Another day in Denali
This was day 10, of the trip. July 30, 2015. We went back to Denali the next morning. (Did I mention we were staying in Healy?) We went on an actual hike today. We went with the ranger who was very fun, and we got to operate telemetry equipment, and see Moose tracks (FRESH moose tracks, the ranger had been over the trail the hour before we got there and they had not been there then!). And it rained on us. It was great because we were wearing our new waterproof jackets we got in Seward. Also used our telescoping walking sticks because the path was slick and muddy.
Our path was asphalted, but muddy?
Beautiful hiking
Moose track
Moose track
Next to the path!
The telescoping walking sticks weren't a total hit. I would telescope mine out, twist it tight, and when I came back to the bus, I couldn't get it to telescope back. I would work and work and hand it to the various men on the bus. Rich kept telling me I didn't have to turn it so tight, but I didn't want it to collapse on me on the trails. It got to be a real pain. But today it was totally worth it on those paths! We didn't see any animals in the park today...aside from insects, you know. We got to see mosquitoes and lots of them. Actually, and this is going to sound weird, I know, but after hearing about and worrying about the dreaded mosquitoes of Alaska, this was really the first time we ran into them. And they weren't bad because it was raining. So...well...it was cool and fun because it was another animal checked off! I know. I know. Real touristy, right? But shucks. That's what I was!
A mosquito
Dead
We saw plants and scenery and it was all good.
Plants and scenery
And telemetry
We had left David, our guy from the UK who...well...was a bit of a pain to be honest, at the motel that morning because he didn't want to go with us. So an hour and a half later got back to the motel and picked him up. He wasn't a happy tourist. We were only supposed to be gone an hour.
Oh well. In retrospect, we were a bit of a pain ourselves.
Our path was asphalted, but muddy?
Beautiful hiking
Moose track
Moose track
Next to the path!
The telescoping walking sticks weren't a total hit. I would telescope mine out, twist it tight, and when I came back to the bus, I couldn't get it to telescope back. I would work and work and hand it to the various men on the bus. Rich kept telling me I didn't have to turn it so tight, but I didn't want it to collapse on me on the trails. It got to be a real pain. But today it was totally worth it on those paths! We didn't see any animals in the park today...aside from insects, you know. We got to see mosquitoes and lots of them. Actually, and this is going to sound weird, I know, but after hearing about and worrying about the dreaded mosquitoes of Alaska, this was really the first time we ran into them. And they weren't bad because it was raining. So...well...it was cool and fun because it was another animal checked off! I know. I know. Real touristy, right? But shucks. That's what I was!
A mosquito
Dead
We saw plants and scenery and it was all good.
Plants and scenery
And telemetry
We had left David, our guy from the UK who...well...was a bit of a pain to be honest, at the motel that morning because he didn't want to go with us. So an hour and a half later got back to the motel and picked him up. He wasn't a happy tourist. We were only supposed to be gone an hour.
Oh well. In retrospect, we were a bit of a pain ourselves.