2013 Trips: Alaska - Denali
COWBOY JUNKIES North to Alaska
September 6-11, 2013, Exploring Alaska - Anchorage to Denali National Park with Cowboy Junkies and friends
This trip is now SOLD OUT. If you are interested in being placed on our waiting list, please contact us at trains@sover.net or 866-484-3669.
Join Cowboy Junkies and Roots on the Rails as we head north to Alaska and the heart of the last frontier - Denali National Park! Six million acres of wild land, bisected by one 92-mile ribbon of road. And this road less traveled (all but the first 15 miles are gravel, and forbidden to private automobile) will be our road. From the taiga forest at the Park entrance winding our way to high alpine tundra and snowy mountains, culminating in North America's tallest peak, 20,320' Mount McKinley. Be one of just 48 travelers on this incredible, once-in-a-lifetime journey.
And there, at the final milepost, lies our destination - the legendary Kantishna Roadhouse. A small restaurant and lounge, thirty four rooms, power supplied by generator. It's all ours for two nights. No cell phone, no internet, no road beyond the Roadhouse - beyond is simply wilderness.
Wild animals large and small roam the unfenced horizon, living as they have for millennia. Solitude, tranquility and wilderness await.
And, oh yes, there will be music. The Cowboy Junkies will be with us from trip’s start to end. The first night kicks off with Cowboy Junkies (and, on that first night, their friends Over the Rhine) at a theater in Anchorage, then to tiny Talkeetna for a very intimate show, and then, at the Roadhouse, an entirely unplugged evening event (well, there will be a mic for Margo). This will be a concert experience like no other; imagine the hush; the Cowboy Junkies playing inside - outside the immensity of the Alaskan wilderness night.
Chartered motorcoach Anchorage to Talkeetna to Denali Park. Private bus inside the Park. Alaska Railroad’s famed Gold Star Service with open viewing decks and wraparound windows from Denali back to Anchorage. Most meals, hotel each night, priority seats to public concerts, private concert... This trip is not cheap, but it is far, far beyond the standard tour (staying at the Kantishna Roadhouse is a one-of-a-kind event that only a tiny fraction of Alaskan visitors ever experience). We hope you’ll join us (savvy Roots on the Rails travelers know that setting up a payment plan makes any large-ticket trip like this exponentially more affordable - and it costs you nothing extra. Sarah will be happy to talk with you about how to do this in the way that works best for you).
Anchorage has frequent, reasonably priced jet service to the Lower 48. For those wishing to extend their trip, additional hotel nights at our group rate in Anchorage are available. We are also offering a trip with Over the Rhine to the Kenai Peninsula starting Sept. 2 that connects with the Denali trip - sign up for BOTH and receive an additional $250pp discount.
As with any dynamic event this far out, details may change. Should there be a substantial alteration to the itinerary after sign-up, or if the price increases, we will contact you and you will have a week-long window in which you may cancel with no penalty.
FRIDAY 6 September
Anchorage hotel check-in in afternoon. Evening concert with Cowboy Junkies and Over the Rhine.
SATURDAY 7 September
We board our chartered motorcoach for the two and a half hour trip to Talkeetna, Nestled at the base of north America’s tallest peak, Talkeetna was the inspiration for the television show “Northern Exposure.” We’ll have several hours to explore this eclectic town, time to get settled into our hotel and have dinner and a show in town that evening.
SUNDAY 8 September
We depart Talkeetna in the morning and travel a little over three hours up the stunningly scenic Alaska Highway to the entrance of Denali Park. Here we stop for lunch, and transfer to the bus that will carry us 92 miles to the end of the road. During our travel to and from the Kantishna Roadhouse we will have excellent opportunities to see wildlife in their natural habitat. The height of the bus and its large sliding windows provide the perfect viewing platform as we journey through the Park. The Driver/Guides are expert wildlife spotters and will stop the bus whenever an animal or view of Mt. McKinley comes into range. Binoculars and cameras will be put to great use as we enjoy the amazing landscapes and animals. Arrival at the Roadhouse will be in time for dinner (included). We’ll have a song circle/jam around the fireplace into the night.
