Denali National Park Road Lottery Thread

[ShipOfFools42]

Originally Posted by starlite9

Well I don't think you understand that even with the 400 cars stretched out on the current 80 miles of road, they rarely pile up, in some of the rest area you may see 30 cars, but they come and go.

You can pull off the road anywhere you want to see what there is to see.

There is a lot of people that would be happy to take a group "Safari" on snowmachines, if not in a supervised group, the Jerks that think the rules don't apply to them would take off and run over everthing ruining it for the rest of us.

My analogy about the Blue Ridge Parkway was about the day-to-day operations of the Park, standard, not the Road Lottery. And thirty cars is a lot by my standards! Hell, I thought it was obnoxious here when you pull off at an overlook to look at the mountains and there are 8-10 cars. I can't imagine 30. My point is that if they turned it into a one-way road full-time, year round, and you aren't allowed to turn around, there are a lot of potential problems such as medical emergencies, people not wanting to go the full way, etc. Also, I think having tons of cars all over the place (especially with how terrible some drivers are) could pose a lot of problems. And this is coming from a guy who would love nothing more than to be able to drive my truck through what I've been told is the crown jewel of National Parks. It's just that I worry that it would degrade the majesty and natural beauty of the place because, well... people are dumb, and they screw things up a lot.

[starlite9]

Originally Posted by NikkiV

The snow machine trail thing is a federal regulation that applies to all designated wilderness areas all over the country, not just Denali. And it only applies to the "Old Park" not the new additions. There are a bunch of snow machine trails in the "New Park".

I think it would be great to allow people to snow machine the road, but I don't know how that would work and still be "legal". Plus, if you think that road is gnarly in the summer time, you should check it out in winter. There are places along the Eilson Bluffs that get socked in with 12-20 ft snow drifts. I could just see some yahoo going over the edge and then suing the Park Service for his own stupidity.

Although it would be cool to follow the road in winter, much of that road is avalanched over in the winter months and wouldn't be safe, but there are other routes. Never seen any snowmachine trails in the new parts of the Park. Where would they be at?

[NikkiV]

Originally Posted by starlite9

Although it would be cool to follow the road in winter, much of that road is avalanched over in the winter months and wouldn't be safe, but there are other routes. Never seen any snowmachine trails in the new parts of the Park. Where would they be at?

I know there is a fairly popular trail along the Stampede corridor; but will have to ask around for the others. Goodness knows we pull enough SAR's along that trail over the winter.

Give me a few days to suss out the info and I will get back to you.

[starlite9]

Originally Posted by NikkiV

I know there is a fairly popular trail along the Stampede corridor; but will have to ask around for the others. Goodness knows we pull enough SAR's along that trail over the winter.

Give me a few days to suss out the info and I will get back to you.

Oh, well those trails go back to a few private cabins back in that area, and then there is the people going back to the bus to feel the "Magic"....

When I fly over it, most of the tracks go up to that and end there, then they head back. But the trail goes up into the Park and that is where it pretty much ends for private snowmachines without being chased down by the park service.

The other main area of access is down off the Parks Hwy by Broad Pass, but you still really can't go "Into" the park, just up to it.

The more accessible areas for runs is going up the Kantishna River, which is to the North of the Park, and that isn't very Practical unless you know where you are going. Very remote (few cabins and homesteaders there, but not very advisable for most people that aren't savvy to being in the wilderness during the cold of the winter.