The High One!

Our trip to get the steps repaired went well and by noon we were heading out of Anchorage toward Denali.  We started seeing Denali seventy miles away.  THE mountain was out in all of its glory. At each pullover we saw groups of people enjoying the view of that beautiful mountain and the others in its range.  We drove into the campground at 8pm, too tired to drive out to investigate the Park Road.

This morning we woke early in the hopes of seeing Denali again and of seeing some wildlife.  You can only drive a car thirteen miles into the park.  If you want to go any further you have to take one of the many buses that travel the single road deep into Denali National Park.  Today we decided just to take the car and linger along the road.

The drive through the park was beautiful.  The mountain was out again, shining in the morning light.  We didn't see any wildlife for the full 13 miles but the views were so wonderful that we were content.  At the turnaround point we looked longingly at the buses that were allowed to go further along the road but contented ourselves watching the Dall sheep on the mountainside.

While at the pullover we talked to several people, including two doctors who did their residency in New Orleans and were touring Alaska with their four youngest children.  We were talking with a ranger who was based along the Louisiana Coast for several years when a motor home sped toward us with a woman leaning out of the window yelling, "There's a grizzly right behind you!"  I thought she was kidding but there WAS a grizzly just walking quietly along very near us.  He continued down the path, past the picnic tables toward the river.  We started frantically photographing the bear who ambled up from the river to the road and then came back toward us along the side of the mountain.  Big excitement!

On the drive back the road was blocked by a tour bus on one side and a car on the other.  Another grizzly was walking down a dry river bed toward us.  We took lots of photos again.  The bear went into the thick shrubbery along the river so I drove on a bit and turned around in the road, hoping for another view of him.  This time there were a line of  buses looking into the river bed.  The bear scooted across the road between two buses.  We drove on and turned into a campground, curious if we could fit into any of the spaces there.  Halfway around the loop the camphost came running over to tell us to stay in our car, a grizzly was in the campground and two moose.  I drove around again, hoping to see the moose but no luck.  All in all, an exciting day!  Tomorrow we take the shuttle bus all of the way to Kantnisha.  Clark's babysitter has come over to meet him and we will be able to spend a long day in the park knowing he is in good hands.

Four Miles High!

A Very Near Bear

Walking Along the Road

Dall Sheep

The River Bear

Denali and other Mountains in the Range

The High One in the Morning