MONDAY 9 September
The day is free to enjoy as you wish. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are provided. Guided hikes leave the Roadhouse each morning – choose a two hour walk or take a bag lunch and hike for up to six hours. Whether a beginner, intermediate or advanced trekker, the Park is yours to explore on foot and learn about the wildlife and flora of the Kantishna Hills from one of the experienced Naturalist Guides. Mountain bikes and helmets are available for those wishing to explore the old mining roads in the area. Try catch-and-release fly fishing for Arctic Grayling along Moose Creek (hip boots and both fly and spinning rods are available for guest use and the first lure or fly is complimentary). Or take in the Alaskan sled-dog team presentation. The long day allows one to enjoy activities while still leaving plenty of time to relax and just soak up the area's beauty and tranquility. If you want to plan your own excursion, ask a guide for maps and recommendations – they are always happy to assist. That evening, after dinner, settle back for an all-acoustic Cowboy Junkies show.
TUESDAY 10 September
It wouldn't be a Roots on the Rails trip without at least one train involved, and after we depart the Roadhouse and return to the Park entrance, we board the Alaska Railroad's Denali Star for the return trip to Anchorage. Moose, bear, abundant waterfowl and even wolves are often spotted from the open-air observation deck. We'll enjoy a full dinner on board, and arrive back in Anchorage at 8:00 pm, where we head to our hotel for the night.
WEDNESDAY 11 September
Hotel checkout and return home (additional nights at our group rate are available with advance notice).
Email us: trains@sover.net, or call 866-484-3669 (toll free in the US & Canada) or 802-258-1397.
PRICE
$3,689.00 per person for five nights hotel (shared room), public and private Cowboy Junkies concerts as listed, open mics/picking parties, chartered motorcoach, Denali Park tour, Kantishna Roadhouse activities (Narrated 92-mile trip park entrance to Roadhouse, all meals at Roadhouse, nature and cultural presentations daily, naturalist-led hikes and interpretive programs, Mountain biking, fly fishing, and gold panning equipment available for guest use.), Denali Star first-class "Gold Star" train service, some additional meals as listed. Airfare to/from Alaska, gratuities and other transfers not included.
Solo travelers will be paired with another same-gender traveler for double occupancy of hotel rooms. Supplement for solo travelers wishing private hotel room 9/6, 9/7 and 9/10: $300.00 additional. Solo price for full trip for travelers with deep pockets who want their own room all nights (INCLUDING Kantishna Roadhouse): $7,189.00.
Credit cards (Amex, Visa, MC, Discover) and checks accepted. $300 per person non-refundable deposit to hold space. Payment plans happily accommodated. 2% discount for entire payment or series of postdated checks received within ten days of sign up (offer ends 6/1/13). Payments outside of deposit are refundable until 60 days prior to departure. Reservations are transferable. Liability release signature required.
Email us: trains@sover.net, or call 866-484-3669 (toll free in the US & Canada) or 802-258-1397.
THE FINE PRINT
The Fine Print: The payment of a deposit or any part or full payment for a reservation shall constitute consent to all the provisions contained herein. Flying Under Radar, LLC shall not be held responsible for property loss or damage and/or any damages resulting from illness, personal injuries or death which may be sustained by reason of, or while engaged on, any trip or tour whether due to the ownership, maintenance, use, operation or control of any vehicle, hotel, common carrier or any other conveyance used in carrying out these tours. We can assume no liability due to any cause whatsoever whether caused by failure or delay or other irregularity, acts or omissions occurring during a tour under which the means of transportation or other service thereby is offered or supplied by owners, operators or public carriers for whom Flying Under Radar, LLC acts only as agent. Flying Under Radar, LLC reserves the right (at its discretion) to alter or omit any part of the itinerary, or change any reservation, feature and/or means of conveyance without notice or for any reason whatsoever and without allowance or refund and with extra costs, if any, resulting therefrom paid by the passengers. Although all artists are contracted to appear, lineup is potentially subject to change due to illness or force majeure. We reserve the right to cancel any tour prior to departure, in which case payment will be refunded without further obligation on our part. Flying Under Radar, LLC shall not be responsible for any injury to person (whether or not resulting in death) or damage to property. Flying Under Radar, LLC strongly urges individual passengers to obtain appropriate insurance coverage. Baggage is at the owner's risk entirely. The transportation companies concerned are not to be held responsible for any act, omission or event during the time passengers are not aboard their carriers or conveyances. The passenger contract in use by the carriers concerned (when issued) shall constitute the sole contract between the transportation companies and the purchaser of these tours and/or passage. By accepting the ticket the passenger also agrees to its terms and conditions. By forwarding of deposit, the passenger certifies that he/she does not have any mental, physical or other condition or disability that would create a hazard for him/herself or other passengers. Flying Under Radar, LLC reserves the right to cancel or withdraw any person as a member of the tour at any time. Flying Under Radar, LLC and Roots on the Rails management reserve the right to refuse service to anyone whom it considers incompatible with the best interests of its services or its guests.
