Denali Wildlife Tour Buses

Wednesday, August 28, 2013...We had a big day ahead of us, as we would be spending the next 4 hours in Denali National Park for a natural history tour.  McKinley Lodge provided a filling breakfast buffet before we headed out on our National Park bus tour.  We had a very knowledgeable tour guide to fill our heads with Alaskan wildlife information and sights.  He explained that we would possibly be a witness to a season's change in just one day because autumn essentially lasts about ONE WEEK in Denali.  Plant leaves would probably change before our eyes as we left the area today. 

 

Headed into Denali National Park

Is it autumn already?

 

 

As we neared the Savage River (how appropriate) we had our first moose sighting...and kept our eyes peeled for more wildlife.  We learned that the Savage River was a glacial river helping to cut through the Denali landscape and leaving a beautiful Primrose Valley near Mt. Margaret.  We drove past Savage Camp on our way to the Savage Cabin for our first encounter with a park interpreter.  Walking the trail through the fragrant Sitka Spruce and breathing in the unbelievable pure air to Savage Cabin was a wonderful treat.  At the beautiful site, Paula shared her story of immigrating from Germany to this wild new land, Alaska in 1919.  She spoke of her favorite ranger, Paul Gerter, stopping by her cabin for some assistance with a bad toothache.  Pulling the bad tooth with her pliers made Paul very grateful for her assistance.  Who could imagine the difficulties the Alaskan pioneers had to endure? 

 



Our first moose sighting!  (Double click to enlarge)




 



Alaskan Pioneer interpreter, "Paula"

Heavy shutters with nail spikes sticking out of
the door to prevent bear entry!

 

Smell the fresh air and fragrant Sitka Spruce

 

As we continued through the valley near the Savage River there were even more wildlife encounters.  Brown bears swimming in the nearby river, elk, and another moose.  Thank goodness for a camera with zoom lens!  

 

 

 

 

Our bus then made it's way up Mt. Margaret for a wonderful park interpreter, Carol Charley, a Native Athabaskan from the Mentos Village.  She explained that the Athabaskan people were considered ancestral to the Navajo and Apache. Carol spoke beautifully with not just her lips, but her fingers, hands, arms and whole body, telling the story of four generations living in this place, their homeland.  She concluded her story with a beautiful song in her Native Athabaskan language. 

 

 

Native Athabaskan, Carol Charley sharing her spiritual story

Mesmerized by Carol's fluid movements to share her story

A song filled with joy

Leaving Denali for now

 

We reluctantly left Denali and headed back to McKinley Chalet for a snack, some shopping, and a needed nap (this touring is hard work!), until my phone alarm said it was time to board our bus for a trip back to Talkeetna.  We soaked in the scenery and relived our Denali adventure as we headed back to Talkeetna for the evening.  We arrived at the beautiful Talkeetna Lodge, worked on our journals, reviewed amazing photos, before heading to the lodge restaurant for a huge burger.  We attempted to see Denali from the large patio at the back of the lodge...and you could see the faint outline of the mountain range through the clouds...and recalled how lucky we had been just 24 hours ago to see "The Great One!"  We walked the trails on the lodge property, winding back in front of the stone fireplace for hot chocolate and time to unwind with old and new friends.  Our conversation always seemed to come back to the fact that we have been so blessed with amazing experiences on this trip of a lifetime.

 



Beautiful Talkeetna Lodge and grounds

 

 

 

 

A warm fireplace for fellowship and hot chocolate in Talkeetna Lodge