Alaska…….Denali……Big, Wild & Wide Open Places. With 20,310’ tall Denali and surrounding Alaska Range Mountains and glaciers as its backdrop, the 135 Mile Denali Highway is the setting for the spectacular Denali135, Denali100K & Denali50K Endurance Races. The Denali Highway was the original and only road into Denali National Park …
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Alaska…….Denali……Big, Wild & Wide Open Places. With 20,310’ tall Denali and surrounding Alaska Range Mountains and glaciers as its backdrop, the 135 Mile Denali Highway is the setting for the spectacular Denali135, Denali100K & Denali50K Endurance Races.
The Denali Highway was the original and only road into Denali National Park from 1957 until 1971 and it is still as breathtaking and jaw dropping today as it was more than 50 years ago. Hardy and qualified adventurous athletes from around the World are invited to challenge themselves along one of the most scenic sections of the the historic gravel road from Paxson Alaska, the headwaters of the wild Gulkana River, to Cantwell Alaska…. Adjacent to the entrance to Denali National Park. Superlative panoramic vistas reach out for miles in every direction bathed in the nearly 20hrs of arctic daylight each day during the race. National Geographic rightly called the Denali Highway one of the top ten most scenic roads in North America.
The Denali50k will be limited to 50 runners and their crew and pacers. The Denali50K begins at Maclaren Summit which is at Mile 37 (From Paxson) the highest point on the Denali Highway and also happens to be the third highest road pass in the Alaska highway system. From Maclaren Summit, the road descends Northwestward towards the Maclaren River with the mighty Alaska Range covering the entire horizon from west to east. The road passes through Thermokarst, Eskers and Kettle lakes left long ago when Ice Age Glaciers melted. The course winds it’s way to the one and only aid station on the Denali50K which is at Mile 18 of the 50K course at Clearwater Creek Wayside. From there, runners continue their westward push and finish at Alpine Creek Lodge where a well deserved burger and beer can be found. Alpine Creek Lodge is also the start of the Denali100K.
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