John - Thanks for your insightful feedback. Have to say your inputs saved us from embarking on a too-ambitious-to-be-feasible plan.

It took me a while to respond as we (4 opinionated adults!) debated and worked out another schedule incorporating your inputs. With hindsight the schedule we had planned earlier was nuts and you were right to call us out on it :-)

Two things are clear to us:

--- We do realize 6 days only leaves enough time to enjoy Denali & Seward. Nevertheless we included Valdez hoping just the drive on the Richardson Highway & the ferry ride itself will be worth the extra effort.

-- Drive times can vary considerably as shown say on Google Maps due to traffic conditions, plenty of sight seeing spots etc. Will keep enough buffer to cover eventualities.


Here is what the schedule now looks like (with drive times as per Google Maps indicated):


Day1: Land early evening in Anchorage. Overnight in Anchorage.

Day2: Anchorage to Seward via Alyeska (3.5 hrs drive). Stop at Exit Glacier. Overnight in Seward.

Day3: Cruise in Seward. Alaska Sea Life Center. Overnight in Seward.

Day4: Seward to Whittier (3 hrs drive) for 12:45pm ferry reaching 3:30pm to Valdez. No glacier tour needed as the ferry ride should cover it. Onward to Copper Center (3 hrs drive). Overnight in Copper Center.

Day5: Copper Center to Denali (7 hrs drive). Overnight in Healy.

Day6: Denali shuttle bus tour. Overnight in Healy.

Day7: Healy to Anchorage via Talkeetna (6 hrs drive). Late night departure

You did provide some excellent options on things to do which we need to figure out on incorporating in the schedule. Any additional thoughts/insights will be most welcome.

Thanks again for allowing us novices to benefit from your expertise.