Summary

Erika Burkhalter's essay "Denali Base Camp" captures the awe-inspiring experience of flying over and landing on the glaciers of Alaska's Denali, reflecting on the grandeur of nature and its profound impact on the human spirit.

Abstract

"Denali Base Camp" is an evocative narrative that recounts Erika Burkhalter's flight over the majestic glaciers of Alaska and her landing at the base of Denali, the highest peak in North America. Through vivid descriptions and personal reflections, Burkhalter conveys the humbling scale of the Alaskan wilderness, the ethereal beauty of the glacial landscapes, and the spiritual connection she feels with the natural world. The essay paints a picture of the dynamic and ever-changing environment, from the hidden peaks shrouded in clouds to the vibrant blue ice that resembles topaz gems. Burkhalter's journey is not just a physical one but also a philosophical exploration of the interconnectedness of all things, as she contemplates the universe's mysteries in the presence of such overwhelming natural beauty.

Opinions

The author expresses a deep, spiritual connection with the Alaskan landscape, describing it as a place where one can come closer to understanding the divine.
Denali's immense size and ability to hide in the atmosphere create a sense of wonder and reverence.
The glaciers are personified as living entities, with their movement and the reflection of the sky on their pure ice described as the Goddess's scrying bowls.
The author draws parallels between the Alaskan terrain and the fictional world of Middle Earth, suggesting an otherworldly quality to the landscape.
The dangers of the "braided rivers," filled with glacial silt, are acknowledged, yet their role in nurturing the land is also appreciated.
The experience of being in the presence of Denali fills the author with a sense of belonging to the vastness of existence and the infinite connectivity of the universe.
Erika Burkhalter identifies as a yogi, neurophilosopher, and lover of nature, which contextualizes her profound and philosophical interpretation of her surroundings.

Travel, Photography

Denali Base Camp

A Glacier Landing

The vastness of Alaska lures my soul, my very essence, into the depths of the forests and the never-ending expanse of sky, ribboned with wisps of vapor and bedecked with iridescent puffs of clouds. To see Denali, standing 20,310 feet tall is to understand why the ancients all over the world looked at the mountain heights and saw the realm of the gods.

The tallest of those peaks can hide so deftly in the Arctic atmosphere that you’d never know that they were even there. Denali’s hip appears to be her cresting peak until she removes her shawl of clouds and reveals herself in her entirety. Even then, if you don’t know to look high enough into the sky, because you really don’t expect the mountain to be that tall, you might miss her completely.

To fly in a tiny airplane above the glaciers clawing their way down the purpled granite slopes, and be able to see, from that vantage point, the power and beauty and rawness of Mother Nature is to come a little closer to understanding the Goddess of All Things.

The author, near the plane which brought her to Denali’s basecamp. Photo © Alton Burkhalter.

Landing on the glacier which is Denali’s Base Camp struck wonder into my heart. How could any person ever traverse that terrain on foot to arrive there? I understand the allure but am incredulous that it could be done.

Glacial fields, dotted with ice so blue that it looks as if it is studded with topaz gems. Photo ©Erika Burkhalter.

The glaciers, eternally in motion, flow from the heights, spreading their gowns of ice, which seem to be bejeweled with topaz gems, where the ice is so pure that the sky reflects itself upon it. It’s as if the Goddess has sprinkled scrying bowls, through which you can peer into infinity, across the Arctic landscape.

Eternally in motion. Photo ©Erika Burkhalter.

From the air, I almost felt as if I was hovering above Tolkien’s Middle Earth. The mountains exhaled smoky vapor and I expected to see the Ents, the massive walking tree creatures, strolling through the valleys. I’m also certain there must have been a fairy castle or two tucked into the icy realm.

Alaska, or Middle Earth? Photo ©Erika Burkhalter.

Dragons, too, could be hiding, still as stone, amidst the frozen granite scales along the ridge lines.

The “braided rivers,” heavy with glacial silt, are possibly the most dangerous part of the trek to and from Denali. While crossing them, many a brave-spirited adventurer has discovered, too late, how the fine particles can fill your pockets and shoes and tug you under.

But, those rivers, nonetheless, nurture the land below, filling the valleys and flatlands with life-giving minerals and water.

Sometimes, when I close my eyes, I can almost still feel the breath of the mountains filling me with the mysteries of the universe. I breathe her in, and am comforted by the knowledge, deep in my very bones, that I am a minuscule part of the workings of infinite connectivity. The throb of existence thrums through these peaks, rippling and crescendoing into the vastness of eternity.

The land of fairies and dragons. Photo ©Erika Burkhalter.

Erika Burkhalter is a yogi, neurophilosopher, cat-mom, photographer, and lover of travel and nature, spreading her love and amazement for Mother Earth’s glories, one photo, poem or story at a time. (MS Neuropsychology, MA Yoga Studies). Erika is also an editor for Mindfully Speaking.

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