Woke up to a sunny sky, and left camp headed to Denali. First though stop at the Wasllla Safeway and get food items for the 9 days in Denali.
The drive up the Park Highway was nice with little traffic. Lots of streams and camping spots along the way. Started to notice some color change as we head north into the interior.
Arriving Denali we check into the Riley Mercantile to get all our camping/bus passes. Picked a nice quiet spot in the campground and took the longer trail to the visitors center and back. Than a nice hot shower was in order. Seems prices are a bit more since the last time 5 years ago,and more "huge campers". There were very few small rigs,mostly the big rental motor homes.
The next morning we rode an early shuttle bus to Savage River and back. We were the only ones on the bus. Watched a nice brown bear close to the road. Enjoyed the quiet ride out and back. For breakfast we walked to "town" and had a great coffee and oatmeal/blueberry bar at the only coffee spot there.
The day was so nice we walked the trail to Horseshoe Lake and the loop trail.Watched the beaver cutting branches from the large cotton wood tree it downed next to the trail.They seem to be very wasteful,they down the large trees and only take the top small branches. Walking to the back side of the lake we spotted the beaver going to his house.
Next morning was time to leave for Tellanika CG,this CG is by pass only and a minimum of 3nights.
On the way spotted a couple with a new to them FWC from Oregon and told them about WTW. They seemed very interested as they were new to our style campers and were glad to find a site they could go to for info. Told us there were 2 bull moose up the road. We spotted them and pulled over to get some pictures.I got up on the top of the camper for better shots,this worked out well as the bus's stopped right in front of us. By the time we got to Tek we were tired of "bus people"
After setting up camp,I didn't pop up as there had been a brown sow and a cub in the camp area earlier being a problem.The rangers came out and chased them away with a bean bag gun,never saw them or signs again. In most of the rest of our camp spots I would leave the top down if we were going to be away. Not something you have to do just being on the safe side.
While at Tek we used the bus to travel the road.Saw a lot of bear, Dall sheep ,Caribou ,a golden eagle, Ptarmagin just starting to get some white feathers, a Snow Shoe Hare, and more moose.
Except for the moose all the other animals were not close to the road as we saw them last trip. It was
great seeing them though. It doesn't get boring. The weather let us take some long walks on the road. We had the bus driver let us out at the Igloo CG about 5 miles from Tek. That walk is always nice it's quiet and the chance to see some animals is good.
After Tek we moved to Savage River CG for a night. I wanted to fish the side stream to the river, there are Arctic Grayling in the clear water. Caught a bunch, little fish but nice fighters on my light fly rod.
2 last nights at Riley Creek CG before heading to the Old Denali Highway and Delta Junction. but not before another walk to see if the beavers were still out.
Saw them again , this time they had some food branches that they were taking to their cache.
Leaving Denali had a lunch break at the Creekside Cafe just before Cantwell and the old highway. The Old Denali Highway is 134 miles long and only less than 30 paved, but the gravel road isn't to bad and is maintained. No rain or wet road just some dust. Better than the hard to remove mud from the glacier soil. Arrived at Paxon at the east end of the highway and headed north to Delta.
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| Watched this "brown"move through the brush and across the road.On the return trip it was still in the area. |
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| This beaver must be used to seeing people as it didn't do the tail smacking to show danger. |
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| The trees it cut down and only used the top most branches,and these were large trees. |
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| These bulls are in the area about 8 miles into the park. Right next to the road,shot from the roof of the camper. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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| Sharon getting a iphone shot. |
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| Our first view of Denali,the last for 8 days until the old highway. |
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| Some color.Not as much though as last time.The summer seemed to be warmer and rainier so the leafs are turning brown than falling early. |
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| The Ptarmigian |
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| A Black billed Magpie. | |
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Color at the rock outcropping along the Savage River area.
These Arctic Grayling were fun to catch. This side stream to the Savage River at the road bridge is one of the few places to catch fish in the. Most of the stream/rivers are full of silt from the glacier run off. |
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| Some nice color at Polychrome Pass area. |
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| An Arctic ground squirrel fat for winter. |
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| Caribou, mostly single ones. |
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| More huge bull moose. |
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| Snow hare not turned yet. |
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| Ptarmigian just the wing tips turning so far. |
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| Wild Blueberries,very good to munch on.Collected a bag full to put in our yogurt. |
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| Fresh moose tracks. |
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| More "shrums" |
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| Another huge bull and nice fall color. |
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| The classic "moose"shot. |
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| Only Loon sighting. |
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| Female Caribou munching on the Blueberry bushes. |
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| The Dall sheep were all up on the hills back from the road. |
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| The Teklanika River near the campground. |
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| The last of the Fire Weed flowers. |
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A couple of male Dall sheep butting heads.
The last moose,munching on some tender leaves.
Denali from mile 3 out of Cantwell.
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The eastern peaks of the Alaskan Range with their glaciers.
Trumpeter Swans with cygnets.
There are a lot of glacier ponds along the road. Almost to Paxon and the pipe line road to Delta Junction.
Continued in part 4 |
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