Denali National Park

Denali National Park and Preserve is centered on Denali (Mount McKinley), the highest mountain in North America at 20,237 feet. The park encompasses more than 6 million acres.  Denali's landscape is a mix of forest at the lowest elevations, including deciduous taiga. The preserve is also home to tundra at middle elevations, and glaciers, rock, and snow at the highest elevations. The longest glacier is the Kahiltna Glacier. Glaciers cover about 16% of the 6 million acres of Denali National Park and Preserve.  400,000 people visit the park annually.  
Original park was formed in 1917 but did not include Mt. McKinley.  In 1980 park was expanded to include the mountain.  Explorer William Dickey named the mountain after President McKinley on his 1896 exploration.  The local Athabascan Natives still call it Denali (the big one).  

Forget-me-not - state flower

After the rains stopped there was snow on the mountain tops!

In order to explore the park you need to take a tour bus.  There are several choices depending on how much time you want to spend and $'s to spend.  We selected the 12 hour tour to Kantishna, which takes you 92 miles into the park.  77 miles of dirt road!  You can only drive a private vehicle 15 miles into the park.  The tour included riding on a 'first class' retired school-bus and tour guide driver. Of course you are expecting to see wild animals and a full view of Mt. McKinley.  The day before our scheduled tour Kantishna was evacuated do to flooding.  The stop does have a lodge with camping facility.  Everyone made it out, except the road was washed out. 
Our tour bus was able to travel to mile 85 Wonder Lake.  

Didn't even make it out of the Visitor Center area and we witnessed this.  A few days later while walking some of the paths around the visitor center we were chased by a moose with a calf (that was exciting). Rangers quickly closed off the area.  Probably the same one. 

Caribou - we saw several hundred of these guys throughout the day

Doll Sheep grazing on the mountain side

Black-capped Chickadee couple - this nest was in a tree within 15 feet of the road.

The scenery along the route was beautiful and will just share the pictures.

Like I said the expectations are to see Mt. McKinley, hole in the clouds lets you know it's there! 

Love the color variation

No it's McKinley

I think I would have a headache at days end hauling these around!! 

Golden Eagle floating around

So here is something we learned about life as a Caribou.  They rut for about 2 weeks in mid Oct. and calving happens last 2 weeks of May.  They migrate south for winter from late Aug. through mid Oct.  The following was also interesting and you probably don't want to come back in your second life as a Caribou.

As the mosquitoes emerge in late June and early July, the caribou gather into enormous groups. They seek areas where breezes and cooler temperatures reduce the harassment by mosquitoes, and when there is no wind, the caribou move continually. Cold winds offer relief from the mosquitoes and permit the caribou to rest and feed freely.

As the mosquitoes decline, they are plagued by two other insect pests-the warble fly and the nose-bot fly. The warble fly, which looks like a small yellow and black bumblebee, lays its eggs in the fur of the legs or abdomen of the caribou. The larvae soon hatch, burrow under the skin, and travel to the back. Here they encapsulate and cut a breathing hole in the skin. Caribou commonly carry over one hundred larvae. It is not until May and June of the following year that the larvae cut exit holes, crawl out and drop to the ground to develop into mature flies.

The nose-bot bears live larvae, which it deposits in the nostrils of the caribou. The bot larvae move through the nasal passages and settle down at the entrance to the throat. By spring the larvae have grown so much that they may form a mass large enough to actually interfere with breathing.

The reaction of the caribou to these flies is different from the reaction to mosquitoes. The warble and nose-bot flies are strong fliers and the caribou cannot avoid them simply by seeking breezy places or moving into the wind. Instead the caribou stand, heads held low, alert for the approach of the flies. During July and early August, caribou can be seen violently shaking their heads, stamping their feet, and racing wildly over the tundra, for no apparent reason; they are seeking to evade warble or bot flies. The fly season is followed by a month's respite where the caribou can feed unmolested.

They are laying in the snow to avoid the mosquitoes

This Grizzly (Brown Bear) was preparing for the afternoon nap. 

Quilt displayed at the Eielson Visitor Center, mile 66 

OK McKinley is trying to peek through the clouds.  Still can't see the complete mountain.  This was taken from the Eielson Visitor Center.

Do you have food for me, please!

Another view from the visitor center

Wonder Lake - mile 85.  The lake was glacier formed and on a clear day it has a good view of McKinley.  This area also has a campground with plenty of mosquitoes .

This was our ride for 12 hours

OK another tease of McKinley

The Muldrow Glacier is actually flowing under this landscape.  You can see holes in the earth where it has caved.

More of the glacier field, the tundra vegetation has covered the glacier.  Witness the rough terrain.  

So now we can see the top of McKinley

Another Grizzly strolling along

Same on just another shot

As we return a moose was feeding along the road.

Lets see I have the right-a-way on this road so I'll just cross!

They keep a kennel of sled dogs on site and do demos.  There are about 30 dogs and the program includes breeding and patrolling in the winter.  Dogs are retired after 8 years, they have an adoption program.   They were pretty low keyed until the demo began and rangers started to run around.

Susie was very comfortable being petted.

The excitement began, everyone wanted to be in the show! 

Self explanatory

So Larry wasn't satisfied with the Mt. McKinley pictures.  Lets see what it looks like early in the morning.

Not McKinley 

Well someone else is up, this wolf jumped out of the low brush.  Notice his collar for tracking. 

Mt. McKinley early in the morning.  15 minutes later the clouds covered the mountain.  McKinley gains .039 inches of height each year caused by the movement of the Pacific and North American Plates.  The mountain 100% granite and therefore with stands erosion. 

Looking east from the above viewpoint.

OK, captured Mt. McKinley on  July 4th.  Weather finally cooperated. 

Without the clouds you really see the height difference of the mountains.