We sleep in. Take the shuttle to the lodge to check on taking the excursion bus for an 8 hour narrated trip in the park. At the Princess Tour Desk we find that they are booked up. Stanna recommends we try the Self Driven Back Country Jeep Safari. My first reaction is we are too old for that; Stanna, who is our age says NOOO she went on it and it was great fun.
So we sign up.
But first ice cream across the street from the lodge:
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| Ice cream shop on the boardwalk, at "Glitter Gulch" across the road fro the Princess Denali Lodge |
We are given a briefing by Brandon our guide. (He lives near Park City, UTAH in the winter.) We will drive as best as we can in his path. We are assigned the first jeep behind him. Go slow through the puddles, put in in 4 wheel high, use and listen to instructions over the CD channel 13. We head down the highway and turn left at Stampede Road, leave the pavement onto gravel.This is the road where a 20 something guy got trapped and stayed in a bus, eventually dieing from eating poison mushrooms. A book was written, and Sean Penn made a movie. The bus from the movie is now outside a bar in Healy.
We stop, and get out to walk on the tundra. Its squishy, water come through the tundra all year round. Under the tundra, anywhere from 8-12 feet below is the permafrost, it never melts. He points out the taiga, which is drier, small hills, and trees and shrubs.
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| Preparing to cross another puddle |
Wow what an exciting ride! Big mud puddles, deep ruts, riding with one side much more elevated than the other: someone calls out on the CB, "How far before this thing rolls over?"
At the end of the trail, is a small tent camp where Ron lives 6 days a week. He cooks the meal for the customers: beef stew, fried biscuits, drinks. He has 3 cans of bear spray in camp. He proclaims; "I can't believe they pay me to be here in this beautiful spot." Its Saturday, so Ron rides back to civilization with Brandon.
Ginger bounces around inside, but loves the adventure.
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