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Denali National Park → Portage Valley 287 mi (461.9 km) |
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Ruff ruff, everyone!
There’s a secret-special side to Denali National Park! It’s policed and protected by sled dog teams, and once in a while, those sled dogs have puppies! With that in mind, our first stop this morning was to catch another shuttle bus to the sled dog kennels!
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The kennels were not as I imagined, since most of my canine friends at home are free to run around. But these are working dogs, not pets. Some of them were in cages; others were chained up to their houses. This didn’t seem to bother them one bit, because they were very eager to be petted and to give kisses.
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These Alaskan huskies, not a strictly defined breed, do most of their work during the winter when they can withstand temperatures as low as 40º below zero! They lend their tugging talents to park patrols, searching for poachers and monitoring glacial activity, and for the rest of the year, they relax and give sled pulling demonstrations for visitors!
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Shortly after the crowds departed and there were only a few people left, it was time to help socialize the new puppies! One of the rangers brought in four 12-week old puppies, who were all too eager to play. I had to sit back at a safe distance because these puppies were big and very active with their mouths, but everyone else had a good time petting them and getting puppy kisses in return!
When the puppies were back in their pens, we caught the shuttle back to the nature center and learned about some of the wildlife of Alaska before heading south again. The most terrifying exhibit was about the warble fly! These horrifying creatures erupt en masse during the summer and breed by laying their eggs under caribou skin! The larvae hatch and tunnel about until they finally pupate and emerge again! Apparently, in return, they pollinate the tundra so the caribou have something to eat. Nature can sure be twisted!
We headed south again, passing from the clouds into sunny skies. We pulled out at a few stops to see Denali emerge once more from the clouds, then paused to fish at Troublesome Creek, a great, secluded spot in view of Denali, criss-crossed by bear tracks! The fish were more concerned with getting upstream than with biting, so we packed up and continued on our way.
Our goal was to stop and look for beluga whales around Turnagain Arm, south of Anchorage. This spot is home to the world’s largest bore tide, a rush of sea water coming in through a narrow inlet from a larger bay. Seals like to ride the waves sometimes, but by the time we arrived, the tide was in, and no sea creatures were to be seen!
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We enjoyed the last of the sunset before heading a little further to Portage Valley Cabins & RV Park on Wyatt’s Windy Road. It’s not a picturesque site, just a gravel parking lot surrounded by forest, but that’s okay. The picturesque stuff happens tomorrow!
We’ll take a turn again then!
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Total Ground Covered: 689.2 mi (1,108.5 km) |
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