NP#1- Denali Revisited!

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September 3, 2011- Denali National Park, Alaska

Another glorious Day in Denali! The suns out and the puffy cumulus clouds add to the photo ops! Our Trek thru the Parks began two years ago when Charlie and I visited Denali National Park. It became NP#1. However, since Terry did not accompany us on this trip...I found it necessary to return to this majestic mountain with her so we would both have an equal number of Parks checked off our NP Bucket List. Just as it appeared back in September '09, The High One and the crisp Fall colors were both out in all their glory!

Savage River Revisited

Fifteen miles from the entrance to the Park the paved road ends. Here you will find the Savage River and a very easy 2-mile loop trail that gives you a feel for what Denali has to offer. Today I relive many of the fond experiences and sights I had with Charlie two years ago.

Savage River Foot Bridge

Up the hillside we hiked to get a different view of the Savage River Trail. The beauty and tranquility of Denali is difficult to describe. The vastness of it all makes one feel small yet connected to the planet in a way that once can only experience when one walks amongst the willows, along the rivers and amidst the wildlife.

Sept 4th - Inside the Park

We board the Kantishna Roadhouse Bus at 1:30pm for a 7 hour drive to our Destination - the Kantishna Roadhouse located at mile marker 91 on the only road that ventures into this Park.

As we wind our way along the dirt road, Gary our Bus Driver asks us to keep our eyes open for the "Big Four"...Grizzly Bear, Moose, Dall Sheep and Caribou. We bag all four but the two best sightings are the Dall sheep that seemed to want to board the bus and a Mother Grizzly and her two cubs.

The Original Roadhouse

Our visit to Denali included a three night stay at the Kantishna Roadhouse. The accommodations - quaint and cozy. The chow - ok. The people we met - enchanting! We dine with Marilyn and Richard, a couple of psychoanalysts from NYC. They happen to live but a few blocks from our good friend Carol Spomer. Small world after all.

The Modern Version

Pictured is the Main Lodge which houses Guest Registration, two Dining Rooms, gift shop and upstairs Meeting Room.

Cozy Cabins and rocking Chairs

September 5th

This morning at Breakfast, Bobby from the Kantishna Air Taxi Fleet is pitching his wares. "The mountain is out and today is perfect to experience Denali up close", chants Bobby. "I've got a couple more seats still available."

We bite! The one hour flight will take us completely around the 20,000 foot Beauty!

Ready to Board!

The wind's howling as we prepare to board this dinky little aircraft. The three Kantishna Air Taxi Pilots are trying to decide whether to take off into the wind or downwind. One of them jumps in his plane and makes a practice takeoff downwind. Upon his return, they decide to to launch into the wind. Hmmm?

Connie, our Pilot assigns his five passengers their seats. Terry will sit in the back with a guy who experiences air sickness. I'm assigned to the middle seats with the Sick Guy's wife. The POS (Passenger of Size) will sit up front with Connie. The big fellow weighs in at two-ten. Connie assesses his load. He huddles back up with the other two pilots. Upon his return, he pulls the POS off our plane and assigns him to another. Now Terry has the back seat all to herself and I am sitting shotgun. Away we go!

The High One!

The mountain is indeed "out"! Just a few sparse clouds lingering close to the summit. We climb to 13,500 feet and weave in and out of the 15-20,000' peaks gaining an incredible view of this handsome mountain. We approach the mountain from the north so our route takes us around the east side of the mountain. The morning sun is positioned off to our left making it perfect for sightseeing and picture taking!

Incredible Views!

It is said that Denali is rarely visible to visitors due to the fact that it is usually wrapped by cloud cover. Visitor Guides suggest you will have a one in six chance of actually seeing the mountain. When Charlie and I visited Denali, the mountain was "out" all four days during our stay. This trip, we went 3 for four. Today was definitely the best!

Dall Sheep Grazing

Two years ago, my Dall Sheep sightings were so far in the distance that they appeared only as white dots on the distant rocky slopes. This trip...they grazed along the banks of the road to Kantishna!

We didn't go Sheepless in Denali!

