Denali National Park

---

We were able to stay in Denali National Park at Riley Creek Campground, and with our senior status, at $10 per night. This lovely campground in the forest required that we “dry camp.” Our experience without hookups had been limited to just a few days at a time so we had to learn the real meaning of “conserving.” Located by the restroom with an outdoor water source, we were able to fill containeres and save our water tank for showers, etc. and use the restroom when possible. Well it worked and we still had water and room in waste tanks when we left. We now have the freedom to stay in those exotic places without hookups for a week! That’s good prep for what’s to come in the Kenai Peninsula.

Denali National Park did not disappoint! At 6 million acres, the park is larger than Massachusetts. The 85 mile road is the one and only entry into the park and cannot be traversed by car after the 15 mile mark. There are bus trips, some narrated, that cover various mileages into the park. Our trip allowed us to see approximately 55 miles of that road and we achieved two “grand slams” in animals seen. Mary Jane, our driver and narrator, gave criteria for one grand slam as seeing grizzly, caribou, and dall sheep. A second must be in the same order to count. (Now she has bragging rights amongst the drivers!) We saw multiples of these animals, plus Willow Ptarmigan which is the state bird and which changes color three times per year to blend into the environment. We learned that moose antlers grow with light, as much as one inch per day, and the males lose their antlers after mating and the females after birthing. There are moose antlers everywhere so we know what's going on!

Grizzly cubs stay with mom for 2-3 years and females travel together. There were a male and female grizzly napping about 20 feet from the road. Check out the photo. We did well to see 8 grizzlies since there are just 200 in the entire park. They are in mating season, although the fertilized egg does not implant until mom begins hibernation in October. Then the cub is born during hibernation (while mom is asleep!) and nurses until spring (again while mom is asleep!) To have it so good AND be at the top of the food chain! Bear are considered small there since they get no salmon and live from vegetation offering poor nutrients. The availability of food dictates the number of animals in the park, alas only 200 bear.

There were 5 baby red fox in a den visible along the road and a great horned owl’s nest with babes and mom very visible.

We had two good hikes there, Mt. Healy, up 150 feet in 2 miles, and Coal Creek, up 200 feet in 3 miles. Harley took the role as the trail leader in the latter hike, and stopped only when we did, and believe me, we did stop! We lucked out and got to see the "high one." Mt. McKinley is the highest mountain in North America at 20,320 feet. It reigns over the Alaska Range which divides south-central Alaska from the interior plateau.

Since we’re all absorbed with the price of fuel, we have experienced the increases as you have. Diesel here in Anchorage is now $4.89 and gasoline is $4.18 at Costco. So thankfully we’re still under the $5.00 that we expected to see, and still may.

We are in Anchorage and visiting MSP friends, Bob and Anita Thomas who live here. Bob loves the hunting, fishing and gold mining here, and sells gold mining equipment. Anita works as an MRI Tech and likes Alaska except for the long and dark winter days. We celebrebrated summer solstice June 21 with 24 hours of light. Thankfully we have no trouble sleeping in our darkened bedroom.

We will be on the move to the Kenai Peninsula, just as the King Salmon are running. Terry is ready for them with new and sturdier fishing rod and line.

---