheater, beautiful Ruth Glacier, and the Great Gorge (the world's deepest - almost 2 miles from top to bottom). Flyer Option (1.25 hours)Explore Denali and the south side of the Alaska Range. See Mt. Foraker (17,400 feet), and Mt. Hunter (14,573 feet). Fly over the winding Kahiltna Glacier, the longest glacier in Denali National Park (45 miles long and 3 miles wide). Then, fly along to the climber's Base Camp located at 7,200 feet on the southeast fork of the Kahiltna Glacier. Spot for climbers as they traverse the glacier and make their way to the West Buttress on Denali's flank. Grand Option (1.5 hours)Make a complete circle of Denali by air. See the south side of Denali, including the Kahiltna Glacier, Denali’s famous west buttress, Sheldon Amphitheater, Ruth Glacier, and the Great Gorge. Then fly across the divide to see Denali's incredible Wickersham Wall.

Embark on a 2-hour narrated Talkeetna River Natural History Float Trip and see the scale and beauty of Denali and the Alaska Range. Explore the lower end of the famous Talkeetna River, steeped in history and the Alaskan pioneering spirit. Meet at the office located on 13529 Main Street in downtown Talkeetna where a shuttle will take you to the Talkeetna River. At the river’s edge, participate in a brief safety lecture before launching and floating down six to eight miles of pristine river. The Talkeetna River is a glacier-fed waterway teeming with salmon and other wildlife. Guides are versed in describing the flora, fauna, and scenery along the way. Look for bears, eagles, fish, beavers, moose, fox, and waterfowl during this float. Stop to visit two active Bald Eagles’ nests, see beaver dams, look for bear tracks, and float past an old miner’s cabin before joining the mighty Susitna River for the loop back to Talkeetna. On the Susitna River, take in a stunning view of Denali (weather permitting) and the entire Alaska Range. On clear days, the view is amazing. There will be plenty of opportunities to take photos. For a small additional fee, a photographer is available to take pictures of you, the raft, and your guide with a stunning backdrop of Denali.

Experience exciting ziplines, suspension bridges, a rappel, and a spiral staircase on this enchanting tour! Your zipline adventure begins at our office in Talkeetna. Check in with our friendly local staff and board the DZT shuttle for a scenic three-mile drive to the forested ridges above the mighty Susitna River Valley. Upon arrival at our course, you will meet your certified guides and get outfitted in top-quality gear. Then you head for “zipline ground school” to receive a basic orientation. The pace of the three-hour tour is varied, mixing speed and excitement as you zip through the beautiful northern boreal forest, with time to pause and gaze out from viewing platforms and along walks across the long aerial bridges that take in Denali and the expanse of the Alaska Range. Your guides will share educational moments about the boreal forest and topographical features including ridges, ravines, kettle ponds, and the braided Chulitna and Susitna valleys. The history of Talkeetna runs deep and includes flying and mountaineering in the Alaska Range, gold mining and the quirky local characters. Each guide has their own personal story and who knows what Alaskan tidbits you will be treated to?! There will be numerous opportunities to glimpse the mountain vistas from the zipline, viewing platforms and suspended sky bridges, allowing ample time for picture taking. There are plenty of photo opportunities – ask us about it! The final and longest zip of the tour will span close to 600 feet – with most of the ride suspended over our “Reflection Pond” – landing on the final platform six feet off the ground with an easy stair exit and a short drive back to downtown Talkeetna.