Grizzly Country

On the bus ride to Kantishna, the other cool sighting was this Momma Grizzly and her two cubs.

Sept 7th - Roadside Moose.

On the early morning bus trip back to civilization, we are treated to a young Bull Moose who was attacking this bush. Apparently, he was trying to remove the last bits of velvet from his mini-rack.

Garden Moose!

Magpie

On our Savage River Hike, we were visited by a very curious Magpie who posed for pictures.

Binking...er Biking to Wonder Lake

The one day the Mountain was not out, we decided to bike to Wonder Lake. It's only a 4-mile bike ride...all uphill and directly into a fierce wind. Great workout!

Sensational Sunset

When the mountain is out at dusk, the Staff at the Roadhouse busses the guests out to Wonder Lake to take in the incredible sunsets!

Sitka Spruce Silhouetted against a fiery Sky!

Fall in the Air

If you ever choose to visit this Park, my suggestion - go in early September. The Fall colors are fantastic. The animals are active. The crowds are small. And the Mountain is "Out"!

National Park #27 - Glacier Bay

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August 30, 2011 - Alaska!

Our next 4 Trek's take us back to the wilds of Alaska! First stop - Glacier Bay National Park. To reach Glacier Bay, one must either go by sea or go by air. There are no roads to this Park. We opt for the high road and jump on Air Excursions Flight #192 from Juneau, AK to Gustavus (the town adjacent to the Park) via dinky single engine plane with seats for 5.

Air Terminal at Gustavus

Security is very lax here in Alaska! Pictured above is the Airport Terminal in Gustavus! A bit rustic...however, no lines and best of all....no TSA! Just lazy dogs and old gummers sitting around the Terminal drinking stale coffee. The people of Gustavus are proud to claim to have a moose population equal to or greater than the people population. We saw two moose!

Terry drinking white wine? She must be crazed!

In the past 30 years, I've known my wife to drink but only a rare glass of white wine. She's been a Red Head for all of her wine drinking days. At the Lodge at Glacier Bay, she discovered a very nice Sauvignon Blanc that has made her a convert!

Bartlett River Trek with Ranger Fay

One advantage to visiting the Parks late in the season is that crowds are minimal. Terry and I had Ranger Fay all to ourselves on two separate hikes. In essence, we had our one private Trail Guide who was delighted to share with us her knowledge of the Park and its history.

The Bartlett River Trail took us thru the rain forest along a soggy trail running parallel to the River.

Terry's first Bear sighting

A couple of miles into our hike, I spotted a Black Bear across the river from us. This was the first Bear Sighting Terry has had since we began Trekking the Parks. She was thrilled...and anxious! She got a bit nervous when the big furry fellow decided to take a swim across the river over to our shoreline! Ranger Fay seemed a bit on edge too and pulled her Bear Spray out of her holster. Although this fellow got fairly close to us, he wasn't much interested and moseyed off into the forest! This would only be the beginning of our "Bear Sightings".

Tlingit Carving along Forest Loop Trail

The Tlingit People (pronounced Kling-it) thrived in this region for thousands of years before having to flee the advancement of glaciers that were said to be moving at the pace of a running dog!

Glacier Bay Excursion

When you visit Glacier Bay...you must cruise Glacier Bay. To take in the sights, we signed up for an all day Bay Cruise on a large catamaran. The cruise would take us on a 65-mile one-way excursion departing from Bartlett Cove and concluding at the foot of Margerie Glacier. We passed close to South Marble Island to view the sleepy Sea Lions and its bird population. We passed by Tlingit Point and caught a fleeting glimpse of Mountain Goats high on the cliffs and a couple of Grizzly Bears fishing on a river.

Reid Glacier

But the main event on this tour are the Glaciers! A little more than 200 years ago, most all of Glacier Bay was covered by one huge ice field. Since then, it has since receded at a rapid pace pulling back 65 miles as it continues to shrink. As we cruise the coastlines, we are able to take a close look at these amazing wrinkled ice masses.

Two hundred feet of Ice

That eerie creaking sound is the glacier getting ready to "calf". Calving is the term used when a large hunk of ice shears off the glacier and comes crashing down into the Bay or on to the ground below. We had the good fortune to witness this Glacier give birth to a "calf"!

