Tourists

Well, that's what we are. You could think of it as broadening your experience, making for a richer life. Or, you could think of it as fly-in, fly-out voyeurism. I suppose there is some of both but I'll tell you, being there is a whole lot better than looking at these photos. 
                        

The Interior

Alaska photos will skip around until I can shoot some new STL material. That probably won't be until next weekend.

As I mentioned a couple of days ago, there is a single 93 mile road into the 6 million acres of Denali National Park. Most of it is gravel, some of it is harrowing and visitors are not allowed to drive more than a few miles in. Farther than that requires approved buses. The weather was pretty bad the day we rode to the end (well, it wasn't snowing) so photographers make do with what is available. This is outback Alaska.                       

Denali Is Not A Zoo . . .

Or so said our guide and driver as we set off on a 12 hour bus tour to the end of the road in Denali National Park. It's genuine wilderness. But, hey, I'm a tourist and I have to get my shots. The weather was miserable, cold and drizzly. It's obvious that summer is ending up here.

We had a moose cross the highway not far in front of us on the drive in. They say if you hit a moose with your car, you break its legs and the massive body comes through the windshield, often leading to your early demise. Not likely to see bear near the highway but I think they are totally scary and this was quite close enough.

The ptarmigan, seen below, is the official state bird but many say it should be the mosquito.

Driving to Fairbanks this morning for our last stop, then a succession of inconveniently timed flights home. We have 12 hour layover in Anchorage Friday - we'll get a car for the day and have one last look around before a red eye flight down south. Posts may be irregular for a while.