Sunday, September, 1, 2019 -
The wind has been roaring since last evening but we've had a beautiful fall day. I took a little hike tonight to get my legs ready for a ranger led hike tomorrow and so that I could remember the beauty of this day.
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| The hike from Denali RV and Motel. |
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| Too windy to go all the way up! I'd get blown over the edge! |
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| About a third pound of mushroom being devoured by the hares. |
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| Interesting clouds over the RV park. |
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| Home sweet home 💕 |
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| Now a storm is coming in and the setting sun has created this rainbow. Wow and yikes! |
The wind blew the clouds away tonight! (Thanks to Nancy Bauter Kalmick
and Donna Jones for banging on our doors to alert us to the spectacular show!)
Monday, September 2, 2019 -
Last Discovery hike of the season😥 on Monday with Ranger Kaila on the plains of Murie just past Polychrome Overlook. Our bus ride started out with a moose jam due to the bull moose pictured.
Sadly, a dozen photographers were within 15 (!!!!) feet of this behemoth. When the ranger exited the bus to ask them to move back to 75' they told her to "relax". I unapologetically wish 1600 pounds of angry moose would have trampled one of them to remove them from the gene pool.
Anyway, it was a nice hike with really nice participants and a great ranger leading us.
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| Ptarmigan or spruce grouse scat. Lol - whenever it looks like macaroni, it's theirs! |
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| I'm still lovin' the mushrooms! |
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| Ranger Kaila |
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| A gray jay probably hoping I'd drop him a crumb from the dining hall this afternoon.💕 |
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| Just before I got home tonight my friend Nancy Bauter Kalmick took this photo with a full rainbow and the start of a second one! PS my RV is under the end of the rainbow! |
Monday, September 9, 2019 -
These photos are from my friend, Nancy Bauter Kalmick. Yesterday she got the last available bus ticket to Wonder Lake, the weather was sunny (for the most part!) and the tundra was showing the last of its fall color. Enjoy her beautiful shots.😊
I have to work almost every day this last week, but it promises to be interesting. The last of the park transit buses runs Thursday, September 12 then the Denali Road lottery starts. Those are special days where the lucky lottery winners can drive their personal vehicles the entire distance of the park road.
As one might suspect, I've been told that the lottery tries the patience of law-abiding citizens. . . people registering 2 names on their campground permit but cramming 17 people on the site hoping NOT to get caught, etc. I'll get to see it all in person, huh!
The night before last Nancy and I got to meet Hook Pederson, a Fairbanks man who spends 2 weeks at Riley Creek campground every spring and fall. Just about every day he is out in the park photographing animals and he generously lets us choose a favorite photo! This wolverine junkie now has a beautiful wolverine photo! I hope to talk more with him before my season ends.
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| Four caribou bedded down on the tundra. |
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| Caribou antlers at the Eielson Visitor Center. |
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| Looking back at the bus parking area and mountain behind Eielson. Wow, threatening clouds! |
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| One last shot from the Eielson VC |
Saturday, September 14, 2019 -
The hooting of great horned owls lured me outdoors tonight and one flew right overhead.💕 This capped off a 64 degree sunny clear day during which I mostly did laundry and a little local reconnaissance.
The vivid fall colors are softening and 50 mph wind gusts the night before last blew most of the leaves off the trees. I worked 3-11 p.m. tonight at the Riley Creek Mercantile and got to drive home in the dark - a bit spooky through the canyon.
Both yesterday and today were book-ended by a spectacular sunrise and moon rise. Sigh . . .
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| Yesterday's sunrise in Healy 😊 |
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| The Wilderness Express coming into Denali from Fairbanks yesterday. I lucked out and got caught at the RR crossing! |
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| This morning looking into the park from Riley Creek. The building is the day use area picnic shelter. |
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| Moonrise tonight from just outside of the Mercantile. |
Tuesday, September 17, 2019 -
The higher elevation mountains were snow covered this morning. Tonight is my last evening at the Mercantile.😊
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| Looks like the last day of #DenaliRoadLottery2019 snuck in under the weather wire. There was a delayed opening for travel this morning, but it was lifted as soon as the first frost and soupy fog cleared. |
Thursday, September 19, 2019 -
Welcome to the Yukon! I overnighted at Beaver Creek RV Park & Motel just a couple of kilometers from Canadian customs. The trek continues towards the Cassiar highway.
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| My official "welcome to the Yukon" black bear! |
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| Feeling very secure next door to the RCMP.😊 |
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| Cute name, quaint building, gift shop, etc. Alas, no service.😥 Four customers (including me) walked without breakfast. On the bright side there were 5 guys having a pre-job meeting (including a safety discussion!) at the next table. I restrained myself and didn't chime in to commend them. 😊 |
Saturday, September 21, 2019 -
My "welcome to the Cassiar Highway" bear! Despite all the wildlife crossing warnings for elk, moose, caribou and bear along the Cassiar this one was the best of two. He was foraging roadside less than 2 miles after I entered the highway. Hundreds of miles later the only other animal I saw was a black bear butt as he scampered down the steep roadside incline and disappeared into the woods. It's been rain, rain and more rain for the last 2 days. Heading towards Prince George today.
Friday, September 27, 2019 -
3,896 miles ago I left Denali NP! Home safe and getting acclimated to 70/80 degree temps and SO much traffic! Thanks for prayers for safe travel and avoiding bad weather.
Loved the Cassiar Highway (far better condition than the Alcan) and Jasper, Banff and all the national parks I passed through. No photos due to rain, rain, rain but I'd refer everyone to Paul W. Paulsen's great photos this summer.😊
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| Tighe back in his sink.💕 |
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| Zuni waiting for me to chase her around. We have room to do that now! |
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