Denali, searching for Grizzly Bears and Golden Leaves

Grizzly bears and golden autumn leaves were at the top of our agenda when driving through Denali Park in Alaska and we weren’t disappointed!  Although only seeing a pin prick of the 6 million acres of Alaskan wilderness (The Last Frontier) we came away happy with what had crossed our path – so to speak.

To experience the rugged country and glaciers of Alaska we had decided to go on a Princess cruise/tour that lived up to all expectations.

Denali – A Living Tapestry

The Living Tapestry of Denali in the autumn (fall) has to be seen to be believed. Trees covered with golden leaves as far as the eye could see, mixed among glacial rivers and snow-capped mountains.  (Our mode of transport was a very comfortable air-conditioned coach).

 

Of interest – Denali National Park was named 100 years ago in 1917 and is located on the Nenana River (try saying that quickly) that flows into the Yukon and then on to the Siberian Sea.

Before reaching Denali we had spent time at:

• The scenic Copper River in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park
• Fairbanks with an authentic Alaskan experience and stories of the Gold Rush days.

Denali – The Tall One

Denali is Alaska’s greatest mountain reaching 20,310ft (6,190m) toward the heavens. (NB – It’s just Denali and not Mount Denali).

This monster of a mountain was previously called Mt McKinley – named after someone who was running for president.  But as it was already called Denali a bit of a protest took place and the mountain went back to its original name.

We were exceptionally lucky as often the peak is covered with cloud but when we stopped on a hilltop for a photo the clouds cleared away.   Happy snappers all round that day.  Plus the afternoon after we had spectacular views from the Mt McKinley Wilderness Lodge.

In the Mood for a Climb?

In spring (March – May) some 1,200 climbers attempt the “difficult” summit climb.  Talkeetna is the home base for all the hopeful climbers that are flown into the base camp, although, only 52% ever get to the top.  Definitely not a climb for the faint-hearted.

For those of us sporting grey hair and not muscles, it’s much easier to fly over Denali in a small plane and take photos of climbers! The buzz word for this is “flightseeing”. 

Some companies will land on a glacier for you to take photos – then you just hop back on the plane – a totally painless experience.  Talkeetna Air Taxi offers this service.

Rustic and Comfortable Accommodation

Every night of our eight day tour was spent in comfortable and spacious Princess lodges.

All were in the middle of Aspen, Alder and Birch forests with leaves changing, or already changed, to that incredible gold that only comes with autumn (in this case September).

Pleasant evenings spent gazing out over golden countryside, rivers and mountains is quite a challenge… but not a lot of training required!  And…every night I managed to plough through a large bowl of my favourite Salmon Chowder.

For the adventurous amongst you, ie RV or camping enthusiasts (who I admire so much), there are six campgrounds through the park and bookings can be made through ReserveDenali.

Denali Park – Something for Everyone

Although we were on tour, our guide explained many adventures that you can take in the Park during summer. (June – August).  (Note to self ….maybe I’ll just stick with photos).

• Backpacking
• Hiking 
• Cycling – along Denali Park Road – 92km+  Apparently this isn’t one of those “walk in the park” rides and definitely for the adventurers of the world. (Not forgetting there’s bears out there that can outrun you on a bike…just saying).
• Mt Denali Climb – Adventure Consultants will be happy to explain your options in detail.
• Whitewater rafting
• Zip-lining 
• Horseback tours
• Fly fishing trips (look over your shoulder for a bear in case you catch a trout!)

Big Animals

The Tundra, which is a flat plain without any trees, that runs beside the Denali highway was an opportunity for spotting moose, grizzly bars, caribou and wolves.

The atmosphere in the bus was often tense (in a fun way) as we all turned into wildlife spotters.

Our expert driver would pull up, as quickly as safety allowed, at the sound of the word “Moooooose” being called out.   Once, to our left (which was my side) there was a mother moose with two calves.  Slightly difficult to get a photo through the open windows, and impossible to pile out of the bus as Mum would have taken off like a Bondi Bus.

Unfortunately we didn’t see a big Daddy moose on these few days, but many other visitors before us have.

Now, just in case we brushed shoulders with a moose when we were wandering around the lodges in early morning or late afternoon, the advice given was:

Moose Meet-ups:

• Moose aren’t docile. They can kick forward and backwards when defending themselves.
• Never feed moose.
• Give moose a distance of 50 feet (15m) – at least.
• If ears are back or hackles up – its angry or afraid and may charge
• If it charges – GET BEHIND A TREE – preferably a big one and not a sapling!
• Never get between a cow and her calf.

Bears Up Close and Personal

We did spy grizzly bears twice in Denali Park.  Although they were a safe distance away, the looks they gave were a bit scary.  Did you know that while it’s legal to shoot bears in Alaska, waking a sleeping bear to have his photo taken is prohibited!?

The first bear was busy digging up ground squirrels for his dinner!  Weighing in at about 600lbs (272 kgs) a squirrel wouldn’t have much chance – but I guess that’s the food chain of life for you.  There are about 350 bears in the park but they do hibernate from October to April.

The second was just sauntering along the highway in front of the bus – kind of daring us to get out and have a pat.   No-one took up this offer!

Like moose, we were told in no uncertain terms to take bear encounters seriously, because tour group or not you can still cross paths with these massive beasts.

Advice given:

• Walk in groups and make enough noise to let the bears know you’re around.
• Never approach a bear – not for photos or the dreaded SELFIE.
• If you see a bear, slowly backtrack from where you came but never run. If you run you become prey to a bear.
• Definitely do not feed bears!

Caribou Population in Denali

Although numbers of these magnificent creatures are growing in Denali, sadly we didn’t see any.  How I would loved to have seen the velvet on those large antlers that the big bulls shed each year.

The closest Caribou we saw was living the life of luxury on a reservation along the Chena River.  He was happy to have his photo taken as we sailed by on a paddleboat.

Denali: Truly A Living Tapestry

Next Stop – Glacier Bay

Travel Trivia:

Did you know that Alaska is the only US state name that can be typed on one row of a keyboard!?

Handy Hints:

Tips on What to Wear in the Last Frontier (Alaska) during September.   Temperature range around 10 – 15 Celsius

• Not too much! (definitely no thermals, unless you really are a cold frog)
• Layers, but not too many – all depends on how much you feel the cold
• Short and long sleeve shirts – 3 of each
• Micro fleece jacket. (Worth their weight in gold and are so small to pack)  www.kathmandu.com.au
• Ultra down jacket from Uniqlo – again worth its weight in gold and pushes into a very small drawstring bag
• Light rain jacket
• Light rain pants (optional)
• Long slacks/trousers (lightweight) x 2
• Tights x 2 (if this your preference)
• Skarf or neck warmer
• Walking shoes/3 pairs of socks
• Comfortable shoes for inside at night.
• Sunglasses
• Gloves (if you’re a person who feels the cold)
• Beanie (if you’re a hat person)
• Small travelling umbrella
• Wet bag, or plastic bag to keep your camera dry
• If you plan to go on the Inside Passage cruise first, you might like to pop in something more dressy for evenings (I didn’t!)
• Enjoy a beer on tap from the 49th State Brewery!
• My Tips and Tricks may be worth a read for more general travel help

Denali – a must for Baby Boomer Travel