Wildflowers along Denali's Moose River

We arrived at the Kantishna Roadhouse shortly after 8:00 last evening. Ninety miles on a gravel road through five mountain passes in a rather utilitarian bus takes several hours -- even without safari stops. (Pictured here is part of our group boarding the bus in the parking lot near the Denali train depot and visitor center.) A delicious supper of salmon, fettuccine Alfredo, tossed salad and cheesecake was waiting for us. But, bed couldn't come quickly enough, especially with the sight of Denali's north peak happily in my mind.

The Kantishna Roadhouse staff offers a variety of activities each day, from leading hikes, easy to strenuous, to delivering short lectures on topics specific to Alaska and especially to Denali. Everyone in our group along with several other lodge guests participated in an easy four-mile walk/hike this morning through the Alpine (moist) tundra, paying close attention to the fast-emerging wildflowers -- amongst the faster emerging mosquitoes. (Note the head net, a very handy piece of equipment.)

The walk was led by our guide and a Roadhouse staff-member named Emily. Part of Emily's job was to give us instruction on conduct should we encounter various animals. Here she's demonstrating self-protection if a grizzly bear were to approach -- protect the head, neck and sides of the body with the arms and then roll into a ball on the ground to protect vital organs. We did NOT have to put that strategy to the test.


The wildflowers were plentiful and we identified lots of them, with Nancy's careful and clear instruction. Two of my favorites are below: Alpine arnica 'Arnica alpina' (yellow turned-down flower) and River beauty (aka Dwarf fireweed) 'Epilobium latifolium' (pink flower). I am particularly pleased that I managed to capture an insect in both images.

And, finally, here's a peaceful scene: Tal sitting in the tundra overlooking Moose River just before we headed back to the van and the roadhouse.

The mountain

Having been warned by many people not to get my hopes up where Denali was concerned, that is, not to count on seeing it, while we were as yet on the train ...

We were approaching the town of Nanana in a long turn lining up to cross a bridge and -- 100 air miles away -- there it was dwarfing every other mountain in the Alaska Range. Photos from the moving train and through not-so-clean windows weren't worth taking, but I made the attempt anyway. As you might expect, what I have to show for that attempt is not worth sharing.

When the train arrived at the depot in Denali and after an hour in the visitor center (the 20-minute film, "Heartbeat of Denali," was phenomenal), we boarded a bus for the 90-mile trip to the Kantishna Roadhouse where we are spending two nights. For 3/4 of the trip, well beyond the Eielson Visitor Center, a new building with the potential for commanding views, the brown foothills and slopes to about 10,000 feet were the limit of what we could see.

All along the miles we watched for and stopped to view the wildlife, checking off grizzly bear, caribou, moose, snowshoe hare, Dall's sheep, red squirrel, golden eagle. Truth be told, however, we all maintained part of our attention on where the mountain should be (accomplishing that with the help of our driver).

To our wonder and delight, after Polychrome Pass the top of the north summit appeared and then played peekaboo with us until we reached Wonder Lake where the road heads into the valley where the roadhouse is and then officially ends. This photograph was taken from about 27 air miles, the closest the park road gets to the mountain.



Seventy percent of the people , we have learned, who travel to see Denali leave disappointed. We are now part of an elite group: the 30% club! And, we saw it twice in one day.