The Denali Highway closes each winter to vehicular traffic, road maintenance is discontinued and the snow piles up.  Our destination was the Maclaren River Lodge.  The lodge is located 94 miles from Cantwell and 42 miles from Paxson.  We chose  the longer route from Cantwell.  We found the deep snow we were looking for as we drove further and further north from our home on the Kenai Peninsula.

The Cantwell Lodge and "Beaver Liquors" and yes, they are VERY proud of their liquor store name, they even gave me a free hat.

The beginning of the non-maintained section of the Denali Highway in Cantwell

This is just one of the MANY spectacular views while running down the highway.

We found the deep snow we were looking for with about 2 1/2 ft of powder.  We buried our snowmachines at least four times a day.  Alan, the lodge owner, grooms some of the trails surrounding the lodge, but leave the trail at your own risk!

Maclaren Summit is the second highest highway pass in the state of Alaska, after Atigun Pass on the Dalton Highway.

Fellow lodge guests from Salcha, AK along with lodge hostess Amy.  From left to right, Art, Tom, Amy and Pat.  Nightly dinner was served family style.

Continued on NEXT Page