Saturday 29 June 2013

 Denali, Glaciers and Bald Eagles

 Denali National Park

Denali attracts many tourists for the wildlife and the scenery. This moose in the campground was a good start.
 The magnificent Mt. McKinley on a clear day.
 We were very lucky with the weather. 70% of visitors don't see the mountain due to bad weather. This mountain is the tallest in the world, base to peak.
It was unusually hot after a very late spring, the mosquitoes were biting and the large animals were hiding from the heat. We didn't see as many Grizzly or Brown bears as we may have but the wildflowers were blooming before our eyes.

Another squirrel! An arctic ground squirrel. These are an important part of the food chain for bears. Aw!


 We took an 11 hour return bus ride into the park to see this wonderful scenery.
No private vehicles are allowed.
 Caribou from afar on the remaining snow, despite it being 34c.
 Our one sighting of a Grizzly Bear. He had been lying in the sun, looking like a fur rug, then he sat up for a few seconds to make our bus trip worthwhile!

 The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race is an annual long-distance sled dog race run in March from Anchorage to Nome in Alaska.
 Alaskans sled dogs were of the Heinz 57 variety as they were brought by prospectors to cope with hard work and the cold. Any dog they thought suitable arrived with them. Today they are trained and fed like elite athletes to prepare for the endurance race.

Anchorage

 The visitor centre in Anchorage had a beautiful display of flowers. Not what I expected of an Alaskan town.
In the museum we were fascinated by the cases of Native clothes and equipment.

This waterproof parka was made out of sea mammal intestines. It is very light.

These Kakak or house pants were worn in the warm inner chamber of a traditional Yupik traditional home.

Amazing grass socks to be worn inside boots to keep feet warm and dry, even in the cold.

Back on the road



A glacier stop for picnic lunch near the Portage
And a view finder pointing at Maynard Mountain!at the Begich-Boggs Visitor Centre near Portgage Glacier


The Maynard Mountain

On again..... to Whittier

Pretty in places and good for boat trips to see the Glaciers

Colourful arty shops!
A reminder of where we are...on the Pacific Ring of Fire.


A boat trip to see Blackstone Glacier was awesome!

















Kittiwakes on their floating island

 .
Harbour seals cooling off.
And more glaciers!




Contentment! We all had a great day!


Bald Eagles are numerous in this area.

When keeping an eye on fish waste from the gutting table they get quite close. If not a little ruffled!
 

We will soon be moving on from Alaska to the Yukon.

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