7-2-2013 Off to Denali

 

7-2-2013    Off to Denali

We headed to the visitors center to see what the Park has to offer besides the view of Mount McKinley.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Although the Park is named Denali, there seems to be some confusion on what to call the mountain.  Denali is the original name the Athabascan natives gave the mountain.  The translation for Denali is “the High One”.  So boys and girls, you now have a new word to use when something large happens.  Seems as though back in 1896, a prospector named the mountain after presidential candidate William McKinley of Ohio, who didn’t even have anything to do with Alaska!!  It took until 1980 to get the park renamed Denali, but depending on where you look, the mountain itself may be called Denali or McKinley. 

 

We stopped at the visitors’ center and saw their Park movie.  It was very interesting, not all that informative with regards to the development of the park, beautiful pictures of the mountain, animals and foliage.  We are at the north end of the 6,000,000 acre park, over 90 miles from Mount McKinley.   We cannot see, smell or taste the mountain from where we are. You are allowed to drive 14 miles into the park, after that you have to take the bus any further into the park.  It’s not free.  The longest trip takes you 90 miles into the park and takes 12 hours round trip, with no guarantee you will see the “the High One”.  There is only about a 20-30% chance you will ever see it.  Your chance of seeing a bear is better at 90%.

 

 

 

When you arrive at the 14 mile turnaround you are at the Savage River. There is a hiking path that is about 3 miles round trip.  It had cleared off and was really a fairly pleasant hike.  There were many spring flowers but no animals, too many people.   

 

 

 

 Oh no!!!  The bear got Bob!!!   No, not really!!  lol

That's not a purse on Sharon's shoulder. 
It's the binoculars!

 

 

As we drove back to the entrance we did get a brief glimpse of McKinley, ever so briefly.  We hope that wasn’t our only viewing!!  But, the clouds surround the mountain most of the time in the summer.  The elevation of the summit is 20,302 ft, the highest mountain in the North America.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Home to chicken and dumplings for dinner!