ALASKA - DENALI AND McKINLEY

We left Fairbanks on Saturday and headed for Denali where we were booked to go on the Denali Natural History tour the next day.  Denali National Park (formerly McKinley National Park) was established in 1917 originally covering an area of two million acres.  The primary purpose was to protect the Dall Sheep which lived at the top of the mountain.  It was expanded in 1980 to six million acres and protected all animals living there.  Denali mountain is just over 20,000 ft but is hardly ever seen because of weather conditions....apparently only seen by about 30% of visitors to the park.  On the day we took the tour, the weather was very overcast and very cool and we did not see Denali mountain.

Picture taken at a stop on our way to Denali.  There is a lake (blue area) just past the trees.

We spotted an Alaska Railroad train from the bus.

Picture taken from the grounds of the Denali Princess Lodge.

The tour of Denali National Park consisted of driving around in a school bus, making two stops for history talks, and looking for wildlife while being given information by the guide on the park, wildlife and vegetation.  Our first stop was at Savage Cabin and our second stop was to hear a talk by an Athabascan Indian on how the Athabascans preserved their culture, including their language and survival.

The inside of Savage cabin in the park.  The cabin was used by employees of the park.

A Hawk Owl sitting atop a pine tree.

Picture of the mountains taken in the park.

One of many peninsulas/islands in the rivers formed as a result of silt from glaciers and snow from the mountains.  Excuse the bus window reflection.

Another owl whose name was not know.

Another picture of the mountains showing the unmelted snow.

Bronze Dall Sheep (which are actually white in colour) statues on the grounds of the McKinley Princess Lodge.

Vegetation growing out of the asphalt on the grounds of McKinley Princess Lodge.

Rides are offered in this covered wagon for a small price.

Many people live on land that has no running water.  These homes are called 'Dry Homes'.  The government offers free showers in some cities but in the smaller towns, the residents have to pay for showers.  

This is a sign in a restaurant in Talkeetna offering paid showers as well as lodging.

Wannabe Musher (dog sled racer)

My friend riding the moose - one of many bronze animal statues on the grounds of the lodges.

Taken at a treehouse on the grounds of the McKinley Princess Lodge.  The treehouse was really not a traditional treehouse but rather, one that was built on think planks high on a hill among the trees.

Tomorrow, we leave McKinley Princess Lodge and take the domed train to Whittier to board the ship.  Although it's only about 175 miles, the train trip will take over five hours.  Interesting!