The Margerie Glacier sits over two hundred feet above the Bay and 1oo feet below the surface. Like most all of the Glaciers, Margerie is receding.

Glacial Cave and River

Departing Glacier Bay

The day was overcast and a bit chilly, however, the Bay was glassy flat. A water skiers dream. No boats. No wake. Barely a ripple on the ocean's surface. As we motored back to Bartlett Cove, we spotted several Humpback Whales off in the distance and actually had the pleasure of seeing one breach the surface. We just happened to be looking in the right direction at exactly the right time.

Park rules prohibit Excursion boats from getting any closer than a 1/2 mile from a whale...hence the whale watching portion of the trip was certainly not up close and personal. That is until we ran over a whale. Yes! That sudden bump and hollow "thump" was our Catamaran colliding with a Humpback! The Skipper was stunned! He'd just hit one of the area's prized mammals! He placed a call to the local Whale Biologist who asked us to stay in the vicinity until she could get out to assess the damage. We circled around and kept an eye on the whale who when surfacing made a horrendous screeching sound...as if he'd been hit by a boat!

Once the Biologist showed up on the scene we headed back to Port. The word got back to us that the whale was doing fine. Minor scrapes on his back...but no serious injuries. In fact, the same whale was spotted the very next day in the same spot. My thoughts...we didn't hit this fellow...he attacked us!

Sea Lions lazily lounge on South Marble Island

Sea Lions, Whales and Bears oh my! Sea Lions, Whales and Bears! We're not in Kansas Dorothy. This Bay is teaming with wild life. Birds of many feather. Rafting Sea Otters. Kamikaze Whales. Mountain Goats. Grizzly and Black Bears. We even spotted a porcupine on one of our hikes!

Peaceful Bartlett Cove

The sun finally peaked thru the clouds and provided us with a stunningly georgous day perfect for kayaking the Cove. The snow covered peaks of the Fairweather Range in the backdrop and the Rainforest lining the shore capped off an excellent three day stay at Glacier Bay!

Kayak Komrads!

Things to do at Glacier Bay: Glacier Bay Cruise for sure. Hike along the Bartlett River. Drink plenty of Sauvignon Blanc. And take a Kayak out on the Cove.

Paddling to our next destination!

Chaco Culture National Historical Park

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Chaco Culture 

Morgan Holt, a good friend of mine, suggested we make room for a side trip and pay a visit to an extraordinary part of the four corners countryside - Chaco Canyon. Off the beaten path...in fact way off the beaten path... at the end of a 20-mile dirt road, you will come across Chaco Culture National Historical Park. Although it wasn't on our List of 40 Parks, Chaco proved to be everything Morgan said it would be.

Fajada Butte

As you enter the Canyon, Fajada Butte stands guard of the many ancient ruins that are found within the Canyon boundaries.

Chacoan Ruins

The Chacoan people spent 300 years constructing the many structures present in the canyon. Their culture began to blossom in the mid-800's and, like the Anasazi, abandoned their architectural achievements somewhere around the late 1100's to early 1200's.

Stairway to the Bluffs

According to our Ranger Guide, G. B. Cornicopia, (I'm not making this up. That was what was imprinted on his name badge!) All of the structures in Chaco Canyon were built according to a "Master Plan", some over a period of 300 years! It is estimated that construction of Pueblo Bonito, the most significant of all structures in Chaco Canyon, begun around 850 A.D. and lasted until around 1150 A.D.

The average lifespan of a Chacoan was about 35-40 years. This means it took 7 generations of Chacoans to complete these remarkable structures. Now that requires some pretty fancy planning and strict discipline! How do you keep 7 generations of teenage Chacoans focused on these huge masonry projects without finding them wandering off into the weeds?

Victory Room

The Chacoans were very skilled masons and incorporated several masonry patterns during the many phases of construction. It is unknown exactly what purpose the many rooms were used for. Darker thinkers theorize they served as dungeons. The lighter side suggest the rooms were used for storage. C.B. didn't offer up his opinion. He allowed us to choose whichever side fit our individual personalities!

