Discovery Hike

Went on a discovery hike yesterday! And what is that you may ask?

From National Parks Service website:

Discovery hikes are a great way for the adventurous and well-prepared to explore the heart of Denali. These ranger-led hikes go everywhere, so expect uneven terrain, small stream crossings, close encounters with dense vegetation, and unpredictable weather. To see if a discovery hike is right for you please take a look at the description and gear information. For safety concerns, rangers may turn away unprepared hikers.

Discovery Hikes are offered daily during the summer and are limited to 11 persons. These ranger-led adventures range from moderate (elevation gain less than 1000 feet) to strenuous (elevation gain more than 1000 feet).

On the way into the park we saw Denali (Mt. McKinley) in all its glory! That mean seeing the bottom, middle and top of it all at once :p Most of it is obscured at any one time and its only completely visible about 1/3 of the time.

Denali from far away

...closer


... closest!


Can you spot the 2 caribou in the picture? They blend so well into the tundra.


Here's 5 Dall sheep on the side of a mountain in a drainage basin.


Closeup


Teresa (from Ireland) and me on the hike.


A fox was very curious and came close to us.


It posed for a picture!

Caribou are starting to form groups to migrate.

Very majestic-looking silhouettes.

I really love the Denali area now. Absolutely beautiful with the reds, oranges, yellows and golds washing over the landscape. Best time to be here! Also saw the Northern lights last night, although it wasn't extremely spectacular. Completed my to-do list in Alaska so I'm satisfied :)