Yesterday's Road Trip

**213th** · 04-25-07, 05:18 PM

Yesterday my brother, his fiancee, and a coworker of mine decided to drive into Denali National Park. For those of you that aren't familiar with it, Denali National Park is six million acres, and home to North America's highest peak, Mt McKinley, or as it is called here, Denali or The Big One, and it stands 20,320 feet in elevation. While we did not see any wolves or bears this time, there are plenty in the park. We did see Ptarmigan (the state bird of alaska) and lots of caribou. Also, the road into denali is generally not open to private vehicles. Instead you have to take a tour bus. However, before they start running, private vehicles are allowed about 1/3 to 1/2 of the way down the road, and in September they have a lottery drawing to allow a small number of applicants to drive the entire way in with a private vehicle. Here are a few pictures that I took. Sorry that some of them aren't real good, my camera seems to have a light leak.

Denali

Teklanika River

My brother, his fiancee, and their dog

Ptarmigan

Denali way in the background, slightly to right

**10-42Adam** · 04-25-07, 06:20 PM

Awesome pictures. I just got back from Shenandoah National Park located in Virginia a few weeks ago and loved it. That park looks amazing, thanks for sharing!

**213th** · 04-25-07, 06:22 PM

Shenendoah is pretty too, I was there awhile ago. Not a problem with sharing, I love taking pictures, and I'm sure there will be many more this summer...

**Willowdared** · 04-25-07, 09:00 PM

Denali is amazing! I've driven thru the park, but never made the trip into the interior part.

I believe that base to summit, it's taller then even Everest - it's just that Everest is at the top of the Himalayan Plateau.

I spent a wondrous morning watching the sunrise over Denali from Pedro Dome in Fairbanks.

**iso607** · 04-25-07, 09:07 PM

Nice pics, it does look pretty up there.

Pretty cold too.

**213th** · 04-25-07, 09:18 PM

Originally Posted by PDawg

Denali is amazing! I've driven thru the park, but never made the trip into the interior part.

I believe that base to summit, it's taller then even Everest - it's just that Everest is at the top of the Himalayan Plateau.

I spent a wondrous morning watching the sunrise over Denali from Pedro Dome in Fairbanks.

That is correct, there is more vertical relief on Denali then Everest.

I know where Pedro Dome is, I went panning for gold near there once.

**213th** · 04-25-07, 09:19 PM

Originally Posted by iso-607

Nice pics, it does look pretty up there.

Pretty cold too.

It wasn't too cold, in the sixties, up in the seventies later on when we got home. Just looks cold cause nothings started growing yet really.

**Jackalope** · 04-25-07, 09:24 PM

Nice pictures. Why aren't private cars normally allowed on the road? I never understood this concept of "protecting" natural areas by closing them off to people, especially in a National Park.

**213th** · 04-25-07, 09:49 PM

Originally Posted by Jackalope

Nice pictures. Why aren't private cars normally allowed on the road? I never understood this concept of "protecting" natural areas by closing them off to people, especially in a National Park.

So they can charge $150 to ride the bus or whatever the going rate is. Honestly, I really don't know. Maybe to protect the road (narrow dirt road most of the way) and the envoirnment, as I'm sure it would be extremely packed if you could drive in yourself

**conalabu** · 04-25-07, 09:53 PM

Originally Posted by Jackalope

Nice pictures. Why aren't private cars normally allowed on the road? I never understood this concept of "protecting" natural areas by closing them off to people, especially in a National Park.

Seriously? The reason is people are stupid. Littering and the roads alone would pollute the area almost beyond saving in just a few years.

**Cidp24** · 04-25-07, 10:03 PM

That was wierd, I saw a documentary on Denali just a day or two ago and wondered if you lived near there.

**213th** · 04-26-07, 12:42 AM

Originally Posted by Cidp24

That was wierd, I saw a documentary on Denali just a day or two ago and wondered if you lived near there.

Lol thats weird. I can see Denali on my way to work if it is a clear day...

**k-9max** · 04-26-07, 12:46 AM

Nice pics there 213.
some beautiful scenery!

**213th** · 04-26-07, 12:51 AM

Thanks, I certainly feel privileged to live this close to sights that most people will never see. On that note, any one ever traveling up here can feel free to let me know, I certainly wouldn't mind meeting anyone from here, or playing tour guide/host/chef or whatever for a few days.

**k-9max** · 04-26-07, 12:58 AM

I'm serious about the hunt sometime, or fishing.

i think that would be awesome.

**213th** · 04-26-07, 01:09 AM

Just let me know when...

**213th** · 04-26-07, 01:50 AM

Come on up, the more the merrier

**213th** · 04-26-07, 02:42 AM

Originally Posted by stokerress

Party!

Yup yup. I just had some people over on Sunday for a BBQ. I wouldn't mind firing up the grill and providing beer for anyone who comes up

**Willowdared** · 04-26-07, 05:05 PM

Originally Posted by 213th

Lol thats weird. I can see Denali on my way to work if it is a clear day...

I had a friend in Fairbanks that used to talk about the Alaska Marching Cloud Band....because on a clear day you could see for hundreds of miles and see row upon row of clouds.

**213th** · 04-26-07, 05:10 PM

Originally Posted by PDawg

I had a friend in Fairbanks that used to talk about the Alaska Marching Cloud Band....because on a clear day you could see for hundreds of miles and see row upon row of clouds.

Isn't that the truth, if you go to the hills near Fairbanks, you can see the Alaska Range as far as the eye can see to the west, and the other range that extends to the East, most of it is the ALaska Range, but I believe that at some point in time it becomes a different range towards the east. But anyway, point is, on a clear day it's just mountains from the East to the West horizon. Usually scattered clouds around the peaks...it's just amazing