Denali (Mt. McKinley) picture :)

[reina]

Denali was "out" on Thursday, and I was fortunate to get some pics!! :) Also saw some caribou, Dall sheep, grizzly bears, ptarmagin, a red fox, a marmot, some ground squirrels, and a few moose. :) great day! I had my Brain Bag with me, but didn't remember to take a picture of it at the park :(

[ncb4]

What a wonderful shot; I feel as if I'm standing right there.

[backpack]

Thanks for sharing!

[maverick]

hi,

that looks absolutely spectacular! thank you for sharing!

[Darcy]

Great picture, reina! I think Denali is one of the most beautiful places I've ever been.

Did you get a chance to get off the bus and hike around a bit? On one of my off-the-bus dayhikes, I noticed that I was following grizzly bear tracks. After looking around a bit, I saw that the mother and baby bear below me walking back towards the road. They proceeded to walk right in front of one/around one of the tour buses, giving them a great show for about twenty minutes. :) I really, really wanted to see wolves, and hiked around quite a bit trying to spot some...never did, though.

[reina]

Great picture, reina! I think Denali is one of the most beautiful places I've ever been.

Did you get a chance to get off the bus and hike around a bit? On one of my off-the-bus dayhikes, I noticed that I was following grizzly bear tracks. After looking around a bit, I saw that the mother and baby bear below me walking back towards the road. They proceeded to walk right in front of one/around one of the tour buses, giving them a great show for about twenty minutes. :) I really, really wanted to see wolves, and hiked around quite a bit trying to spot some...never did, though.

Hi Darcy! :) No, didn't get a chance to take a hike....I wish I could have, though! The weather was perfect! and it was so beautiful. We actually planned to stay only on Tuesday night and Wednesday, but we saw that the forecast on Thursday was 0% chance of rain (opposed to 50% on Weds), so we stayed another night. My flight was on Friday, so we had to drive back right after the bus ride on Thursday to make it back to Anchorage.

I did get a chance to hike a little bit on Wednesday, but it was raining and pretty cold for someone from Hawaii lol. We saw some hawks and moose that day, though :)

I've never seen a wolf either! My mom was there in the 70s and she saw a pack of wolves take down a caribou. I've been to the park about 5 times and I've never seen a wolf there.

Later on I might post some pictures of Denali and the animals if my brother sends them! He has a great camera with a telephoto lens...I just took that picture with a basic point and shoot digital camera.

[backpack]

From early Spring to late Summer wolves are either den bound or have to pace their movements to the growing pups.

Also, in Alaska, wolves are hunted and view humans as dangerous.

One pack in Denali used to hang out next to roads even when they had pups. There is a move to destroy this pack from Denali by lethal or other forms of management.

I read that in 2002, Denali superintendent wanted to implement a policy of throwing stuff at wolves that came near people.
Gordon Haber a Ph.D.who has been doing field research on the Denali wolves since 1966 opposed that approach pointing out that wolves have been in Denali way before any human was there.

Gordon Haber's blog

http://www.alaskawolves.org/Blog/AF9...47432C091.html


Reina, you picture gave me a tundra/mountain craving but it looks like I still have to boycott Alaska.

[Darcy]

I've never seen a wolf either! My mom was there in the 70s and she saw a pack of wolves take down a caribou. I've been to the park about 5 times and I've never seen a wolf there.

Wow - that would be amazing to see.

Please post more pictures! :)

[Darcy]

Gordon Haber's blog

http://www.alaskawolves.org/Blog/AF9...47432C091.html

Thanks for posting that link, backpack!! The blog is addictive. I must tear myself away from it and finish the Synapse page. :)