Heard a tourist call Denali 'just a big hill' and it hit different

Was standing in line at the Talkeetna roadhouse last Saturday, some guy from Ohio telling his wife that Denali is overrated because you can see it from Anchorage. I didn't say anything, but it got me thinking about how I used to feel the same way when I first moved up here in 2008. Took me about 5 summers of actually going out there, fishing the slow spots, watching the clouds peel off the north face in August, before I got it. You can't understand it from a parking lot. Has anyone else had that moment where the place finally clicked for you, or are you still trying to explain it to visitors?

1 comments

Log in to join the discussion

Log In

1 Comment

evaadams1mo ago

Seeing it from Anchorage is not seeing it though. That's a speck on the horizon you can miss on a cloudy day. The mountain itself is a whole different animal when you're standing at the base and the weather turns and you realize how small you are out there. Five summers sounds about right for it to click, that part I agree with. But I'd push back on the idea that you need years to get it, because some folks never get it no matter how long they live here. It's not about time, it's about actually going out and paying attention instead of snapping a pic from a pullout. The Ohio guy was wrong but so is acting like it's some secret only long timers can unlock.

5