AKBeemer
09-20-2010, 12:56 PM
This last Saturday I had the opportunity to ride into Denali National Park all the way to Wonder Lake and Kantishna; 92 miles. Normally the park road is closed to personal vehicles past mile 13 at Savage Creek, but each year there is a lottery for passes to drive the entire road. 400 vehicles are allowed in the park per day for 4 days. I did not enter the lottery but was given a pass by someone who could not use it. Annie was on the road to Montana, so it was just me and my GSPD.
I left Fairbanks at 0800 hrs for the 120 mile ride to the park. It was a clear day which means nippy. I hit 24 degrees as I dropped down to The Nenana River at the town of Nenana, but it warmed quickly as the sun did its work.
The trip began with picking up my entry pass at the park visitor’s center.
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e109/AKBeemer/Wonder%20Lake%20Kantishna%20Ride%20Sept%202010/20100918_02.jpg
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e109/AKBeemer/Wonder%20Lake%20Kantishna%20Ride%20Sept%202010/20100918_03.jpg
I ran into old friends from Nome at the center. Alaska is a big state but a small town; I ended up running into two other friends on the park road.
Of course any ride into Denali Park will have two major focuses; the mountain (Denali) and the wild life. As for the wild life I ended up seeing 7 grizzles (including a relatively rare blond bear), several moose, a fox who trotted down the road for a ¼ mile in front of me and some sheep. Unfortunately, my camera skills and small digital camera were not up to the task. The animals were generally too far away and/or in light conditions such that I got nothing for my efforts.
The first view of Denali comes on the paved road about 10 miles in and before reaching the check point at Savage Creek.
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e109/AKBeemer/Wonder%20Lake%20Kantishna%20Ride%20Sept%202010/20100918_04.jpg
This sign would prove prophetic later in the day when a bull moose ran across the road in front of me.
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e109/AKBeemer/Wonder%20Lake%20Kantishna%20Ride%20Sept%202010/20100918_70.jpg
The check point at Savage Creek where the pavement ends. The road was in good shape although there were some areas of large gravel.
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e109/AKBeemer/Wonder%20Lake%20Kantishna%20Ride%20Sept%202010/20100918_05.jpg
I left Fairbanks at 0800 hrs for the 120 mile ride to the park. It was a clear day which means nippy. I hit 24 degrees as I dropped down to The Nenana River at the town of Nenana, but it warmed quickly as the sun did its work.
The trip began with picking up my entry pass at the park visitor’s center.
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e109/AKBeemer/Wonder%20Lake%20Kantishna%20Ride%20Sept%202010/20100918_02.jpg
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e109/AKBeemer/Wonder%20Lake%20Kantishna%20Ride%20Sept%202010/20100918_03.jpg
I ran into old friends from Nome at the center. Alaska is a big state but a small town; I ended up running into two other friends on the park road.
Of course any ride into Denali Park will have two major focuses; the mountain (Denali) and the wild life. As for the wild life I ended up seeing 7 grizzles (including a relatively rare blond bear), several moose, a fox who trotted down the road for a ¼ mile in front of me and some sheep. Unfortunately, my camera skills and small digital camera were not up to the task. The animals were generally too far away and/or in light conditions such that I got nothing for my efforts.
The first view of Denali comes on the paved road about 10 miles in and before reaching the check point at Savage Creek.
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e109/AKBeemer/Wonder%20Lake%20Kantishna%20Ride%20Sept%202010/20100918_04.jpg
This sign would prove prophetic later in the day when a bull moose ran across the road in front of me.
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e109/AKBeemer/Wonder%20Lake%20Kantishna%20Ride%20Sept%202010/20100918_70.jpg
The check point at Savage Creek where the pavement ends. The road was in good shape although there were some areas of large gravel.
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e109/AKBeemer/Wonder%20Lake%20Kantishna%20Ride%20Sept%202010/20100918_05.jpg