Denali National Park

Thanks to the weather, we were late flying back to Fairbanks from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, but we made it in time to start the second leg of the trip on schedule. Luckily that leg didn't depend on air travel. Early on the morning of June 20th we went to the Alaska Railroad depot in Fairbanks and caught the train to Denali National Park.

Once in the park, we met guides from Camp Denali and started the long slow bus ride to Camp. The scenery was great and the wildlife-viewing outstanding.

The Camp itself has a fascinating history and an amazing location, with views of Denali when the weather cooperates. We stayed in a cabin equipped with a wood stove, basin, gas lights, a water tap outside, and a private outhouse (which gets our vote for most pleasant outhouse we've ever used). The well-equipped common buildings (dining, lodge, carpentry shop, etc.) are open for guests to explore. The food was excellent. Our guides were knowledgable and fun. Most days we chose to join a guided hike; the last day we spent on our own, canoeing at Wonder Lake.

One of the high points, literally, of our visit to the Park was sightseeing around Denali in a small plane. We recommend it. Although our flight took place around 10PM, you'll see from the photos that the light was dramatic.

Then there was the day that two groups of grizzly bears decided to follow us. Maybe that was a little more excitement than we expected!

Our flight home was delayed -- rumors said there was a shortage of aircraft in Fairbanks because one had sustained a lightning strike the previous day. I'm happy to say we had better weather, and outstanding views of the Cascade volcanoes on the way back to San Francisco.

To see a larger version of one of the photos below, just click the small version. At the bottom of each large photo you'll find links you can click to take you back to the previous photo, forward to the next, back to this index page, or back to the arden.org home page. (So if you start with the first large photo, you can step through them all by clicking the "Next Photo" links. The link on the last large photo page returns you to this index page.) At the bottom of this page there's a link you can click to take you back to the 2005 Alaska Trip index page.


Alaska Railroad's new Fairbanks Depot Fairbanks	Jeff, one of the guides, cleans the windows on the bus to Camp Denali Denali National Park	Grizzly seen from the Park Road Denali National Park


Dall sheep seen from the Park Road Denali National Park	Tall Lungwort/Bluebell Denali National Park	Dwarf Raspberry/Nagoon Berry Denali National Park


Unidentified Denali National Park	Moose in the willows off the Park Road Denali National Park	Shrubby Cinquefoil Denali National Park


Wild Rose Denali National Park	Allen on the porch of our cabin (named "Permafrost") at Camp Denali Denali National Park	The view from our cabin at Camp Denali Denali National Park


Capitate Lousewort Denali National Park	One of the canvas-walled staff cabins at Camp Denali Denali National Park	New timber-frame cabin under construction Denali National Park


Potlatch, the kitchen and dining-room building at Camp Denali Denali National Park	The lodge building at Camp Denali Denali National Park	Even the outhouses are well-decorated! Denali National Park


Allen in the Camp Denali/North Face Lodge greenhouse Denali National Park	Note the bear-resistant door stored above the human-scale door on the Camp Denali warehouse. The previous warehouse didn't survive a bear invasion during one winter! Denali National Park	Slag left from the original warehouse, which burned one winter after bears broke in and accidentally started a fire Denali National Park


Inside the Camp Denali warehouse. Shelves are of the style known as "Alaska Chippendale" Denali National Park	The generator (16KW, if I remember correctly) for Camp Denali Denali National Park	Good old Trace inverters, just like home Denali National Park


Water treatment system for Camp Denali. Despite first-quality water, filtered and ultraviolet sterilized, the state health department insists on chlorination as well Denali National Park	The carpentry shop Denali National Park	Carpenter at work on a truss for the new timber-frame cabin Denali National Park


You need a good-sized saw to build these trusses! Denali National Park	And a full-sized chisel for mortising, too. Denali National Park	Progress! Denali National Park


North Face Lodge Denali National Park	The pantry, with last year's blueberries, at North Face Lodge Denali National Park	Sheltered vegetable and flower beds Denali National Park


