Day 19,20 & 21 Denali July 11 - 13

Sunrise 4:34 Sunset 11:46

We took a "time-out" in Fairbanks, will finish that blog later.

We pulled into Denali RV Park a day later than the Caravan due to our "time-out".  The group was out all day on a narrated tour of Denali National Park, their bus had a camera the driver could direct to any wildlife which the group could view on a video screen inside the bus.

Saturday morning we drove to the park up to Mile 15 (as far as private autos could travel)  We saw a mama moose and baby at the river. 

Sunday we skipped the driver briefing and coffee and cinnamon rolls to catch the 9:15 bus up to the Eielson Visitor Center, mile 66.  We heard the mountain was "out", our bus driver, Rex, said that only about 30% of Park visitors get to see the mountain.  We're now in the 30% Club!  What a grueling trip, 66 miles out, taking 4 hours.  Rex is not a tour guide, he is a bus driver, but he did his best to spot wildlife and gave us many facts.  He made the trip more fun.  One fun fact, most of Denali's rivers are fish-less, they are glacier fed, containing mostly silt, so consequently bears in the park are vegetarians.  We saw many caribou on the way out, we were lucky enough to see a mama grizzly and her 2 cubs, wrestling like all siblings do.  They were working their way up  a ravine getting closer to the bus but also 2 hikers.  Rex had them get on the bus for their safety.  Along the way we caught many glimpses of the mountain, the views were getting more magnificent mile after mile.  We had lunch, took lots of pictures, after 45 minutes we were back on the bus, GROAN, for the almost 5 hour trip back, thanks to an aging caribou that walked in front of the bus for close to 20 minutes, zig zagging like a drunken "sailor". The old gal finally left  the road, heading up the hill.  Fun at first then "just get out of the way!!!!!"  We want to get back home.  We back about 6, Luci was very glad to see us, Wayne. our Tail Gunner walked her while we were gone.  Seeing the mountain made the long bus ride well worth it.  

That's it for today, enjoy the pic's,

TTFN

Gary and Pam

Mount Denali

Entrance to park

Gary wrestling a bear

1st of many caribou

Mama moose and baby

Snowshoe hare

Lining up for bus adventure

Our driver, Rex

First glimpse of Denali

Brrrrr

Baby grizzly's wrestling

Mama Grizzly

Eielson Visitor Center built into side of hill

You can faintly see mountain behind us

Brisk wind blowing and clouds starting to return

Huge moose antlers at Eielson Visitor Center

Aging caribou walking in front of bus

Finally heading up the hill!