A Taste of Local Life in Denali in Healy, Alaska

After adorable Talkeetna, we drove up north to spend a day at Denali National Park. Just when we arrived in the evening, the weather turned from clear with a few clouds to ominous gray skies. A big storm was coming!

We parked at McKinley RV Park in Healy, the “interior” town between Denali and Fairbanks where the local workers seem to live during busy summer season.

The husky puppy in the RV next door was my new best friend. So adorable! I may have shared a small piece of smoked salmon skin (or two) with him.

McKinley RV park has a gas station, a small market with a good selection of produce and a great selection of german sausages. The same owners also run 49th State Brewery next door. It’s well branded – which I love as a marketer. They have different theme events every night, an outdoor beer garden with lawn games and a cozy fire to sit by inside.

We ordered a couple rounds of their microbrews while regaling old tales of Rob and Seth’s days as rock climbers in Yosemite.

Rob bought a stainless steel growler full of IPA at the brewery and has been refilling it with local brews in each new Alaskan town. A fantastic souvenir.

Tasty bar food including an authentic German pretzel with beer cheese and hops mustard. The green bus at the top of this post is parked in the beer garden at 49th for all kinds of fun photo opportunities.