Residences for researchers Denali National Park	The "cool room" dug into the permafrost beneath the North Face Lodge Denali National Park	The spring house at North Face Lodge Denali National Park


Dinner in the Potlatch building at Camp Denali Denali National Park	View across Nugget Pond at Camp Denali Denali National Park	Camp Denali (near) and North Face Lodge (distant) seen from the Ridge Trail Denali National Park


Dwarf Dogwood/Bunchberry Denali National Park	Sandwort? Denali National Park	Probably a Mountain Avens Denali National Park


Roseroot Denali National Park	Northern Shooting Star Denali National Park	Wonder Lake (site of this famous photo by Ansel Adams); Denali just visible in the background Denali National Park


Catherine next to Pika Haus, a hut on the Ridge Trail above Camp Denali Denali National Park	Pika Haus outhouse Denali National Park	Michelle, Art, Catherine, and Chip inside Pika Haus Denali National Park


Susan, Art, Susan, Catherine, Barbara, Chip, Ian, and Michelle at a high point on the Ridge Trail Denali National Park	Our plane for a "flightseeing" excursion to Denali Denali National Park	Inside the cabin, headed for the peak Denali National Park


Inside the cabin, headed for the peak Denali National Park	Chip (partly visible on left), Allen, Peter, and Catherine ready to fly Denali National Park	Chip, Allen, and Peter Denali National Park


Flightseeing around Denali, Foraker, Hunter, and other peaks Denali National Park	Flightseeing around Denali, Foraker, Hunter, and other peaks Denali National Park	Flightseeing around Denali, Foraker, Hunter, and other peaks Denali National Park


Flightseeing around Denali, Foraker, Hunter, and other peaks Denali National Park	Flightseeing around Denali, Foraker, Hunter, and other peaks Denali National Park	Flightseeing around Denali, Foraker, Hunter, and other peaks Denali National Park


Flightseeing around Denali, Foraker, Hunter, and other peaks Denali National Park	Flightseeing around Denali, Foraker, Hunter, and other peaks Denali National Park	Flightseeing around Denali, Foraker, Hunter, and other peaks Denali National Park


Climber's camp on Denali Denali National Park	Flightseeing around Denali, Foraker, Hunter, and other peaks Denali National Park	Wolf, possibly from the Toklat pack Denali National Park


Eagles near the nest Denali National Park	Hiking to Green Dome Denali National Park	Shrubby Cinquefoil Denali National Park


Broad-Leaved Fireweed/River Beauty Denali National Park	Alaska Boykinia/Bear Flower Denali National Park	Bistort/Pink Plumes Denali National Park


Cranesbill/Wild Geranium Denali National Park	Macoun's Poppy Denali National Park	Sudetan Lousewort Denali National Park


Grizzly and cub, headed toward us on Green Dome and beginning to get a little closer than we'd like Denali National Park	If she crosses the stream, we'll have to move Denali National Park	They're too close; time for us to leave Denali National Park


Moose in the brush near the Thorofare River Denali National Park	The moose suddenly rushes away. Why? Denali National Park	More grizzlies headed our way. The moose was paying closer attention than we were! Denali National Park


Ptarmigan Denali National Park	Moose foraging near Nugget Lake Denali National Park	Moose foraging near Nugget Lake Denali National Park


Moose foraging near Nugget Lake Denali National Park	Spotted Saxifrage? Denali National Park	Cotton Grass? Denali National Park


Allen on Wonder Lake Denali National Park	Michelle enjoying a warm evening at the Camp Denali Lodge Denali National Park	Ian's "keeper" (but not the largest he caught!) from a day at Wonder Lake Denali National Park


Final night at Camp Denali Denali National Park	Final night at Camp Denali Denali National Park	On the way home Denali National Park


Grizzlies seen from the Park Road Denali National Park	Wolf seen from the Park Road Denali National Park	What wolves think of photographers Denali National Park


Moose seen from the Park Road Denali National Park	Retreating glaciers on the Kenai peninsula Denali National Park

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