Great Kiva at Chetro Ketl

Anything circular has been labeled "Kiva", according to G.B. However, not all Kiva's served the same purpose. Typically, a Kiva was a place to conduct sacred ceremony. Yet many of the Kiva's here at Chaco, appeared to be residences.

Kiva Condos

Although we'll never know, these Kiva's may have been timeshared out by the Chacoans! G.B. had an answer for every question. "We're really not certain what was going on back then! Most all that archeologists and historians have come up with is pure speculation." So there you go! My theory is as valid as any!

Vigas

The exposed log you see here is called a "viga" and served as the main beam support for the roofs and upper story floor construction. Although there is not a forest to be found anywhere near Chaco Canyon, somehow, these industrious natives hauled in an estimated 225,000 trees that were to be used in their construction projects.

And since they did not have horse or wagon back then, these peoples lugged the logs across many miles of the desert landscape on their shoulders. (At least that's how I believe they got the wood to the construction site.)

Thick walls of Chetro Kelt

Wall thickness varied depending upon its position in the structure. Lower supporting walls were up to 30" thick. The walls tapered off in thickness as the structures gained elevation.

Pueblo Bonito Rubble

In 1940ish, a large section of the bluffs immediately behind Pueblo Bonito gave way and came crashing down upon the ruins. Knowing the large slab was teetering and about to fall, the Park Service hired a Photographer to memorialize the event. During the day the slab was to finally come crashing down, the Photographer had been roaming about the Canyon snapping pix of the Ruins and had used up his supply of film. Consequently, at the exact moment the huge slab came cascading down, the Photographer was inside the Curios Shop buying film!

Intriguing Masonry

Having once been a quasi-mason myself back in my Rainforest Construction days, I truly came to appreciate the craftsmanship of the Chacoans. Their patterns and precision was incredible considering they did not have a Rock Yard to buy their supplies. Everything was hand made! The mortar hand mixed. Which, by the way, fascinated me even more. The creek bed running thru Chaco Canyon is dry most of the year. So where the heck did they get the water in which to mix their mud? Perhaps they hauled it back from the forest where they got their trees!

Multi Stories

Another point of fascination for me was to think about how these ingenious masons built these structures 4-stories high. Did they construct scaffolding? If so, there was no evidence of this to be found. If not, how'd they get the stones and mud up 40 feet in the air? Human pyramids?

Pueblo Bonito

Pueblo Bonito was the largest structure in the Chacoan system with several hundred "rooms" to its credit. It is thought to have been the central focal point of the Chacoan culture - their primary trade center, ceremonial center, social center.

These monumental structures were also believed to be oriented to solar, lunar and cardinal directions. Lines of sight between them enabled communication. Sophisticated astronomical markers surrounded them.

What was the purpose of all of this construction if in the end, it was all abandoned? C.B. didn't have the answer...nor do I. However, Terry and I found it fascinating!

Chacoan Doorway

A tall Chacoan stood about 5'4". The doorways they built typically measured about 24" x 48". The bottom of the doorway was always 3 feet above the ground level. Us Biggin's struggle to squeeze thru these openings! (The Park Service has filled in the rooms to preserve what's below)

Let your imagination run a bit wild here. Imagine a roof over these rooms. Total darkness in the evening hours. What was their function? How did the Chacoans navigate thru the rooms? Or did they? Was this just one huge construction project to keep the peeps busy? Great job security...unless you weren't a mason!

Stable Rock

G.B. assured us this hunk of rock will not come tumbling down like the one that crashed into Pueblo Bonito. It appears a bit top heavy to me!

Precision Masonry

I was astounded at how precise the walls were constructed. How clean each corner appeared. Look at the very top right hand side of this structure and you'll notice what I'm talking about!

The ruins of Chaco Canyon are truly amazing! But let's not forget the people...for it is they who created these structures! If the architecture is incredible, the peoples who created these wonders must have been extraordinary...or extraterrestrial!

Our visit was brief...however, we will once again brave the bumpy dirt roads to experience this incredible Canyon.