DENALI "THE GREAT ONE" up close

The locals have never accepted the name Mt McKinley, the native name is Denali and we got to see it up close.  We took the flight with Stampede Aviation and got to experience this with Shirley (our new summer friend).  Our flight started at 5:00 pm however you never know what the weather is like 100 miles away.  The flight was 90 minutes and it took us through the canyon, along the park road and through the park all the way to the great one.  We flew up to 13,000 feet and within one mile of the mountain.  The north peak was clear and the south peak had a small cloud halo above it.  It was an unbelievable flight and the pictures don't do it justice but we want to share them. 

Check out our plane

We sat in the back but I had a great seat for pictures, the sun was on the other side

Mt McKinley Chalet, this is where we work

50 miles out Mt McKinley sticking out of the clouds (right center)

Other shot with the other camera, center left

North Peak on the right and the south peak which is higher is on the left in the clouds

Same as above, however see the glacier coming down from Denali.  The air temp was 20 degrees

Getting closer, south peak with cloud halo

Closer yet, south peak with halo doesn't appear higher but it is.  The peaks are 3 miles apart

A ridge up close on the way back

Alaskan Range while we leave Denali

Actual bus out in the wild that was duplicated in the movie Into the Wild.

Coming in for landing, see the runway to the right of the pilot.  Great flight

ANOTHER ATV ADVENTURE

This is another ATV adventure I did with Shirley and we did it in a side by side.  We had a blast and now Dave wants to do one, maybe today.  There were only 4 people on this excursions and we were all such good drivers that the guides took us on a longer ride.  It was a lot of fun whipping around corners and up and down the trails.  I got a lot dirtier this time.

Its June 8th and there is still ice under the bridge, the bus is one of the tour buses headed to the park.

Before our tour and getting dusty

more rocks at the dry creek bed.  Don't know why its called dry when theres running water

Hamming it up

The two guest in front of us

MY ATV ADVENTURE

I forgot to do this post for May 14, my first day off of the season, I took advantage of a highly discounted tour on an ATV, which was a lot of fun.  I got to ride a four wheeler and go out into to back country.  Here are a few of my pictures. Poor Dave he had to work.

All deck out, this was so I stayed dry.

On one of the trails, see the mountains in the background

Dry creek bed that we had stop at and search for rocks

View of Otto Lake and in the distance on the far left is direction that we live in the town of Healy.

GLACIER HELICOPTER LANDING

We got on an excursion for half price and took a helicopter out to a glacier.  It was beautiful day with lots of sun and very little wind.  We didn't know what to expect but it was shear awe. This was an unbelievable trip and one we will never forget.

Sometime I wasn't sure we were going high enough to clear some of the mountains

400 miles of the Alaskan Range

Mountains and glaciers

On the glacier.  We got to walk around

Clear fresh glacier water that I drank

Waterfall on the way back

Coming in to home base

BACK COUNTRY JEEP SAFARI

This was an awesome jeep ride out into the back country.  Shirley and I got to four wheeling through several big mud pits and one section referred to as the bobble head.  We were bouncing from side to side and laughing the whole time.

Base camp, had stew and fried bread

Game called catch to tail.  Went around in a circle until the first jeep caught the last jeep.  A lot of fun

Shirley being silly

Our jeep started out silver and now it's tan

TUNDRA WILDERNESS TOUR

We were able to get on a excursion named the Tundra Wilderness Tour.  It was a six to eight hour tour depending on the number of animal sitings.  The tour took us 53 miles into the park on very narrow gravel roads.  Here are some of the pictures we captured that don't even do it justice.  Enjoy

Caribou up on a ridge

Mt McKinley in the clouds.  We were able to see it around mile 9 of our trip.  We weren't able to see it again because the clouds moved in

More Caribou

Dahl Sheep

Grizzly bear not far from the sheep.

An eagle soaring high, that we were surprised to get

Moose crossing the road in front of the bus

Momma and cub near the Tolkat Turn around

Same ones up on the ridge

This is the visitor's center at the 53 mile mark and our turn around.  Look how large the paw is on Dave's arm.