Flying Over the summit of Mt McKinley (Denali)

June 18; 6:00 pm
Perhaps the most incredible, beautiful, awe inspiring adventure of our life!!!

We were able yo get on the summit flight to Mt McKinley today. We went with
www.denaliair.com
Be sure to check out the photo section of this website.

The photo shows the plane we flew in.  An 8 passenger, twin engine. prop.
The pilot was young, very intelligent. He narrated with geology, geography, and history of the area.
It began as a clear sunny day, but a laye of clouds moved in.
He flew us below the cloud layer, pointing out various mountains, valleys, rivers, and glaciers.
Constantly telling us the altitude, elevation of mountains, and the outdoor temps.
As  he neared Denali, he looked for a hole in the clouds, spotting blue sky above he announced "we're going to shoot through that hole".  We did. At about 12,000 ft altitude we put on our oxygen masks.
During the entire trip we had on headsets with earphone and mikes. We could ask questions to the pilot.

As soon as we broke through you could see the majestic mountain. We headed right towards it.
Getting within a distance so close we could see a group of mountain climbers, roped together, nearly to the summit.   We could see their trail in the snow, and their last campsite.
We circled the summit twice, tilting the plane to see various angles, and the North and South slopes.

 The greening of the mountains climbs higher each day.

 The red roofs are the Princess Denali Lodge, where we work.

                                                              Fang Mountain

 We break through the cloud layer to see MtMcKinley in the distance.

Adding these photos(7/15)

 On the left side slope is where we could see by eye, a group of 8 mountain climbers headedto the summitt.  Could see their tracks, and basecamp below them.

 Fanf Mountain, used by bushpilots as a visual navigational aid.

The return flight was especially fun when we approached the runway in Healy. We followed the Nenana River and its valley. The pilot communicated with 2 other tour planes that were also landing.  They negotiated who would land in what sequence.  We were first. Landed and turned around on the runway, no taxi area there, so we taxied back up the runway....here comes number 2, but the pilots must have done this many times. We got a good view of it landing.

The DenaliAir van dropped us off at The Homestead (our housing), leaving us with great memories of the summit of Mt McKinnley!

Otto Lake a month later

 Its amazing how fast things have turned green, and wild flowers have blossomed. Above is the golf  course ar Black Diamond,within a 40 minute walking distance from our housing, taken the 2nd week of June. Below same place taken June 19th. See other photos from there below.

 Wild Irises blooming all along the shoreline of Otto Lake

 I scared a momma duck off her nest. The eggs were about the size of chicken eggs.

 Momma didn't fly too far away. She didn't like me looking at here eggs. I didn't touch them.

Summer Solstice-June 22, 2011

The longest day of the year! Locals held celebrations, a couple got married at Otto Lake then jumped in, a bonfire followed. Ginger and I just rested.
Heres a photo took from our room widow at 3:00 am that morning. Thats the outside of our building.

It really never gets dark!

1st Home Cooked Meal

Sunday, June 26, 2011:

Finally,!!!!!  My first home cooked meal since May 5th. Church had a pot luck dinner. Lots of good potatoe salads, coleslaw, fruits, sandwiches, and conversation. The Preacher and a friend were planning to go fishing at the King Salmon run on Thursday.  Its about 50 miles from here. They refer to it as "combat fishing". Guys line up elbow-to-elbow, with stiff rods, and 100 lb test line.

Reason for the luncheon was that a couple, our age, were headed to a remote village in the Yukon Area of  Canada to translate the bible into the Native language.  I was told it was a pretty dangerous area for white people. They were told not to stay in the village at night 

Covered Wagon Trip

   We went for a covered wagon ride this evening.  We both had today off.  It was great and the meal waiting fo us was wonderful.  We were served potatoe salad, coleslaw,pasta salad,ribs, chicken, caribu meat,salmon, baked beans, corn on the cob, bisquits, and cobbler for desert.

The ride was on dirt trails through the wilderness. It was very bumpy! Ginger was giggling like crazy.
   The horses were a Belguim something. They look sort of like Klydesdales.   

