Get Out & Check the Tires?

That phrase has a whole new meaning for me today - apparently it is bus driver code for "I know we just stopped 15 minutes ago but I didn't have to go then and I do now and please let me stop and find some shrubbery." We traveled (per National Park requirement) in a school bus into the park. But (Jenny, Sarah & Chris) this is NOT your father's school bus (which he took into the park when he was here in '72 or '73 - the memory is slipping!). Oh no, this school bus is completely tricked out with seats that would be comfy if they didn't have the required seatbelts installed in the most uncomfortable places, video monitors and a driver with a hi def video camera with an incredible telephoto lens - much easier to see those far away critters!


On our visit to Denali National Park. I discovered that Alaska weather here will permit only one of the following on any given day:

• Cloudy or overcast and slightly cool - you get to see the park's wildlife but no mountain
• Hot/sunny - you may get to see the mountain but fat chance of seeing any animals
• Rainy - no animals, no mountain, pretty much a waste of time and money!

We lucked out with choice #1 (okay, it would have been nice to see the mountain but maybe we'll get a chance tomorow or the next day when we relocate to the McKinley side of the park). First up, some Dall sheep (a cousin of our Rocky Mountain big horn sheep). They were pretty high up on the hill but fortunately with our newly acquired binoculars we were able to see them.

Next, a beautiful cinnamon-colored grizzly bear about 20 yds or so away from our bus right after we got into the park. I think even the driver was surprised!

Next up a caribou appeared right in front of our bus.

Then we saw a mama grizzly with her two cubs (they are the lighter colored blips in the picture - "blondes" they are called).

These were followed by two of the largest bull moose I'll (hopefully?) ever see.

Another pair of Dall sheep posed for a close up.

There were other animals we saw as well: golden eagle, arctic ground squirrel, shrew and a ptarmigan (aka "chicken") but if you're having trouble spotting the animals in the photos above, you don't stand a chance with the other pics!

Final tally:

• four grizzlys
• two moose
• five caribou
• seven Dall sheep
• one golden eagle

Good hunting!

~later, tw