We started our morning with the driver’s meeting in Talkeetna and Mel explained that we would be having a road day toward Denali National Park. The JK’s rolled out on the highway and the clouds opened up a bit to give us our first glimpse of the mountains that have made Alaska famous.

Only 30% of the people who come to Alaska to view Mt. McKinley ever get to see the mountain itself because of clouds and weather and well we were not the select 30% but it was still a breath taking view. While we took the opportunity to take a few photos and get the drone in the air, a local gentleman offered us a chance to come do a little trail at his homestead inside the park and also down to the Susitna River, this is a rare treat as there is no off roading in the park unless its on private ground.

Once we were back on the pavement, Alaska Department of Transportation treated us to some off roading on the highway as the pavement was completely gone for road construction.

Once we arrived at Denali Village just outside the park, we had another driver’s meeting where Mel gave everyone the options to either go into the park or go whitewater rafting on the Nenana river. As you can see from the photo below, most people jumped at the chance to go rafting.

Not everyone in the group had been on a river before so it was a special treat and the conditions couldn’t be better. The four boat group was on the river for about three hours and went through many large rapids on the class four river.

Once off the river, everyone was treated to a BBQ with all the trimmings.

The night ended with everyone around the camp fire telling stories of past wheeling trips as well as what might be in store for us tomorrow in the wilds of Alaska.