Denali Bus Trip

We woke up to a beautiful sunny day. Got on the bus at 2:00 pm for our eight hour bus trip exploring Denali National Park. We were able to get a glimpse of Denali. It was faint but you could see the entire mountain. That is a pretty rare treat. We had hoped that we could get a better picture from Eielson Visitor Center, but the clouds had moved in by then and blocked the view. We did manage to see some caribou within the first hour of the trip. This one is still shedding his long winter hair. The hair comes in quite handy in the spring and early summer as it protects them from those pesky mosquitoes!

 Here's Greg at the Toklat River stop. He wasn't sure if anyone on the bus had a sense of humor or if they had never watched The Andy Griffith Show because no one commented on his shirt!

Upon leaving Toklat, we soon managed to see a grizzly bear and a caribou in close proximity to each other. Although grizzlies are incredibly fast, it would have been unlikely that he could have chased down this healthy caribou. The bear seemed content to dig for grubs and roots.

 We journeyed on toward Eielson Visitor Center. Here Mom and I enjoyed the beautiful landscape. Pictures do not do this place justice. It is awe inspiring just to stand and soak up your surroundings.

 Soon after Eielson, we happened upon another grizzly. This one was feasting on a dead caribou in the river! In the nearly 20 times we have visited the park, we had never seen a bear on its kill before. Although we are not sure if the bear killed this caribou or just happened upon a recently deceased caribou, he took advantage of the time to eat some meat.

 We thought this plaque matched our sentiments. You gotta keep exploring!

This picture seemed to capture the beauty and reality of Denali National Park. You have the tremendous beauty and vastness of the park as well as the struggle the animals endure just to live here.
 
 Near the end of the bus ride back, we managed to see a cow moose with her two calves right on the edge of the road. Our wildlife count for the day: three grizzly bears, several caribou, a golden eagle, a short eared owl, loads of snowshoe hares, three Dall sheep dancing on the mountain, and three moose. It was a nearly perfect day!

Got up the next morning and headed home to Anchorage. We made a quick stop to show Mom the old Igloo gas station near Cantwell. I bet this was really something to see when it was still open and operating.

As it turns out, Mom wouldn't have had to go up to Denali to see a bear. We had a black bear right in our front yard Saturday afternoon! It looked around and then took off up the road. He was too quick for a photo. 

Mom and I leave Tuesday morning for her return trip to Tennessee. Greg and I both have enjoyed having her stay with us and explore this great state. The time has flown by! She had a great time and thinks everyone should see the state. Maybe we can talk her into staying the entire summer next year!