09/19/2026
You don't need a perfect day to go explore Alaska. 🏔️
This was our very first hike after arriving in Alaska! We got a much later start than we had planned because of traveling that day, but decided to see how much of Sugarloaf Ridge we could get done anyway.
Sugarloaf is one of those hikes where the mileage is deceiving because it is STEEP. We made it 1.64 miles with 1,194 feet of elevation gain before ultimately turning around.
The coolest part was watching the landscape completely change as we climbed. We started surrounded by Alaska’s fall colors, climbed into rocky alpine terrain and patches of snow, and then the weather changed incredibly fast. Clouds rolled over the ridge, visibility started disappearing, and it began snowing on us.
Between how late we had started, the rapidly changing weather and the decreasing visibility, we decided it wasn’t safe to keep pushing farther up the ridge and turned around.
We didn’t get to finish Sugarloaf, but what we DID get to hike was absolutely incredible. Honestly, the fog and snow ended up making the experience even more memorable—and gave us some pretty amazing photos. 😂
This is absolutely one we’d go back and finish someday, just with an earlier start and hopefully slightly more cooperative Alaska weather!
Sugarloaf Ridge • Denali, Alaska
📸 Heather Renee Sharp
