After a day of rain, the clouds cleared into a beautiful blue sky. For today’s adventure, we signed up for a ranger led hike across the tundra. A shuttle bus took us on a three hour ride from the visitor’s center to our drop off point. We stopped along the way to look at caribou, a wolf, and the scenery. Here are a few photos from the ride.
The weather can change dramatically in Denali. So when we had a far away glimpse of Mt. McKinley I felt lucky. Our driver told us "At any minute the mountain could be covered in clouds. Take your pictures now!"
After riding for another hour, Mt. McKinley didn't disappoint. No clouds, still shining in the distance.
In fact, we were so lucky; we could see the mountain the entire time we were hiking! Not everyone who visits Denali is able to see the mountain.
The tundra. It appears to be just a grassy field. Once you start walking through the spongy vegetation, you notice the variety of species. Wildflowers, mosses, lichens, willows, evidence of bears and caribou, plovers, jaegers, frogs.
Ranger Andy met us at milepost 66 and led us on a bushwhacking hike though the tundra. Trails damage the tundra, it's better to make your own path. Lisa asked Ranger Andy if there were any snakes in the tundra. "Because you wouldn't be doing this in Georgia!" No snakes, it’s too cold.
Wildflowers along the way.
Some of you may know this, but I'm terrified of bears. Let me swim with sharks. But no way am I getting close to a bear. I was a little concerned about seeing a bear on a tundra hike. No matter how far away the bear may be, I could start trembling and Lisa would have to save me. No bears along the hike, but there was evidence of a bear, scat!
On the ride back to the visitor’s center, we saw caribou, ptarmigan, arctic hares, moose, golden eagles, and marsh hawks. In the safety of the shuttle and 40 other passengers, a few I could probably out run, I was curious to see a grizzly. I even chanted grizzly, grizzly in my head. Finally, there it was. The brown shape on the hillside. Not only was it one brown shape, but three. All resting on a piece of snow because it was so warm. Here's a zoomed in picture of the three bears. Where was Goldilocks?
The weather can change dramatically in Denali. So when we had a far away glimpse of Mt. McKinley I felt lucky. Our driver told us "At any minute the mountain could be covered in clouds. Take your pictures now!"
After riding for another hour, Mt. McKinley didn't disappoint. No clouds, still shining in the distance.
In fact, we were so lucky; we could see the mountain the entire time we were hiking! Not everyone who visits Denali is able to see the mountain.
The tundra. It appears to be just a grassy field. Once you start walking through the spongy vegetation, you notice the variety of species. Wildflowers, mosses, lichens, willows, evidence of bears and caribou, plovers, jaegers, frogs.
Ranger Andy met us at milepost 66 and led us on a bushwhacking hike though the tundra. Trails damage the tundra, it's better to make your own path. Lisa asked Ranger Andy if there were any snakes in the tundra. "Because you wouldn't be doing this in Georgia!" No snakes, it’s too cold.
Wildflowers along the way.
Some of you may know this, but I'm terrified of bears. Let me swim with sharks. But no way am I getting close to a bear. I was a little concerned about seeing a bear on a tundra hike. No matter how far away the bear may be, I could start trembling and Lisa would have to save me. No bears along the hike, but there was evidence of a bear, scat!
On the ride back to the visitor’s center, we saw caribou, ptarmigan, arctic hares, moose, golden eagles, and marsh hawks. In the safety of the shuttle and 40 other passengers, a few I could probably out run, I was curious to see a grizzly. I even chanted grizzly, grizzly in my head. Finally, there it was. The brown shape on the hillside. Not only was it one brown shape, but three. All resting on a piece of snow because it was so warm. Here's a zoomed in picture of the three bears. Where was Goldilocks?
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