enali rip - June 28, 2005

"Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" - Midi

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
Where Denali, Mount McKinley, SHOULD be - June 28, 2005 photographed at Stony Hill Overlook

We planned this trip for a couple of months, purchasing the bus tickets into Denali National Park (for an 11 hour round trip back to Wonder Lake at mile 85 of the Park Road) in April! Well, what we couldn't have planned on was the area being covered with smoke from Western Alaska forest fires! Otherwise, it appeared to be a clear day and we SHOULD have seen Denali!! Oh well.... We did get to see a lot of animals - most at a distance - but we saw them, nonetheless! (SMILE) The day before our bus trip we happened to see a big bull moose in a pond near the highway. Lots of cars pulled over to look and take photos....

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
Bull Moose, grazing a few miles North of the entrance to Denali National Park, June 27, 2005

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
Bull Moose, grazing a few miles North of the entrance to Denali National Park, June 27, 2005

The next day was our bus trip! Not long after we left the Wilderness Center at 10:15 AM we saw this Porcupine! And then we saw more animals....

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
Porcupine, gnawing on wooden building, Denali National Park, June 28, 2005

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
Porcupine, gnawing on wooden building, Denali National Park, June 28, 2005

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
Arctic Ground Squirrel, Denali National Park, June 28, 2005

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
Arctic Ground Squirrel, Denali National Park, June 28, 2005

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
Arctic Ground Squirrel, Denali National Park, June 28, 2005

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
Ptarmigan, Denali National Park, June 28, 2005

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
Ptarmigan Chick, Denali National Park, June 28, 2005

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
Ptarmigan Family with nine chicks; parents looking out for predators, Denali National Park, June 28, 2005

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
Teklanika River with smoky shroud covering hills, Denali National Park, June 28, 2005

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
Caribou at top of patch of snow - to avoid the biting insects, Denali National Park, June 28, 2005

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
Caribou walking through a patch of snow - to avoid the biting insects, Denali National Park, June 28, 2005

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
A rugged landscape near the park road, Denali National Park, June 28, 2005

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
A long-horned beetle hangs on tightly to a tiny willow tree in a brisk wind at Polychrome Pass, Denali National Park, June 28, 2005

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
Tundra Roses; the bushes don't get very big at Polychrome Pass, Denali National Park, June 28, 2005

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
Another pretty flower, Chiming Bells were blooming all over at Denali National Park, June 28, 2005

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
A skittish caribou left the park road quickly, Denali National Park, June 28, 2005

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
A collared white Wolf, the alpha female of the Toklat wolf pack, sleeping under a bush, Denali National Park, June 28, 2005

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
A darker Wolf, the alpha male of the Toklat wolf pack sleeping on a gravel bar near the female, Denali National Park, June 28, 2005

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
A young dark-colored Red Fox kit and its mother near their den in Denali National Park, June 28, 2005

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
More Red Fox Pics, Denali National Park, June 28, 2005

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
Red Fox at den entrance, Denali National Park, June 28, 2005

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
Red Fox female with kits, Denali National Park, June 28, 2005

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
Three Red Fox kits, Denali National Park, June 28, 2005

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
Six Dall Sheep stand out in contrast to the hills they graze on, near Eielson Visitor Center, Denali National Park, June 28, 2005

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
Closer view of Dall Sheep, near Eielson Visitor Center, Denali National Park, June 28, 2005

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
Caribou on a rocky slope, maybe trying to get away from the biting insects? Denali National Park, June 28, 2005

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
Caribou on a rocky slope, maybe trying to get away from the biting insects? Denali National Park, June 28, 2005

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
WE MADE IT! Don and the Wonder Lake Campground sign, Denali National Park, June 28, 2005

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
Wonder Lake with lots of smoke in the sky, Denali National Park, June 28, 2005

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
Bunch of Dogwood, Wonder Lake, Denali National Park, June 28, 2005

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
Closer view of Dogwood, Wonder Lake, Denali National Park, June 28, 2005

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
Close up view of Dogwood, Wonder Lake, Denali National Park, June 28, 2005

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
Some pretty pink flowers at Wonder Lake, Denali National Park, June 28, 2005

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
Tiny plants and Twin flowers on tundra at Wonder Lake, Denali National Park, June 28, 2005

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
A yearling moose on the park road near Wonder Lake, Denali National Park, June 28, 2005

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
A yearling moose on the park road near Wonder Lake, Denali National Park, June 28, 2005

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
A yearling moose on the park road near Wonder Lake, Denali National Park, June 28, 2005

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
A yearling moose on the park road near Wonder Lake, Denali National Park, June 28, 2005

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
A yearling moose on the park road near Wonder Lake, Denali National Park, June 28, 2005

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
Beaver in "Kettle" Pond, Denali National Park, June 28, 2005

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
This Grizzly Bear was pretty far away, thus poor picture quality - Denali National Park, June 28, 2005

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
This Grizzly Bear was pretty far away, thus poor picture quality - Denali National Park, June 28, 2005

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
This Grizzly Bear was pretty far away, thus poor picture quality - Denali National Park, June 28, 2005

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
This Grizzly Bear was pretty far away, thus poor picture quality - Denali National Park, June 28, 2005

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
Large patch of Chiming Bells in Denali National Park, June 28, 2005

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
Mew Gull near Toklat River, Denali National Park, June 28, 2005

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
This Grizzly Bear with three cubs (two in this pic) was pretty far away, thus poor picture quality - Denali National Park, June 28, 2005

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
Hoary Marmot basking on rocks in Denali National Park, June 28, 2005

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
Scenic mountain view near Polychrome Pass, Denali National Park, June 28, 2005

Before we knew it it was 9:15 PM and our bus trip was over.

The next day we took a short drive back into the park for a few more pictures.

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
Riley Creek, just inside the entrance of Denali National Park, June 29, 2005

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
"River Beauty" Dwarf Fireweed near Riley Creek, just inside the entrance of Denali National Park, June 29, 2005

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
Western Swallowtail Butterfly on Indian Potato Blossoms, near Riley Creek, just inside the entrance of Denali National Park, June 29, 2005

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
Elegant Paint Brush Flower near Riley Creek, just inside the entrance of Denali National Park, June 29, 2005

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
White Admiral Butterfly near Riley Creek, just inside the entrance of Denali National Park, June 29, 2005

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
Northern Oxytrope - Locoweed? near Riley Creek, just inside the entrance of Denali National Park, June 29, 2005

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
Indian Potato - roots are edible - near Riley Creek, just inside the entrance of Denali National Park, June 29, 2005

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
Wild Aster near Riley Creek, just inside the entrance of Denali National Park, June 29, 2005

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
Beaver house in pond in Denali National Park, June 29, 2005

(photo � 2005 Barbara Logan)
White Spruce Boreal Forest in Denali National Park, June 29, 2005

Then we headed for home.... it was a nice day and the sun was shining through the smoke.... (SIGH)

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This page was created 4 July 2005 � Barbara Logan
URL is http://freepages.family.rootsweb.com/~soakbear/denali_trip.htm