The bus quietly pulls in front of the Denali cabins, I unload my gear and say my final good bye to the driver. Soon I am left standing all alone.
It is too early to check in, so I head over to the restaurant to catch up on some work and warm my bones with some tomato soup.
After a couple of hours tick on by, I get into my cabin for the last time. I take my shoes off, and marvel at the wear and tear I’ve put on them during my time here in Alaska.
I climb under the mounds of blankets as the heater groans to life. I fall asleep early under a clear arctic sky.
Rising with the morning sun, I get my coffee to go and start the car’s engine. The frost is thick on the windshield.
The time has come to make the long journey back to Anchorage.