Our first great adventure once reaching land was a trip to Denali National Park and Reserve. Denali National Park is home of the highest point in North America, Mount McKinley. Its peak reaches 20,230 feet. Visitors to the park are frequently unable to see the peak of the mountain, because it is usually covered by clouds. Although we never saw the peak, the size of the mountain is still impressive.

As we rode on a tour around the park, our bus driver slowly pulled the bus over to the side of the road above a clearing with a small stream running through it. In the clearing was a young grizzly bear and a mother moose having a standoff. The grizzly was trying to get to the moose's babies that were hidden in the shrubbery along the side. After about a half hour of the bear trying to gain ground, the angry mother moose warded off the smaller grizzly. The disappointed bear turned and started for the road.

As the bear approached the road, our bus driver had to yell at a man who was outside of his car filming the scene. The bus driver demanded that he get back into his car and close the windows and doors. Apparently, while looking through his camcorder, he didn't realize that the grizzly was only about 30 feet from him.

The scenery in the park was absolutely amazing. There are many glaciers throughout the park and most of the rest of the ground is tundra. The mountains range from small mountains covered by shrubbery to tall mountains covered with snow. There was also a lot of wildlife, ranging from mountain sheep, to grizzly bears, to caribou. In the summer, plant life is abundant, with small flowers popping up between the rocks. The park is definitely a must for all Alaska-goers.

Also See:
Denali National Park and Preserve Official Web Site
"Denali Watch"
Alaska.com