Celebrate Winterfest 2012

Image via Wikipedia

Denali National Park and Preserve and the Denali Borough communities are celebrating Alaska's longest season during Winterfest 2012 on Friday, February 24 - Sunday, February 26. This long-running community-wide event features an array of activities, with something for all ages, interests, and abilities! View the schedule.

Festivities kick off on Friday, February 24 at the McKinley Park Community Center with a dessert potluck at 6:30 pm, followed by a square dancing extravaganza with the Lost Dog String Band from Fairbanks at 7:30 pm. Instruction will be provided, so there's no excuse not to dance! The Community Center is located on the "Old Parks Highway" spur road at Mile 230 Parks Highway.

The National Park Service hosts a wide variety of activities on Saturday, February 25 from 11:00 am - 4:00 pm at or near the Murie Science and Learning Center. The day's offerings include sled dog rides, ice carving demonstration, presentation by story teller Jack Dalton, ranger-guided snowshoe walk, snow sculpting contest, and a 5K family fun run/walk/ski/bike. Hot drinks and light refreshments are provided and a selection of park-related publications will be available for sale.

Saturday events continue in Healy, with chili cookoff at 4:00 pm, a free community chili feed beginning at 5:00 pm and a hockey game with the Healy Coal Queens at 6:00 pm. The evening will culminate with the second annual "Denali's Got Talent!" competition beginning at 6:30 pm. These activities are taking place at the Tri-Valley Community Center at Mile 0.5 on the Healy Spur Road (Mile 248.8 Parks Highway).

Meals, lodging and other services are available year-round in the communities of Healy and Cantwell. The park's Riley Creek Campground is open for free camping. A vault toilet is provided for winter campers and water can be obtained at the Murie Science and Learning Center.

Winterfest is made possible with the assistance of Alaska Geographic, Denali Borough, Denali Borough School District, Denali Education Center, Doyon/ARAMARK Joint Venture, National Park Service, and Princess Tours. Winterfest information is available on the park website orwww.denaliborough.com or by calling Denali National Park at 907- 683-9532 from 9:00 am - 4:00 pm daily.

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Deanli Park Road Open To Mile 13

Image via WikipediaThe contractors working on the culvert replacement project have finished for the season, and the Denali Park Road is now open to the Savage River Campground at Mile 13, weather permitting. The road will close at park headquarters (Mile 3) when the next snowfall occurs. The road is closed to traffic west of the campground due to icy and snowy conditions on sections of the road, particularly the portion that winds down to the Savage River. Visitors are advised to call ahead for weather and road information, as conditions can change rapidly. 

There will be vault toilets available for visitors at the Mountain Vista Trailhead parking area. All other facilities west of headquarters, such as campgrounds and restrooms, are closed. The Murie Science and Learning Center is open daily from 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. to provide park information and backcountry permits.

The Bear Loop of the Riley Creek Campground at Mile 0.2 is open for camping, but the water is off for the season. A vault toilet is available for campers, and water can be obtained at the Murie Science and Learning Center. Gas, food service and lodging are available year-round in the communities of Healy and Cantwell.

Denali National Park and Preserve collects an entrance fee year-round. The entrance fee of $10 per person or $20 per vehicle is good for seven days. The majority of the money collected remains in the park to be used for projects to improve visitor services and facilities. Interagency Federal Recreation Passes such as the Annual, Senior, and Access Pass, and the Denali Annual Pass are also valid for entry into the park. Visitors can pay entrance fees at the Murie Science and Learning Center. 

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