Saturday, June 24, 1995

The trip into the park was rough. The dirt roads deteriorated substantially overnight due to rain and heavy bus traffic. A mud slide closed the road near Polychrome pass and threatened our progress to Eielson, but the park service cleared the road by the time we arrived. The weather was again drizzly and overcast. On the way, we saw a different Grizzly with two cubs and more Caribou and Dall sheep. Eielson was not shrouded this day and the view was spectacular. As an added bonus, the visitor's center which had been closed all season (and was not scheduled to open until 6/26) was open for the first time today. It had exhibits explaining the local tundra and seismic activity (along with the requisite book and souvenir shop).

One of the nice features of the bus service in the park is that they will stop anywhere you want and let you off. The entire park is open to pedestrian traffic (though it is a good idea to familiarize yourself with the rules and tips outlined in the Denali Alpenglow, the park newsletter). Wait along the side of the road and the next bus passing by with room will pick you up. Everyone else on the bus thought we were insane when Rob, Donna and I donned our rain gear and hopped off the bus. For the record, we left the road at 63 degrees 31 minutes North latitude, 149 degrees 45 minutes West longitude (those topographical maps came in handy). The scenery was spectacular. We hiked along a braided river, forded some glacial streams, had a brief snowball fight and climbed up to the plains of the tundra. The braided rivers wind their way along large beds of solid rock. Glacial runoff is filled with silt and comes in many different colors. In areas where two streams meet the colors of the mountains at the source can be seen mixing. It was a fantastic hike. My only regret is that we didn't have more time to spend walking. Next trip for sure...

Returning to the visitor's center in a deliciously heated bus, we climbed into our Ford and returned to the apartment. I made a quick solo run to the store for more bread (and a bit of additional testing of the FWD system, you can never be too careful). On the way back my progress was interrupted by a huge moose in the middle of the road. She was just wandering along, and me without my camera. She quickly disappeared into the forest. It was incredible that such a huge animal (Moose are the largest members of the deer family, and this was a big specimen) could disappear so quickly. I returned to the area with Rob and my camera. We searched for a while, but alas, no Moose. Discussing the experience with the owners of Denali Suites, they said that it was almost definitely a female that lived in the area. They were surprised that I didn't see her calf, it must have been nearby.

Our day wound to a close with Donna's broccoli lemon chicken, expertly prepared, and a rousing game of pictionary.

Animals seen:

• Grizzly and cubs
• Caribou
• Dall sheep
• Moose

• Binoculars
• Rain gear