Alaska Hiking - Kenai to Denali, July 12-23, 2018

Page Four - Denali National Park


The day after our flight around Mt. Denali we drove
from the Talkeetna area north for about an hour to
Denali State Park.
Mt Denali and Alaska Range from Kesugi Ridge trail in
Denali State Park, not far from Denali National Park


Arctic ground squirrel seen along the Kesugi Ridge trail


Another good view of Mt. Denali from this trail

After hiking up to the ridge, we returned the same way.
That's Jeff in the foreground.




Fireweed and roadside view of Alaska Range while
driving toward Denali National Park


Baby moose getting off the road as we were driving toward
her and her mom on the way to Denali National Park the
next day.


Female moose in Denali National Park. You can drive in a short
distance beyond which private vehicles are not allowed.


Same female moose grazing just along the road


Inside the Park but still where we could drive. We used the Park's
shuttle bus system to travel deep into the Park to the Eielson
Visitor Center about 60 miles down the park road. It took about
8 hours round trip.


Grizzly bears in the distance as seen from the shuttle bus tour we
took. From the shuttle bus, we saw 3 sets of 3 grizzly bears, each
set was a mama and 2 cubs.


Another grizzly bear
Scientists generally do not use the name grizzly bear but
call it the North American brown bear, regardless of its
color.


A mama and one of her cubs


View from a viewpoint where the bus stopped. The bus driver
would stop when wildlife was spotted and for some
scheduled stops, including bathroom breaks.


Alaska Range. You can see part of the Park road on the right.


One of the scheduled bus stops


Caribou grazing near a stream.
Caribou are important to the ecology of flies.
In summer, warble flies lay eggs on the caribou's
belly or legs. The maggots hatch, tunnel under
the caribou's hide, then migrate up the spine and
rump. In the spring, they leave through a hole in
the skin. Caribou also unwillingly shelter nostril flies
which deposit its larvae in the caribou's nose, which
winter in the caribou's throat, to be coughed out in the spring.
Caribou can be seen sticking their heads in water seeking
relief from these flies. I hope I do not come back in
another life as a caribou.


Our first view of Mt. Denali from inside the Park. You can see dust
arising from the gravel Park road. We were so lucky to see Mt.
Denali clearly on 4 different days. Only 30% of the people who
go there, get to see it. It makes its own weather and is often
covered in clouds.


3 caribou in a river bed at another scheduled stop


Close-up view


You can barely see the caribou in his photo


Wide graded stream that is outwash from Muldrow Glacier,
which flows from the east side of Mt. Denali


Another totally clear view of Mt. Denali
from the Park road


A view of Denali a few minutes later surrounded by clouds


Distant, fuzzy view of a mama grizzly and 2 cubs. Mama
has to guard the cubs closely as male grizzlies could eat them.


View from Eielson Visitor Center


Looking in another direction beyond the Center
Mt. Denali totally in clouds now.


View from the back of the Center


Another Arctic ground squirrel that
was near the Visitor Center


Caribou running on the Park Road, spooked first by the biker
in the background and then by our shuttle bus that was
returning from the Eielson Visitor Center.


Caribou heading up the hillside

Link to Page Five - Final hikes and Alaska Railroad

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