Sheldon Chalet Offers Experiences for Aurora Borealis Season

Sheldon Chalet, a five-star property on a remote glacier in the middle of Denali National Park, is offering signature activities during Aurora Borealis season in Alaska, running from September 15, 2018 until April 30, 2019.

Sheldon Chalet, which opened in February 2018, is located on five private acres and sleeps up to 10 guests in five bedrooms. Perched on a nunatak 6,000 feet above the Don Sheldon Amphitheatre on Denali’s Ruth Glacier, Sheldon Chalet is only accessible by helicopter from Anchorage or Talkeetna. A stay at Sheldon Chalet gives guests prime viewing locations for the northern lights from their own bed as well as the panoramic windows of the chalet and hammocks outside the property.  

At Sheldon Chalet, guests can choose to go on flightseeing tours, explore the nearby hot springs, go on a heli-skiing adventure and enjoy snowshoe treks with views of the summit of Denali just ten miles away. Its location at 63 degrees north and at an elevation of 6,000 feet, where the atmosphere is thinner creates, ideal conditions for aurora viewing. Tip: The entire Amphitheatre lights up with the colors of the aurora as it reflects off the snowy peaks and glacier. 

Sheldon Chalet room

Photo by Jeff Schultz

Guests can relax and experience Denali at this chalet with gear, guides, a chef, all food and beverage, a concierge and the helicopter transport to and from the Chalet. This season, Sheldon Chalet’s curated activities for guests include:

  • Aurora, lighted crystal and blizzard gazing
  • Shooting star, meteor and avalanche watching
  • Nunatak exploration via snowshoe or skis
  • Snow cave or igloo construction
  • Remote hot springs excursion
  • Heli- or fixed-wing geography touring 

Gastronomy is also a focal point of the trip. After a day of adventure, guests can enjoy a gourmet dinner prepared by Sheldon Chalet’s chef, showcasing Alaskan sourced ingredients. Being in Alaska, seafood is the way to go, with sweet Alaskan oysters, halibut ceviche, tiny spot shrimp and king crab all on the menu. Guests can also opt for suggest a charcuterie spread in the Mountain House, including cheeses from the Basque region and from Burgundy, a bresaola made from bison, fresh pickles from an Alaska forager, pickled fiddlehead ferns and delicate spruce tips. A sommelier-designed wine, beer and fine spirits program is also available.

The Chalet also offers observation decks for stargazing, fireplaces (a great place for a history lesson, we're told), and saunas to help recover.

Related Articles

Austin Adventures Launches "Rugged Luxury" Collection

First Look Inside Chamonix’s Luxurious New High-altitude Mountain Refuge

The Chedi Andermatt Launches New Penthouse Suite

The New 'Skiing Hotel' in Finland That Lets You Hunt the Northern Lights Without Getting Out of Bed