...Denali 2009

July 11, 2009
Teklanika Campground #18
Denali National Park

It was hot when we arrived. At the park entrance the temperature was 79 degrees. At Teklanika Campground it was 73. We had never experienced this kind of weather on our annual Denali trips. The temperatures are usually cool and it is often rainy. We really wanted to make use of every minute so we ate a quick dinner of Tuna Helper and headed to the campground amphitheater to attend a ranger talk about the "Trials and Tribulations of Denali's Caribou." It was interesting and the girls enjoyed looking at the caribou antlers.

The Hufford girls in front of the sign at the entrance to Teklanika Campground which is 29 miles inside the park.

A park ranger displays caribou antlers and describes what life is like for a Denali caribou.

The Hufford girls pose for the camera while hiking on Tattler Creek.

July 12, 2009

The next morning we awoke to what was certainly going to be another warm day. We put on our hiking boots and hopped a bus to Tattler Creek. We walked about a mile up the valley and climbed a hill where we spent about two hours enjoying the spectacular views and watching golden eagles float effortlessly on the canyon thermals. We also, believe-it-or-not, complained about the heat. It was sweltering.

After hiking back to the road Liz, Laura, and Emily soaked their feet in Tattler Creek near the bridge. Several buses passed but we weren't ready to leave so we didn't flag them down. After a while everyone had their socks and boots back on and we were waiting for the next bus to pass when Liz said, "There's a wolf!" Sure enough, on the other side of the road from us was a black and white wolf. We caught just the most brief glimpse of it as it made its way down Igloo Creek. It was a great sighting even though there was no time to get a photo.

We stopped the next bus and rode back to the campground where we ate hamburgers and went to a ranger talk about Barbara Washburn. Emily got to play the part of the bear during the safety announcements.

A park ranger shows the crowd how to "act big" when you see a bear in the park. Emily was a very ferocious bear during the demonstration.

July 13, 2009

Today's hike was a bust. We rode a very crowded bus to Little Stony Creek where, upon our arrival, the driver spotted a sow and two cubs in the distance. The bus driver couldn't let us off within 1/2 mile of the bears so we disembarked a little earlier than we had planned. We had intended to hike Stony Dome but it didn't look particularly kid friendly so we decided to follow Little Stony Creek for a while. We saw a small ridge in the distance that looked like it would be fun to climb so we headed for it only to find that a stream ran along its base. And, it was too deep to cross. We tromped around for a bit before everyone got a little, well, testy (I think it was due to the heat). There was a brief mutiny and we decided it would be best to hike back to the road and catch a bus back to the campground. We waited for nearly an hour before one came along, which was okay because nerves calmed and we were able to view Denali in its full glory for the entire time.

On the bus ride back we saw a sow with a cub just before arriving at Toklat and a lone grizzly walking on the East Fork of the Toklat below Polychrome Pass. They were too far away to get a good photo but we enjoyed watching them through the binoculars. We also stopped for a photo op on Polychrome Pass.

The Hufford girls on Polychrome Pass. It was beautifully clear on this day. The next day the view was obscured by smoke from some of the 70 wildfires burning in Alaska.

We ate burritos when we got back and decided to take a short hike to the top of the hill near the campground. As we were walking down the road a lynx stepped out into the open and crossed in front of us! Once again, there was no time for a photo but we considered ourselves extremely lucky to have seen the wild cat as it walked within 30 feet of us.

We marched on to the top of the hill and enjoyed the views for about 30 minutes in the wind before heading back to the campground where Emily rode her bike around the loops. Then it was time to go to sleep and get rested for the next day which I will write about later. So, stay tuned for more of the Hufford's trip to...Denali 2009.