Denali National Park
Our trip to Denali National Park, an optional "Extension" to the Inside Passage trip we took the week before, was wonderful!
So many animals and spectacular sights and views. We spent a day in Fairbanks, and then met our group (different folks from those on the Inside Passage portion of our trip) for dinner at our hotel. We were pleased that our Lindblad guide was the naturalist Doug Gualtieri, who was with us for the Inside Passage trip, and whose insights we particularly enjoyed.
Our destination in Denali was the North Face Lodge, which is within the park, and which is wtihin a few miles of the end of the only road into the park. (Located here, for those of you with Google Earth. And close to Wonder Lake, which is in this beautiful photo by Ansel Adams.) Although there are a few other places to stay within a few miles of North Face Lodge, it is the only establishment with grandfathered rights to lead hikes within the park.
All of the North Face Lodge staff were great! Including the (very knowledgeable!) naturalists Jan, Anya, and Martha, each of whom led us on excursions into the park during our three full days there. And Herthel Stephens, the (very!) welcoming host and manager.
And just like on the cruise, the food at the lodge was great!
And the "good" weather (good for tourists; a bit dry for the plants) continued for most of our visit. (Often the Denali mountains are completely obscured by clouds; we were lucky and had many good views of the majestic mountain itself.)
Fairbanks
Went to the University of Alaska Museum, which we enjoyed. We liked the way -- in one of their exhibits, in particular -- they mixed the old and new Native Alaskan art. Cool architecture, too.
An Okvik Madonna.
An Inupiak baleen and walrus ivory basket, made in 1961.
A Yu'pik wooden spoon, circa 1900.
Two exterior views of the museum.
We met Doug Gualtieri, our Lindblad guide, and our Lindbland group for dinner at the hotel. (Not everyone who stayed at North Face Lodge wtih us did so through Lindbland.)
North Face Lodge, Denali National Park
Before driving south toward Denali National Park, we took another (brief) tour through the UA Museum. Then, via bus, we drove south to the entrance to the park.
At the park entrance, we switched buses, and were driven approximately 90 miles into the park by Drew McCarthy, a very knowledgeable naturalist from the North Face Lodge, who described the geology and other features we saw. What an impressive place!
An arctic ground squirrel.
Magpies engaged in aerial battle (for some sort of red food as the prize).
A Gyrfalcon - the world's largest falcon, and not commonly seen.
And, Mount McKinley (Denali) was visible, which is not always the case. A treat!
The Mount McKinley south peak (20,030 ft elevation) to the left, slightly shrouded in clouds, and the shorter north peak to the right.
A Grizzly cub among the wildflowers.
Today we took our first "foray" in the park, led by the naturalist Jan Tomsen, from the North Face Lodge, who was great. We drove, and walked, and saw and heard many animals. And endless amazing views. (Jan also helped me to identify some of the waterfowl in the photos on this page -- thanks, Jan! And any errors that might remain are all mine, and not hers!)
A White-Crowned Sparrow.
Long-Tailed Ducks.
A Common Snipe, probing in the mud with its long beak. Well camouflaged!
Common Loons.
Moose.
Morning views of Denali from North Face Lodge.
Today we took our second "foray," this time lead by Anya Schwartz. A different environment this time, farther from the lodge. Another fantastic intro to a different section of park.
Many views of the mountains as we drove along.
A meadow with "auf ice."
And many beautiful little wildflowers on the walk we took.
Wrestling Grizzly cubs. Right in front of our van on the way back to the lodge!
Mom's back; time to act serious!
Lesser Yellowlegs.
In the evening, after dinner (sunset is late this time of the year!) we took a "flightseeing" tour of the 20,320-foot Denali peak and its glaciers. Wow!
A close-up of the above edge, with footprints barely visible.
And today was our third, and final "foray," this time led by Martha McPheeters, with Doug along as well. Once again, a great day!
Green-Winged Teal.
Northern Shoveller. Big beak!
Northern Pintail.
These Northern Pintails are a bit blurry, but what wonderful shapes!
White-Crowned Sparrow.
Dramatic clouds, rolling over the mountains from the south.
Lesser Scaup.
A far-off grizzly, digging. Most likely foraging for arctic ground squirrels by digging up their burrows.
Far off Dall Sheep. During this time of the year they stay high up, and hard to spot. (Without binoculars or a zoom lens these are just "little white spots.")
Moose
Driving out of the park, & the train to Anchorage
Drove from North Face Lodge to the entrance to the park, where we boarded the Alaska Railroad for a trip south to Anchorage. Saw many, many animals on the drive out of the park. What an incredible place!!
Horned Lark, along the edge of the road.
Grizzly and her cub.
Looking up into the mountains, from across the valley.
Sleeping.
Awakening.
Two young foxes, at the opening to the den. The one on the right has something that the one on the left wants!
A third youngster.
The above photo, cropped.
I think the little one wants to nurse, but mom says "no!"
A Golden Eagle.
Far-away Caribou.
A Grizzly and her two cubs.
Dall Sheep, way up high and far away.
The train was cool! We were in a glass-domed car (the "Gold Star Luxury Dome"!), with an open viewing platform at the rear of the car.
Our trip continues... On to Anchorage.