I woke up this morning from someone stirring next door. It was already light outside. A quick check of my watch told me it was 8:30. I was surprised I’d slept in that long. But I got around, took a shower, and started to pack things up. Checked my watch again, more closely, and by now it was 5:00 in the morning.
This is the land of the midnight sun. At 11:00 at night this time of year, it’s just starting to turn dusk, and shadows lengthening. I woke up at 2:00 am a couple of days ago, looked outside, and it was like beyond first light. I could have driven with my lights off. In a couple of weeks, on the summer solstice, the Fairbanks baseball team plays their annual midnight game without lights. It takes some getting used to.
As you may have guessed from the title of the post, I decided to pass on going to the Kenai Peninsula and go to Denali instead. Based on what I saw today, it was the right choice.
The main route to Denali now is the Parks Highway. The Parks Highway was completed in 1972 and runs 362 miles from Anchorage to Fairbanks. At milepost 237 Parks Highway is Denali Park. The Parks Highway is the only highway I’ve seen since I left Seattle with a speed limit of 65.
Before the Parks Highway was completed, the only road to the Park was the Denali Highway. The Denali Highway runs 134 miles east to west from the Richardson Highway and is unpaved pretty much for its whole length, the way it’s been since it opened in 1957. It’s used very little today. The recommended speed limit on the Denali today is 30 mph. Parts of it it are narrow and winding, and it goes through the second highest highway pass in the state. In the winter, the road is closed, and sometimes doesn’t open until mid-May.
So, I took the Denali Highway.
It took about four hours to go the 130 miles, and if I can figure out how to work my itinerary, I’ll do it again going back. For the first three hours, I passed two cars coming in the other direction. Saw no one else going my way. But I saw more wildlife than I’ve seen yet.
For most of its length, the road is in a broad valley, with the Alaska range, and Mount Denali, in front of you in the distance to the west and north, and the Talkeetnas to the south. In the higher elevations, there is still snow around, but none on the road. At regular intervals, the road crosses glacial streams and rivers on one lane bridges. At some of these crossings are occasional lodges and inns that are still there from before the Parks Highway opened.
And for those of you in Charlotte, I drove through snow flurries much of the way.
Almost every mile I saw a snowshoe rabbit or ground squirrel cross in front of me or play on the side of the road. I saw two porcupines. None of these guys waited around long enough for a picture. But when I saw one of the porcupines he was lifting his back leg and peeing on a rock before walking off into the grass. I’m guessing he was a boy porcupine.
I saw three moose. Each of these were a ways off the road. They each noticed when I stopped, but mostly seemed disinterested in me and kept on grazing. I passed a pair of swans swimming in a small pond next to the road, and saw lots of birds I can’t identify. No bears today, and no eagles that I know of.
But the wildlife highlight of the day was an Alaskan Grey Wolf. I first saw him run across the road a hundred yards in front of me. When I slowed and pulled up to where he was, he was sniffing around the remains of a campfire off the side of the road. He trotted into the bushes but then came back out and walked back and forth around the fire circle. He seemed concerned that I was there, but not concerned enough to leave the old campfire to me. I stayed in the car (duh), and sat there for a full minute while he sniffed and paced. Then I left and let him be.
I don’t know how frequently wolves are seen on the Denali Highway, but this encounter seemed awfully special to me. I did notice something in the National Park Visitor Center that said they believe they have 80 to 100 wolves in the park itself. Denali National Park covers 6 million acres.
I wound up at the park visitor center this afternoon making plans for tomorrow.
Tonight and tomorrow night, I’m staying at Denali River Cabins, a few miles south of the park entrance. I’ve got a cabin sitting back from the Nenana river. Pretty nice place, and some great surroundings, including a sauna and a deck over the river.
There’s a lot of things to do in and around the park. I’m going to spend some time now at the cabin with a nice Cabernet and make plans for tomorrow. Maybe I’ll have a sauna. I sure could use one. This traveling stuff is hard.
Hey, did I tell you guys in Charlotte that I drove through snow flurries much of the day today?
