We never take flying for granted.
Maybe it’s a result of growing up in the 70’s and 80’s, when going on an airplane was still a big deal for most people, but we’re always thrilled to see familiar territory in a new way, and even the most mundane of terrain becomes fascinating at 30,000 feet. And when the landscape is particularly spectacular, as is the case with Alaska, the flight becomes a gift laid out before our eyes.
To celebrate Earth Day, here are a few of our favorite pictures from our time in Alaska and from the road trip that brought us here. These photos plainly illustrate just how quirky, fragile, and beautiful our planet is:
Continue reading “Happy Earth Day! A few photos from our beautiful home”
This is one in a series of articles about our trip to Denali National Park.
On our last day in Denali National Park, two noteworthy events occurred:
1) We had our first showers in ten days (and they were amazing)
2) We met the sled dogs of Denali.
Continue reading “Puppies! The sled dogs of Denali National Park, Alaska”
Tips for hiking in Denali National Park
This is one in a series of articles about our trip to Denali National Park.
We expected Denali’s alpine landscape to be bleak and monochromatic. After all, tundra is supposed to be a vast, perpetual wasteland, right?
Wrong.
Continue reading “Denali National Park: Hiking the colorful Alaskan tundra”
Denali wildlife, small and large: From bear burritos to bull moose in Alaska’s Denali National Park and Preserve
This is one in a series of articles about our trip to Denali National Park.
Riding on the Denali National Park shuttle in search of wildlife was usually an all-day affair. We had plenty of time to meditate on the scenery and get to know our neighbors as the bus lurched along at 10 miles an hour.
Our contemplations, however, were often interrupted by urgent, single-syllable cries of “Moose!” or “Stop!” that brought the bus to a jolting halt.
Continue reading “What animals can you see in Denali National Park?”
Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska
This is one in a series of articles about our trip to Denali National Park.
You’d think it would be easy to spot Denali, North America’s tallest peak. It is, after all, over 20,000 feet tall. In reality, the mountain formerly known as Mount McKinley is notoriously elusive. It makes its own, constantly changing weather and is usually cloud-covered, so the odds of seeing it are fairly low. In a single day, there’s about a 33% chance of seeing the mountain in its entirety, and odds aren’t that much better that you’ll even get a glimpse of it.
That’s why Dale and I spent ten nights camping in Denali National Park and Preserve, a long time to spend in a single campground.
Did our time investment pay off? Yes, it did.
Continue reading “Denali, the “Great One”: Getting a glimpse of our most majestic mountain”
I’m posting this a few days after leaving Denali National Park, where we tent-camped for ten days. I have so much to share about Denali. It’s one of the most special places on the planet. People from all over the world visit and then keep coming back, again and again.
Continue reading “From Alaska, random thoughts about the road trip (It’s over!)”
