We had planned on hiking this day, the hike which is described in the previous post "Hike around Cathedral Mountain near Sable Pass". However, is was somewhat colder and the wind was howling, way too cold for a comfortable hike so we chose to stay on the bus and ride to Eielson and back. Eielson is at the 66 mile mark on the 92 mile Denali Park Road and is said to be one of the best viewing points of Mt. McKinley.
The story of this trip really started the night before around 2:00 AM. It was suppose to be a good night to see the aurora, but it's always a crap shoot as to whether on not they will come out and even so, clouds could block it. Russell, the night time front desk person made calls and texting trees were started because the lights were beginning to show but alas they only came up to a green glow. Only a little more impressive if viewed with a time lapsed picture. Since is was a little boring some one put on the moose suite just for fun but I think they may have put it on backwards. Although that picture was first I'm going to save it for last. The day ended with a trip to The 49th State Brewing Company, a really neat place where we had some good food, good beer and a lot of fun.
We saw some bear and moose on this trip into the park usual but not the best of sightings we've had. We did have one fantastic close up view of Dall Sheep. So here are about 50 of the best from the day and a few more of the 49th.
The story of this trip really started the night before around 2:00 AM. It was suppose to be a good night to see the aurora, but it's always a crap shoot as to whether on not they will come out and even so, clouds could block it. Russell, the night time front desk person made calls and texting trees were started because the lights were beginning to show but alas they only came up to a green glow. Only a little more impressive if viewed with a time lapsed picture. Since is was a little boring some one put on the moose suite just for fun but I think they may have put it on backwards. Although that picture was first I'm going to save it for last. The day ended with a trip to The 49th State Brewing Company, a really neat place where we had some good food, good beer and a lot of fun.
We saw some bear and moose on this trip into the park usual but not the best of sightings we've had. We did have one fantastic close up view of Dall Sheep. So here are about 50 of the best from the day and a few more of the 49th.
We got on the bus early hoping to get in a great day of hiking.
Looking down from a thousand foot drop from Polychrome Pass.
A pretty neat looking cloud over Mt. McKinley.
Tamiko had her backpack in her lap and during the ride her water bottle leaked, so she said.
The south peak was covered in clouds that day but the north peak and face of Denali
was pretty clear.
Mt. Eielson, named after the man who first landed a plane on it's glacier.
Pretty awesome even with just the north peak showing.
They don't show what the wind is but it had to be 20 and gusting. Here is a short video in front of the Eielson Visitor Center.
That's Denali at the top center of this diorama.
On the way back looking at Denali from Stony Overlook at the 62 mile point.
We stopped to look at a mama bear and two cubs. They were kind of far away and busy eating berries as usual.
The biggest surprise of the day happened at Toklat Comfort Station when we saw these Dall Sheep just across the river near the road but so unusually low on the mountain just a couple of hundred feet from the river. Most any time when Dall sheep are spotted they are so far up the mountain all you can make out is a little white dot so this was a special treat.
The bus had pulled into the the comfort station on the other side of the
river about three hundred yards from the bridge. While the bus would be
taking it's usual ten minute stop before coming across the river and
passing by where the sheep where, Tamiko and I decided to hike down the
river bed to and across the bridge not wanting to miss getting closer
before they might leave.
Near me at the best viewing spot came this guy dressed in camouflage with matching camera and tripod. Funny he has a yellow backpack.
Tamiko took a picture of me taking a picture of him but don't have it or I'd put it in here.
Looking south down the Toklak riverbed. It seemed to be a day for small clouds hanging over the tops of some of the mountains.
Heading back over Polychrome Pass I took this video. It can be a little scary looking down a thousand foot steep slope as the bus passes around the turns just a few feet from the edge. I apologize for the quality, I couldn't lower the window because the wind was blowing so hard the other passengers wouldn't have appreciated it and the sun was lighting up the marks and dirt on the windows.
Not far from the road on a river bed we saw this young bull moose. At this time of the year they shed they're antlers.
We really haven't experienced the night night life in the area much since I've been here. So later that night we took a shuttle bus about 12 miles up the road to The 49th. State Brewery. They purchased two of the buses exactly like the one Christopher McCandless lived in not too far from here down Stampede Rd. and then some miles further out into the wilderness. Inside the bus are some pictures and excerpts from his journal.
A sad story of a young many looking to find meaning in life who if he had taking a little more preparation would have survived.
The 49th. is a pretty neat bar with a great food menu. This blond mannequin riding a bear with a fishing pole represents the graphic for one of there micro brews.
They not only have there own brews but beers from all over the world.
Tamiko found a hulu hoop and wanted to show me how good she still is. Yep, definitely is and certainly better than me. We were having so much fun we missed the 8:00 shuttle bus and had to wait until 9:40 to catch the next one. It was time for these old people to get home and go to bed. The young crowd starts parting at 11:00 around here.
The mountains where we live prevent us from seeing these gorgeous sunsets like this one where the 49th is located near the town of Healy.
This is what happens in the middle of the night when their is no aurora to look at. The Alaskan moose have been know to get frisky!