 Left is horshoe of our horses, right is regular horseshoe

 Our wagon driver...he's from Chezoslavikia..lots of Eastern Europeans working here.

 Here's our BIG boys

The two Alaska pioneers

hi ernie & ginger

we miss you , but i love all the pics. is the puppy coming home with you?? we put up a new kids swing set last sat. it was a long day from 8am to 8pm.. we were tired but happy with it. the next morning the kids were soo excited and loved it.. will send you a pic on email.love you carol & greg and my girls too.. p.s erin is still in the hospital so please say some prayers for her to get better.. she had surgery a month ago to remove a tumor form her colon and pancreitis (sp) but cant keep food down.

Best Day Here, yet

Satuday, June 18, 2011

We've had 2 main tour items we wanted to do since we've been here, and we did them both today. Its Our one day off together each week.

Husky Homestead
www.huskyhomestead.com

Owned by 4 time winner of the Iditarod, Jeff King, this is where he trains his huskies.
With his wife, 3 daughters, and friends, they have over 30 dogs. The tour included some excellent
infomation on raising the dogs, excercising them, feeding, training them on the sled, and also what the musher does during a race. We found out, the one thing these dogs love to do is RUN
As soon as we step off the van, there are 3 girls holding 6 puppies. Ginger gets the first., gets a new puppy. With eyes barely open, she adores it, cuddles it, it suckles on he neck.

                                     The Carousel, work out, home..wow, they love running this

                                                              The excercise wheel

                                                 Hey, we found something good to chew on

                                                       They love the Lead Dogs

                                                                      An old dog sled

 A modern, custom design, by Jeff King, dog sled. Light weight aluminum, special plastic runners

                                                      Just some of Jeff's trophies

We bought Jeff's book: Cold Hands, Warm Hearts.  It is loaded with photos, and beautiful artwork by his artist wife.

Ginger wants to come back soon!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Midnight Pizza at Prospectors Pizza

June 4, 2011: Midnight
www.ProspectorsPizza.com
Its been a long day.  This photo taken at midnight. It never gets any darker than this.

We get a ride via their van to Prospector's Pizza, a local pizza restuarant, across from the Princess Lodge. Here's some photos of the unique interior.

First Trip into Denali National Park

June 4, 2011: With our first day off together, we decide to go to DNP. www.nps.gov/dena
At 2:00PM we choose to go on the shuttle to the Eilson Center, the farthest into the park you can at this time of the season.  The descriptive word is:  VAST
Its 4 hours out, 4 hours back....remember it does not get dark here!
We will make only a few stops, but no food or water stops, so its bring your own.
We get a 6pak ticket (6 trips into the park for $57, this trip alone would cost $31).
We are briefed by the bus driver, including yell out loud STOP, when you see an animal.

We see unbelievable mountain ranges, wide open valleys, and "braided" rivers with water from glaciers.

 A female moose crosses our path....they are huge!!

Many areas, even at ground level still has snow and ice

We road to the Eilson Visitor Cnter which was pretty new. It was a beautiful building , with unbelievable scenery. (We heard a few weeks later, they had video tapes of bears peering in the windows, when it was closed)

 Dahl Sheep, we call them mountain goats..an entire family

Herd of Dahl Sheep on a riverbed

 A Red Fox strolling down the road...he got lots of attention.

We stopped at a small visitors center. It was actually, a vinyl tent-like building. It had some neat displays, including"

                                                             A Grizzly Bear hide

                                                                    A Wolf hide

                                                                            Caribou antlers

We reach the Eilson Center, with views of glaciers. Can't see Mt MccKinley, but only 16% who visit see it clearly.

                                            Wow, what a view. Outside of the Center

                                                     Looking the other direction

From the inside viewing window. A panaromic view points out the mountains you are looking at.

                                                          Stats board in the center

Two Bull Moose fought. Their antlers locked. They died together.

 On the way back we see Caribou, known to us as Reindeer....

It was 10 pm when we arrived back at the Wilderness Access Center. Time for some pizza!