Thurs, Sept 3: On the road to Denali National Park

We finally wake up to a clear day in Fairbanks. We get the rig and the car ready to roll and head out, stopping to look at the wolf skins at the fur store one more time...sigh! Properly prepared and mounted, a wolf skin rug will set you back $1,900.

It is a pretty drive down to Denali and we get there about 2PM. We elected not to make reservations since we were not going to stop if the weather was bad. Of course, this is the beginning of the Labor Day weekend, so the campgrounds back in the park are full or only have one day available, but the campground at the entrance is open. We make arrangements for a bus ride into the park tomorrow and take a site in Riley Campground near the Park Entrance. We will be dry camping for two nights and can only run the generator for four hours a day, 8-10AM and 6-8PM. Fofrtunately, the rig has new house batteries and we should be just fine for power. We find a nice site at the camp, Carolyn fixes lunch and we eat outside to a chorus of squirrel chatter.

We then drive the Park Road to Savage River,stopping many times for beautiful scenery and for a moose jam. There is a bull mooseherding two cows across a river bed.

At Savage River we park and take the two mile loop trail along the river.It is a smooth trail and a very nice walk! After a mile into the little canyon formed by the river there is foot bridge across the river. Here we have the ultimate Denali experience! A group of six Dall rams work their way down to the river for their nightly drink. One stops not three feet in front of us and munches on a tasty willow for a while. It is great fun being so close to such pretty animals and getting great pictures!

On the way back to the camp site

we encounter another moose jam on the Park Road. There are two bull moose duking it out near the side of the road.It is rutting season so the boys are a bit testy right now!

After our hike we are tired so we fix an easy dinner of pasta and call it a day.