BASECAMP NIKISKI: DENALI NATIONAL PARK, ALASKA, SEPTEMBER 3-6, 2025

DENALI NATIONAL PARK, ALASKA, SEPTEMBER 3-6, 2025

Fall colors near the Savage River in Denali National Park.

DAY 1: (September 2, 2025)

We lit out from Anchorage bound for lunch at Denali Brewing, which is just a few miles down the Talkeetna Spur Road. After enjoying a mushroom pizza we returned to the road and drove to K'esugi Ken Campground whee we had secured the Denali Cabin. Arriving at 1:34 PM we had plenty of time for a hike around the campground trails and a game of cribbage. The cabin is large with several rooms and even has electricity. Later in the evening we enjoyed listening to a concert on my camo JBL speaker which included Liz's playlist. The following songs were included:

Times Like These (Foo Fighters)

Closer to Fine (Indigo Girls)

Tiny Dancer (Elton John)

Zombie (The Cranberries)

Jim Dndy (La Vern Baker)

Tweedle Dee (La Vern Baker)

For What It's Worth (Sawyer Fredericks)

Your Song (Elton John)

Voodoo Voodoo (La Vern Baker)

The Room Where It Happens (Leslie Odem, Jr. and Lin-Manuel-Miranda)

Who'll Stand With Us (Dropkick Murphy's)

Least Complicated (Indigo Girls)

DAY 2: (September 3, 2025)

After a restful night in the cabin we awoke to more cloudy skies and light rain. After a quick breakfast and a morning stroll we returned to the cabin for another game of cribbage, which Liz won handily. Then we loaded everything in the truck and took off for Denali National Park.We made our way to the Mountain Vista area where we had a picnic and walked around the Mountain Vista Trail. There were lots of people hiking with us. Everyone seemed happy to be there and appreciating the scenery.

Back in the truck we drove to the Savage River Campground in hopes of finding Janette Cadieux and her sister Mary. It so happened they were just returning from a morning hike and we sat down at their picnic table for a good visit. We also made plans to pick them up later in the evening for Moose Patrol. After that we returned to the park entrance and Grizzly Bear Cabins where we checked in. It was good to be back at the Cheechako Cabin.

After dinner at the Thai Food Truck we went back to get Janette and Mary for the evening's main event. We drove out to Savage River where we got photos of the fall colors with rocks and sky. It was beautiful.

Back on the road we spotted a Northern Hawk Owl and before long our first moose jam. A cow and calf stood near the edge of the road staring at the commotion of vehicles they were causing. After getting a good look we pressed on. Just a few miles later we saw flashing lights, busses, RV's, and various other vehicles stopped in the road. We knew it had to be something good. And, it was.

When we got near the action we saw a good sized bull practically standing on the pavement. He was nonchalantly browsing on twigs while a major cluster of people watched and took photos. Janette especially took photos. Fifty-eight of them in fact. Everyone was happy and single-mindedly focused on the bull. It was as fun to watch the people as it was to watch the moose.

All-in-all we saw 10 moose and a Northern Hawk Owl, so it was a good evening. After returning Janette and Mary to their campsite it was back to the cabin for some rest because we were renting bikes the next day.

A bull moose partially hidden by vegetation at the edge of the park road.

DAY 3: (September 4, 2025)

We had been watching the weather forecast and decided today would be our best bet for favorable bike riding conditions. So, we made our way to Bike Denali and rented some ebikes. In short order we were pedaling the park road bound for Mountain Vista. It took us about and hour-and-a-half to get there under mostly sunny skies. We took a break there and had a picnic. Then it was back on the road for the downhill trip back to the park entrance. It was fun as we cruised along rather effortlessly. After returning the bikes we went back to the cabin and made plans for dinner at Creekside where Liz had fish-n-chip and I had halibut tacos.

Moose Patrol was very good and we lost count of the number of moose we saw. There were many moose jams and the wildlife officer was working at a frenzied pace to keep the road passable. At one point we saw two bills sparring at the edge of the road almost directly in front of us!

