A Day at Denali Park

Denali.... the "High One"....Denali National Park..... one of the world's last great frontiers, where its wilderness is still largely unspoiled. This was the first National Park established to conserve wildlife in 1917, and from then on, this place is known for its devotion to science, learning, and preservation of its natural and cultural heritage.- source:  http://www.nps.gov/dena/index.htm

A Place for Contemplation...Me in front of Mt. McKinley, in total awe of this majestic landscape

Unlike most other National Parks I have visited, driving deeper inside Denali National Park is restricted. Thankfully, it is that way, so the wildlife remains undisturbed. To be able to experience Denali National Park, visitors must either take the Denali Green Bus or pay for the bus tours. Denali Green Bus is the cheapest way to get inside the park, and for me, the best way. You can stop anywhere and explore, take a hike, and take another Green Bus to bring you to your next destination. The tour buses are more expensive, about $100 more expensive, and you can not explore on your own, you stop, where the tour bus stops.

Mama Grizzly Bear and a Cub

There is only one road inside Denali National Park, so, for me, why would I pay more when both buses have the same likeliness of seeing similar things? As our bus started to roll on the very windy narrow road of Denali National Park, the vast landscape though mostly hidden by clouds was very humbling. A valley so vast, bordered with mountains almost devoid of vegetation, yet so colorful.  Once again, I was fascinated with the colored exposed Earth.

Looking at the vast landscape as we moved inside the park, the silence was beckoning me. Everybody was in silence, all looking at the landscape, and possibly for wildlife. We were told by our bus driver before we departed that if we see wildlife and wanted to photograph, we just shout, "STOP!" Our first "STOP" shout was a moose, but too far for all of us to take pictures, so we moved on. Our second "STOP" shout was the mom grizzly and baby. Seeing them walking, communicating to each other, waiting, in the wild, was very moving! The beauty of the wilderness continues to exist here and inspires many soul.

Mom and Cub Walking

We were actually very far from these bears and spotting them was not easy. The one who saw this pair had to explain to us several times where the bears are, specific with directions. In the wilderness, though you do not know each other, but each other forms a team silently, helping each other experience the same thing so that  this joy radiates in everyone's heart. It's very inspiring always to be around people who love nature. Somehow, I can see in their eyes the same passion, admiration and care for Mother Earth and its inhabitants.

Here are more photos from our our day inside Denali National Park. We saw a lot of grizzly bears, but they were too far from us to take quality pictures. These pictures is not about photography, but about sharing with you the joy and inspiration of seeing the beauty of wildlife in still a wild land. 

Another Grizzly

This Grizzly Started Digging After It Looked Surprise, the Bus Driver Told Us It may be digging for food, a marmot, or squirrel hiding underground

Dall Sheep and Golden Eagle( we actually did not see the dall sheep here, it was the golden eagle we were following, thank you Golden Eagle)

Hikers taking in the Scenery

Another Bear enjoying the wildflowers

Frustration @ Wonder Lake ( mosquitoes feasted and partied on our poor blood)

Monkshood @ Wonderlake

Swimming Moose

Mt. McKinley in Partial clouds

A Friend Taking In the Scenery at Eielson Ridge trail

Group of Caribou

Group of Dall Sheep ( they always are high on top of the mountains because that's how they distance themselves from the bears)

Bull Moose

The gift of outdoors and nature is truly forever, it has been a month now since we've been here, but the memories still continue to move and inspire me. Let me end this quote from John Muir, a famous naturalist, author and an early advocate of wilderness preservation.

"Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul."- John Muir

♥♥