This is the land of the midnight sun. At 11:00 at night this time of year, it’s just starting to turn dusk, and shadows lengthening. I woke up at 2:00 am a couple of days ago, looked outside, and it was like beyond first light. I could have driven with my lights off. In a couple of weeks, on the summer solstice, the Fairbanks baseball team plays their annual midnight game without lights. It takes some getting used to.
As you may have guessed from the title of the post, I decided to pass on going to the Kenai Peninsula and go to Denali instead. Based on what I saw today, it was the right choice.
The main route to Denali now is the Parks Highway. The Parks Highway was completed in 1972 and runs 362 miles from Anchorage to Fairbanks. At milepost 237 Parks Highway is Denali Park. The Parks Highway is the only highway I’ve seen since I left Seattle with a speed limit of 65.
Before the Parks Highway was completed, the only road to the Park was the Denali Highway. The Denali Highway runs 134 miles east to west from the Richardson Highway and is unpaved pretty much for its whole length, the way it’s been since it opened in 1957. It’s used very little today. The recommended speed limit on the Denali today is 30 mph. Parts of it it are narrow and winding, and it goes through the second highest highway pass in the state. In the winter, the road is closed, and sometimes doesn’t open until mid-May.
So, I took the Denali Highway.
It took about four hours to go the 130 miles, and if I can figure out how to work my itinerary, I’ll do it again going back. For the first three hours, I passed two cars coming in the other direction. Saw no one else going my way. But I saw more wildlife than I’ve seen yet.
For most of its length, the road is in a broad valley, with the Alaska range, and Mount Denali, in front of you in the distance to the west and north, and the Talkeetnas to the south. In the higher elevations, there is still snow around, but none on the road. At regular intervals, the road crosses glacial streams and rivers on one lane bridges. At some of these crossings are occasional lodges and inns that are still there from before the Parks Highway opened.
And for those of you in Charlotte, I drove through snow flurries much of the way.
Almost every mile I saw a snowshoe rabbit or ground squirrel cross in front of me or play on the side of the road. I saw two porcupines. None of these guys waited around long enough for a picture. But when I saw one of the porcupines he was lifting his back leg and peeing on a rock before walking off into the grass. I’m guessing he was a boy porcupine.
I saw three moose. Each of these were a ways off the road. They each noticed when I stopped, but mostly seemed disinterested in me and kept on grazing. I passed a pair of swans swimming in a small pond next to the road, and saw lots of birds I can’t identify. No bears today, and no eagles that I know of.
But the wildlife highlight of the day was an Alaskan Grey Wolf. I first saw him run across the road a hundred yards in front of me. When I slowed and pulled up to where he was, he was sniffing around the remains of a campfire off the side of the road. He trotted into the bushes but then came back out and walked back and forth around the fire circle. He seemed concerned that I was there, but not concerned enough to leave the old campfire to me. I stayed in the car (duh), and sat there for a full minute while he sniffed and paced. Then I left and let him be.
I don’t know how frequently wolves are seen on the Denali Highway, but this encounter seemed awfully special to me. I did notice something in the National Park Visitor Center that said they believe they have 80 to 100 wolves in the park itself. Denali National Park covers 6 million acres.
I wound up at the park visitor center this afternoon making plans for tomorrow.
Tonight and tomorrow night, I’m staying at Denali River Cabins, a few miles south of the park entrance. I’ve got a cabin sitting back from the Nenana river. Pretty nice place, and some great surroundings, including a sauna and a deck over the river.
There’s a lot of things to do in and around the park. I’m going to spend some time now at the cabin with a nice Cabernet and make plans for tomorrow. Maybe I’ll have a sauna. I sure could use one. This traveling stuff is hard.
Hey, did I tell you guys in Charlotte that I drove through snow flurries much of the day today?
2 comments:
Great you went to Denali. It looks like an amazing place. Yes, I wish it was a little cooler in Charlotte. Like Bob said earlier I am outside working on a project.
The cabin sounds great Alan, a perfect place. i will look it up on my travel site.
Later, John
Great job on the pictures.
It's going to be 100 the next few days here. all time record every day - you picked a good time to go somewhere cooler.
how many miles have you driven so far?
don't forget you still owe me a costco hotdog when you get back.
Mark
Post a Comment