Leaving behind the small community of Willow, riders head straight into the next remote and visually striking stretches of the Alaska Divide route. The 223 kilometers to Cantwell offer a raw, wild experience, the mountains close in, and the modern world fades behind your tires.
This segment is a test of endurance and spirit, gaining over 2700 vertical meters as it weaves through Alaska’s rugged interior. But what it demands in effort, it returns tenfold in scenery and solitude.
Somewhere along the way, you’ll spot a curious structure nestled in the trees – an Iglu. Built in the 1970s by Leon Smith, a railroad worker who envisioned a four-story, dome-shaped hotel he dubbed “Igloo Lodge” or “Igloo City.” It featured 58 wedge‑shaped rooms, a central atrium, and a penthouse for Smith and his wife. Construction stopped before completion—exterior finished but interior never functional – largely due to building code violations, like undersized windows and lack of safe fire escapes. Smith eventually sold the project to Brad Fisher in 1996. Fisher ran a small gas station and convenience store next to the igloo until about 2010. Since then, the structure has sat abandoned and deteriorating—overflowing with graffiti and neglect. It’s become a roadside curiosity and photography stop for many.
The real magic happens when the clouds part. Towering above the horizon, Mount McKinley (Denali) comes into view – if you’re lucky. At 6,190 meters, Denali dominates the skyline like a titan frozen in snow and stone. It’s a humbling sight that can stop you in your tracks. The mountain feels impossibly distant, yet hauntingly close.
The final kilometers before Cantwell are no easier, but the sense of accomplishment builds with each turn of the pedals. The approach to Cantwell feels like returning from a different world. A hot meal, and refilling for the Denali Highway.
Riders:
– Christopher Kuzdas refilling at Cantwell
– Jeremy D VanSice on the Parks Hwy
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