Sunrise in Denali country.

Taking a break at the edge of the park road during our bike ride.

Posing with bikes at the park entrance sign.

DAY 4 : (September 5, 2025)

We caught the 10:00 AM bus bound for the East Fork which was loaded with pleasant and excited people speaking many different languages. Most significantly, we came to realize our driver, Rex, had been our driver on a previous bus many years ago. We thought it was funny because he continued his legacy of of providing misinformation.

As he drove along he explained the Congressional closure of Sable Pass was was done so "late risers have a chance to see the wildlife before it gets scared away by early busses and hikers." We had a good laugh over that. That aside, the ride was genuinely good and we were lucky enough to spot the Big Four--Dall sheep, caribou, moose, and grizzly bear. My favorite was the group of seven caribou that crossed the road in front of our bus at the Teklanika River flats.

Back at the park entrance we made a brief stop at the gift shop then hiked a portion of the Triple Lakes trail. We made it across the suspension bridge before turning back. As we were walking along we heard a train whistle from a distance and saw it pass over a trestle above Riley Creek.We were too far away and the foliage was too dense for photos. But, we ran into a railroad employee that got some good images which he shared with us as we walked along. He was a very friendly guy and told us he was getting ready to move back to Ohio after the season was over here in Alaska.

The weather became more beautiful as the day progressed and conditions were perfect when it was Moose Patrol time. Once again, there were lots of moose and several jams as we made our first pass. At one particular sighting we got out of the truck and watched as a large bull meandered along the edge of the road.

As we stood there a lady and her daughter came up behind us loudly complaining about the wildlife officer whom had evidently told her that all four wheels of her vehicle had to be parked off the pavement. The disconcerted lady said that in all her previous years only two wheels had to be off the road. This new rule was extremely troubling for her and she continued on about it ad nauseam. We finally went back to our truck and she followed us complaining the entire way. She even knocked on our window and wanted us to to listen to her repeat her four wheel/two wheel lamentation. I told her I didn't care and rolled up the window. Then slowly drove away thinking it was over.

We drove to Mountain Vista and along the way Liz said, "The mountain is out!" Sure enough, the coulds had cleared and there it was in all its grandeur. It was the only time we saw it on this trip. We got plenty of photos before turning back for a final pass through now what could be termed "Moose Alley" due to the significant numbers of moose on this section of the road.

Continuing to drive along we entered the previous moose jam and saw a guy with a camera walking deeply into the brush.We crept along in the truck before parking-all four wheels off the pavement-and walked down the road. That's when once again we heard the lady and she was still complaining about the wildlife officer and the parking problems.

She was still going on when a minor confrontation began to escalate between the man from the bushes and other moose viewers along the edge of the road. The moose viewers were upset at the man because he had scared the moose away and nobody could watch it anymore. The man countered saying he had "every right to go into the bushes," and he "didn't scare it away."

Suddenly, the lady who was complaining about the parking situation shows up in defense of the bush walker guy, who, as it turns out, was her husband. You can probably imagine how this compounded the entire situation. Insults were hurled back and forth at an increasingly rapid pace. Soon the lady was exclaiming that she and her husband were "from here" and could do whatever they wanted because they've "been here for 21-years," and so on.

We left the scene to finish our final Moose Patrol of the trip in hopes of getting away from the fiasco which continued to unfold in front of us. In that we were successful.

Putting the drama behind us we went back to the cabin where we would get another good night of rest. The next morning we got up and packed our gear. Our trip wasn't over because we were continuing on to Fairbanks, but we were already making plans for our next foray to Denali National Park.

TRIP STATS:

Miles driven: 1122.5 (that included driving from Anchorage>Denali National Park>Fairbanks and return via Richardson Highway)

Cribbage Tournament Winner: Mrs. Huffy (it should be noted she had two 24 point hands as well)

Ebike miles ridden: Approximately 29

Moose: Approximately 25

Caribou: 7

Grizzly bear: 1

Dall Sheep: 10

Northern Hawk Owl: 2

Ptarmigan: Approximately 20