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  1. USA Nature Photography Travels
  2. 2017 Summer Alaska North to South Safari

Denali National Park

Got a very early morning start from Healy to drive into Denali ahead of the tour and shuttle buses run by the National Park Service. Our special permit allowed us to drive our van through the park, stopping whenever we could do so safely. Incredible landscapes all along the Park Road. Got to see and photograph a gray wolf and grizzly sow with cubs, and saw Dall’s sheep and caribou at a distance. Denali appeared from behind the clouds as we approached the Eielson Visitor Center and we got some spectacular shots. We made our way to Skyline Lodge at Kantishna at the end of the road about 90 miles from the front entrance, and spent two nights there. The next day we managed to get a sightseeing flight in a Cessna 206 around Denali, and got some photos of the summit as well as some climbers on their way up. The drive out was just as spectacular two days later, especially for seeing a large herd of caribou crossing the road right where we parked to watch them grazing on the slopes.
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  • Part of the Alaska Range from the Park Road.

    Part of the Alaska Range from the Park Road.

  • Part of the Alaska Range from the Park Road.

    Part of the Alaska Range from the Park Road.

  • Yours truly at a Park Road pullout.

    Yours truly at a Park Road pullout.

  • A gray wolf posing by the roadside.

    A gray wolf posing by the roadside.

  • A gray wolf close to the road posed for us for a few minutes before disappearing in the trees. A rare treat!!

    A gray wolf close to the road posed for us for a few minutes before disappearing in the trees. A rare treat!!

  • Untitled photo
  • Denal in the distance, with the Park Road leading towards it. Tomorrow we will get up close and personal with the mountain from a small plane near the peak.

    Denal in the distance, with the Park Road leading towards it. Tomorrow we will get up close and personal with the mountain from a small plane near the peak.

  • A closer view of Denali. It is said that the mountain is only visible about 30% of the time, so we got lucky! Denali is the tallest mountain in North America at 20,310 feet. By comparison, Mt. Whitney is the tallest peak in the lower 48 at 14,505 feet.

    A closer view of Denali. It is said that the mountain is only visible about 30% of the time, so we got lucky! Denali is the tallest mountain in North America at 20,310 feet. By comparison, Mt. Whitney is the tallest peak in the lower 48 at 14,505 feet.

  • A grizzly sow with her two cubs were feeding near the Park Road.  We watched them for several minutes.

    A grizzly sow with her two cubs were feeding near the Park Road. We watched them for several minutes.

  • The grizzly sow looking for food.

    The grizzly sow looking for food.

  • The two grizzly clubs playing near mama bear.

    The two grizzly clubs playing near mama bear.

  • How true!! (Seen at the Eielson Visitor Center.)

    How true!! (Seen at the Eielson Visitor Center.)

  • A Hoary Marmot near the Eielson Visitor Center.

    A Hoary Marmot near the Eielson Visitor Center.

  • A pair of Trumpeter Swans. the brown on the heads is from dirt containing iron minerals.

    A pair of Trumpeter Swans. the brown on the heads is from dirt containing iron minerals.

  • Trumpeter Swan preening.

    Trumpeter Swan preening.

  • Skyline Lodge at Kantishna, where we stayed for two nights. What a jewel in the wilderness.

    Skyline Lodge at Kantishna, where we stayed for two nights. What a jewel in the wilderness.

  • The main lounge area of Skyline Lodge.

    The main lounge area of Skyline Lodge.

  • Some beautiful Bluebells.

    Some beautiful Bluebells.

  • Reindeer Moss growing all over the hillside near our lodge. This is actually a lichen, and can be eaten.

    Reindeer Moss growing all over the hillside near our lodge. This is actually a lichen, and can be eaten.

  • I'm walking over to check out our plane just before our flight. (I got the back seat!)

    I'm walking over to check out our plane just before our flight. (I got the back seat!)

  • Our Cessna 206 ready to take us to Denali.

    Our Cessna 206 ready to take us to Denali.

  • Untitled video
  • Denali - 20,300 ft summit

    Denali - 20,300 ft summit

  • A beautiful view of Denali summit with one of the several glaciers in the view.

    A beautiful view of Denali summit with one of the several glaciers in the view.

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