Southside Sheldon Adventure

Sheldon Air Service’s pilots are intimately familiar with this country and will point out sights on the way, as the terrain gradually changes through the foothills of the Alaska Range.

Denali is so massive that it won’t appear to get closer until you are past the foothills and flying up the Tokositna Glacier. Off to the left will be Little Switzerland, a popular destination for both technical climbing expeditions and fun day trips.

Next you climb over the Tokositna Glacier as it winds toward Denali, flying within six miles of the massive summit.

The ‘Tok’, as it is popularly called, is a relatively small glacier on the southern approach to Denali, however it gives the passenger a great sense of how the majestic topography of the Alaska Range generates ancient glaciers.

When on the flight, at the head of the Ruth Glacier, you will experience the majesty of the Don Sheldon Amphitheatre, named by the National Geographic Society, at the suggestion of Bradford Washburn.

You will see Mooses Tooth, Bear Tooth and Broken Tooth peaks, popular climbing destinations on the far side of the amphitheatre.

The Mountain House was built in 1966 by Don Sheldon as a climber refuge and private retreat and is a popular overnight destination to this day. Reservations for the Mountain House are booked up to two years in advance, but you can land and see the location on any flight, any time of year.

To top it off you will experience the immense Ruth Gorge on the way back to Talkeetna. The Great Gorge, as it is sometimes called, is a mile deep in some places. The floor is the rugged Ruth Glacier. Watch for the brilliant pools of bright-blue glacier melt water!

A landing at the peak-ringed Ruth Amphitheatre allows the flightseer to take the majesty of the surroundings into perspective and, of course, take photos of the range. A glacier landing will add an extra half hour to the flight and is the highlight of any flightseeing experience. On the way back, the Tokositna River area at the base of the Alaska Range offers another opportunity to view moose and bears in their natural habitat.