Located 6,000 feet above sea level on a nunatak just 10 miles from the summit of the tallest mountain in North America, the Sheldon Chalet is Denali National Park’s first and only luxury hotel. The chalet is located in the Don Sheldon Amphitheater, a natural valley carved by the ice of the Ruth Glacier and named after a famous Alaskan bush pilot and the man behind the Sheldon Chalet.
Sheldon received a patent to start building the Chalet back in the 1970s, but the plans were put on hold due to his sudden death. Decades later, Don’s son, Robert, has now finally completed the project.
The chalet is anchored deep into the granite, iron, and titanium of the nunatak and is equipped with a runoff-powered water supply, electricity, and a Finnish fireplace in a common room that doubles as a high-efficiency, clean-combustion heating system.
Inaccessible by car, guests must take an hour-long helicopter ride to arrive at the five-bedroom chalet. Each room can sleep two guests and is arranged around the central Commons. Amenities include a sauna, viewing station, observation deck, kitchen, and dining area. Marvin windows were installed to give guests 360-degree views of the surrounding peaks. The windows were designed to withstand winds of up to 200 miles per hour.
Outside of the hotel, guests can go snowshoeing and glacier trekking and visit remote hot springs and a Mastodon bone yard. Rates for the luxury experience start at $2,300 per person, per night. BEK of Alaska built the Chalet.
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