Day Twelve - Fairbanks to Anchorage via Denali

Wednesday June 4th 2008
Drive to Denali to Anchorage & Arlene’s place
359 miles – estimated 7 hours of driving

This was serious driving and it took a LOT longer than the estimated 7 hours. The big distraction was the scenery. We also detoured into Denali park and hiked around a bit. I did not know that Moose can come in a blonde color.



The visitor’s center was gorgeous and the roads were good. Lots of wildlife including many a snowshoe bunny were spotted. We did the walk out to Savage Cabin which is still used by park personnel in the winter. Apparently they still use dogsleds.

There were huge nails nailed through the window shutters so they spiked outward. I laughingly said they were to keep grizzly's out. The ranger said I was right. Eeep.


Image: The low lying cloud that looks like a triangle is actually Denali. Click on the image to get to a larger version.


Driving, and more driving and finally a gorgeous view of Mt McKinley aka Denail. And then back to driving and driving past one stunning scenic view after another. It was kinda overwhelming. We drove past towns with names like Nenana, Healy, Cantwell, Trapper Creek, Willow, Eklutna and Eagle River.

Another monolithic dome came into view, we didn’t stop so I have no details. Still pretty cool looking. Looks a bit like the older ones that were made in the 80s.

Sometimes there are things that make you go WHAT?!? This couch by the side of the road was one of them. It was up a steep bank and it looked like there were no people anywhere so WHAT?!?!

The specks in the sky are helicopters. A whole flock of them heading somewhere fast.

Welcome to Wal - Mikes where you can find anything that someone else didn't want.

As we're driving into Anchorage the road widens and becomes a freeway. The traffic starts behaving erratically and we look to our right and there's a freakin' Black Bear! It's running along the edge of the fence on a grassy area right by the freeway. It would look at the fence, which was the barrier between it and the forest and then at the freeway and just keep running. Lots of people were trying to stop, and we would have been one of those people, but the traffic was snarling and prudence suggested driving on.

Receipts:
Golden North Motel – Fairbanks AK
SFM Fuel - ??
Denali Bookstore (souvenirs) – Denali Park, AK
Windbreak Hotel (dinner) – Wasilla AK
Tesoro (gas) – Wasilla AK





Image to the left: Check out the bright purple light stand in this photo. By now I was really fascinated by man made objects...



Image to below and to the right: Willow Ptarmigan at Denali National Park








Wildlife & Birds:
Willow ptarmigan
Green winged teal
Lesser scaup
Blackpoll warbler
White crowned sparrow
Dark eyed junco
Wilson's warbler
Mew gull


Image: Blonde moose, click on the photo to get to the larger size.

Snowshoe bunny
Grizzly bears
Caribou
Black bear

For more photos of this amazing day of driving see: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jsemenza/sets/72157605570502845/