Escape to the Top of the Mountain in Alaska
Experience a once in a lifetime-adventure and check-in on a glacier in Alaska.
Surrounded by the tallest peaks of North America, untouched glittering glaciers, and the vast Alaskan wilderness, a unique retreat welcomes adventurers looking for remote luxury.
The Sheldon Chalet is literally a top location: It takes a one hour long helicopter ride from Anchorage to reach the luxurious chalet on top of a nunatak glacier, surrounded by the natural Don Sheldon amphitheater. Elevation: about 5800 feet. The scenery and the view up here are overwhelming. The exquisite 5 bedroom mountain hotel is located on private property within Denali Nationalpark and North America's highest peak towers just around the corner.
From the moment you land on the helipad, your breath will be taken away. Except for the Sheldon Chalet, there is nothing but snow, ice, and summits. There is no other sign of civilization within sight: no roads, no traffic, no crowds, and no cell service or wifi. Excellent condition to relax and leave the world behind you.
During the long winter months, guests can enjoy a natural spectacle: The lights of the aurora borealis create a magical atmosphere on clear nights when they dance across the sky. The colorful phenomenon is visible from September through April.
Of course, it is hard to beat the unique location, but the food is nothing short of spectacular either. What would you expect to dine on top of a mountain? Seafood! What else?! Fresh, delicious Alaskan seafood such as oysters or crabs is a specialty of the in-house chef. All meals are created with locally sourced, wild-harvested ingredients.
As you can expect, the winter wonderland around Sheldon Chalet is just perfect for skiing and sledding. But since you are on top of a glacier, you should dare to explore this frozen world. Beneath the Don Sheldon Amphitheater flows a frozen river exposing large glacial openings known as crevasses. The Sheldon Chalet offers its guests the exclusive opportunity to explore this magical world from fall to springtime. World-class guides survey and identify the optimal areas for accessing ice caverns based on their stability and viability, inviting guests to participate in an extraordinary glacier spelunking expedition. You also have the chance for rappelling, igloo building, or glacier-trekking via snowshoes or skis. As a reward, you can enjoy a picnic on the glacier and admire the mesmerizing alpenglow.
Talk to one of our travel curators and we'll get you up the mountain!
Bianca Klement
Like any journalist, Bianca's interest is piqued by pretty much everything, but what she likes best is writing long articles about nature, the sea, and exciting personalities. Whether trekking in Finland or kayaking with orcas, she's usually outdoors, and always on the lookout for her next adventure. As a passionate diver, her heart beats strongly for the underwater world and its protection.
All images copyright of The Sheldon Chalet