Talkeetna is weird. It's not a bad weird, it's a good weird.
How else can you describe a town of about 850 people that gets thousands of visitors during the summer months but still feels like small-town Alaska?
That's Talkeetna's charm.
That and the fact that one of the town's main tourist attractions is an old wheelbarrow full of flowers with a sign that says "Welcome to Beautiful Downtown Talkeetna."
You don't just stumble upon Talkeetna. Travelers on their way between Anchorage and Denali National Park have to make a conscious decision to head into Talkeetna. It's a 14-mile trip up the Talkeetna Spur Road from the Parks Highway -- but it's worth the detour. In fact, you might find yourself wishing you had spent your entire vacation based in Talkeetna.
While it's not big on size, it is big on character. And it's got just about everything someone could want in an Alaska vacation: flightseeing trips to Mount McKinley, fishing, river rafting, jetboat trips, hiking, history, Iditarod mushers, artists and a cool festival -- the Moose Dropping Festival (July 12-13), where they drop moose droppings not moose.
"In Talkeetna, we have a beautiful view of the mountain," said Suzy Kellard, owner of Talkeetna Gifts & Collectables, past president of the Talkeetna Chamber of Commerce and a nearly 50-year resident of Talkeetna. "We have so many things. Three great rivers come together, eagles, nice scenic riverboat tours, low-key residents, some really world-class restaurants.
"But the main thing is the most panoramic view of the whole Alaska Range. If it's a clear day, people are just overwhelmed by that. The view of the mountain is just wonderful. Anything else is just frosting on the cake."
As Kellard said, on clear days, 20,320-foot Mount McKinley dominates the horizon. Talkeetna is about 60 miles from McKinley.
And many flightseeing and air-taxi companies operate out of Talkeetna. In April, mountain climbers start to descend on Talkeetna from around the world. After registering with the National Park Service in Talkeetna, most fly to the Kahiltna Base Camp at 7,200 feet on the Kahiltna Glacier.
As summer progresses, tourists arrive and enjoy the flightseeing. Most companies offer trips of one to two hours. Many trips can be combined with glacier landings. Highlights include the Kahiltna Glacier, Ruth Glacier, Sheldon Amphitheater, Wickersham Wall and Great Gorge.
"We have mountain climbers come here and those type of high adventurers," Kellard said. "That's really an added plus to the whole atmosphere of Talkeetna. Call it an ambiance of climbers; a lot of them are foreigners. They've got big boots, colorful garments.
"Down at the (Talkeetna) Roadhouse, they've got those great big tables. And sitting around the table eating you might have mountain climbers, locals, people from far away. It's a wonderful mixture."
The Talkeetna Museum consists of five buildings centered on the 1936 original one-room school. Mount McKinley gets a fair share of attention here too. In one of the buildings, there is a 12-by-12-foot scale model of Denali. The Mountain Exhibit room also includes famous photos by Bradford Washburn, who pioneered the popular West Buttress climbing route on McKinley.
During the visitor season, National Park Service rangers provide twice-daily programs about expeditions and routes up the mountain.
The mountain isn't the only natural wonder in the Talkeetna area.
The town is near where the Talkeetna and Chulitna rivers join the Susitna River. That makes it a great place for fishing or for riverboat tours.
Talkeetna River Guides (733-2677, www.talkeetnariverguides.com) takes visitors on both the Talkeetna and Chulitna rivers. The two-hour Talkeetna float is $69 and leaves at 8:30 a.m., 11 a.m., 2 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. daily. The trip is from six to eight miles. The four-hour Chulitna trip floats 19 miles back to Talkeetna; it costs $115. The company also offers overnight and fishing trips.
Mahay's Riverboat Service (733-2223, www.mahaysriverboat.com) offers three tours: the Wilderness Jetboat Adventure, the Three Rivers Tour and the Devil's Canyon Adventure. The Wilderness tour is two hours and covers about 10 miles on the Susitna River ($55). The Three Rivers tour spends time on all three local rivers, lasts about 3 1/2 hours and covers 50 river miles ($95). The Devil's Canyon tour covers 130 miles and lasts five hours ($145).
Talkeetna has long been connected with the fictional town of Cicely, Alaska, from the 1990s TV show "Northern Exposure." The TV show was actually filmed in Washington, but many say the town was based on Talkeetna.
And when it comes to quirky and comfortable -- weird perhaps -- Talkeetna is tops.
"People call it a quirkiness or a funkiness," Kellard said. "People come to see old-time Alaska. And this is it."
Special sections editor Steve Edwards can be reached at sedwards@adn.com. Visit his Alaska travel blog at www.alaska.com/alaskology.
