A Day in Denali National Park--July 8

We had to be at the entrance to our RV park at 6am and we were all there, but no bus. Our tour master couldn't reach anyone in the office by phone so he went in search of it in town. Finally at 7am he showed up. Someone messed up the pickup point so we were not a very pleased group of caravaners. This put us about an hour late of going into the park. Our tour driver was not one of our favorite. He droned on and on about the other buses and non essential items and repeated himself continually instead of about the park, its history, etc. He got on everyone's nerves by the half way point but after lunch he was better (quieter).

The scenery and the animals and the comraderie were the best so far on the trip.It looked like it was going to be a very clear day, but they have made it clear all along that if we could see all of Mt. McKinley (Denali) it would be a rare treat. We were in the 1% that had the opportunity to see all of the mountain and surrounding peaks and the lower peaks in front of it. On our trip to the Arctic Circle we were not so lucky--it rained three quarters of the day. The trip to Denali was an entire day riding in a school bus with slightly improved seats and after about the first 15 miles it was gravel and dusty but it wasn't bad. They keep working and packing down the road. That 15 miles is as far as private vehicles can go unless they have a pass for some special work or study. We went as far back as there is a road--91 miles. Our tour bus was affiliated with the lodge that is back at the end and that's where we went for lunch and a little free time to pan for gold or walk around. It was lovely and peacful right by a creek with a swinging bridge.

I will give you a run down of the animals we were privileged to see: a large bull moose and later a large female, 2 momma ducks with babies, several Dall Sheep with one being up close, 2 golden eagles, a wolf feeding on something, a caribou walking down the road and then laying down and another just standing, a trumpeter swan on a pond right near the road, a ptarmigan right next to the road--just standing there and we saw probably 6 grizzly bears or more. The last three were real close down in the grass and bushes and a creek. It was probably a mom and two cubs but they were about 3 yrs. old so they were also pretty good size. This was next to the best sighting along with the wolf and about a quarter mile from the RV park on the right was a pond right next to the road and in the pond was a female moose having her supper. I can't begin to tell you how beautiful Denali--the mountain was to see. The sun was directly shining on it and the glacier--it was just magnificent. There were hikers and bike riders everywhere but you have to check in with the rangers before you begin and their our other tour buses as well as buses that people can get on and off of at any location just by flagging them down.

All in all it was a wonderful day.