Denali National Park and Mount Whatever-It’s-Called

The weather in Healy was the worst we’ve encountered yet on our trip through Alaska.  Low clouds shrouded the nearby mountaintops.  Rain ranged from nearly constant to merely frequent.  Mount McKinley, or Denali as it’s sometimes called, was completely hidden.  Nature’s colors were muted beneath the solid overcast and, unfortunately, my pictures reflect that.  Despite all that, the trip to Denali National Park and Preserve was a fun one.  Along the way we even saw one mama moose and her calf, although I didn’t try to photograph them through the windows of the moving bus.

The visitor center at Denali National Park was one of the better such venues I’ve seen, with a lot of interesting displays and information on everything from the geology of the park to the abundant flora and fauna.

As for our accommodations, we stayed at the Princess Denali Wilderness Lodge, which is run by Princess Cruises.  It’s a charming place, with a log-style veneer, comfortable beds, and the usual amenities.  The only real complaint I would have is that the walls and ceilings are far from soundproof, and the people residing above us walked to and fro with the gentle footsteps of a stampeding herd of angry bull elephants, in heat, on a bad day, with thorns in their feet.  Meanwhile the plumbing let us know in no uncertain terms each and every time a neighbor was flushing their toilet or jumping into the shower.  My recommendation is to make sure you ask for a room on a top floor.

Despite the challenging lighting and resulting muted colors, below are the photographs I took of this segment of our journey.  Interestingly, there was enough light to take shots well after 9:00 P.M. despite the cloud-darkened skies.