Tomorrow Bob has a guided fly fishing trip planned at 5:30am. It will be our final day in Talkeetna, so I will just get ready to move on down the line!
Enjoy a few photos from today's excursion.
Saturday, August 8, 2015
Hurricane Gulch Train Ride
Today we learned that riding trains is not our thing. It was beautiful scenery but very slow going. This is one of the last flagstop trains in the country. People can wave it down, along the track, to get a ride. Many are backpackers or people living off the grid who need to get to town periodically. Of course, town is Talkeetna-the only town along a 300 mile stretch of river. They can also get rides to Fairbanks along this line.
Tomorrow Bob has a guided fly fishing trip planned at 5:30am. It will be our final day in Talkeetna, so I will just get ready to move on down the line!
Enjoy a few photos from today's excursion.
Tomorrow Bob has a guided fly fishing trip planned at 5:30am. It will be our final day in Talkeetna, so I will just get ready to move on down the line!
Enjoy a few photos from today's excursion.
Friday, August 7, 2015
Lovin Talkeetna!
Such a great day! We started out with a wonderful breakfast at the historic Roadhouse, known for its breakfasts that are big enough to share! We followed that with a little shopping, a walk down to the river then back to camp to prepare for our jet boat excursion.
What a great time we had on the rivers! Our captain was a young man who grew up in Talkeetna. His parents came here in the early 70's to homestead. They lived off the grid until mom realized she was pregnant. Now he is following the tradition with his West Virginia wife, living off the grid, being the captain of the jet boat trips during the summer and snowmobile tours in the winter. One of the few we have met who live here year round. His deckhand was a young gal who does this during the summer and works in Hawaii on the Big Island during the winter. Boy these kids know how to live!!!! You will notice that she totes a gun when we do the tour of the Indian fish camp- could encounter a bear so she is prepared to save us!!!!
Hoping to be able to upload the video of going through the gorge. You will see photos of Denali poking its peak above the clouds, the river whose name means sticks and trees with gravel beds to dodge, a homesteaders cabin and our boat plus our guide with her trusty rifle.
What a great time we had on the rivers! Our captain was a young man who grew up in Talkeetna. His parents came here in the early 70's to homestead. They lived off the grid until mom realized she was pregnant. Now he is following the tradition with his West Virginia wife, living off the grid, being the captain of the jet boat trips during the summer and snowmobile tours in the winter. One of the few we have met who live here year round. His deckhand was a young gal who does this during the summer and works in Hawaii on the Big Island during the winter. Boy these kids know how to live!!!! You will notice that she totes a gun when we do the tour of the Indian fish camp- could encounter a bear so she is prepared to save us!!!!
Hoping to be able to upload the video of going through the gorge. You will see photos of Denali poking its peak above the clouds, the river whose name means sticks and trees with gravel beds to dodge, a homesteaders cabin and our boat plus our guide with her trusty rifle.
Thursday, August 6, 2015
Talkeetna
Day 23 finds us 150 miles south of Denali in the little town of Talkeetna. Air taxi service to fly over Denali or land on a glacier, all depart from here. There is also a portion of the Alaskan RR right behind our campground-we will ride to Hurricane Gulch and back on Saturday. This is a big fishing/rafting/jet boat area due to the confluence of 3 rivers: the Chulitna, Susitna and Talkeetna. We are doing a jet boat tour through the Chulitna Gorge and travel all three rivers. And, of course, my fisherman is taking a guided fly fishing outing.
This town was the inspiration for a TV series that Bob and I both enjoyed during the early 1990's called Northern Exposure. That must be where we got this inherent view of what a town in Alaska would look like. It fits our picture to a tee! There is a general store called Nagleys that is home to the mayor-a cat named Mr. Stubbs! He was asleep when we wandered in.
We are looking forward to breakfast at the famous Roadhouse located here-big enough to split plus trying their "said to be wonderful" cinnamon rolls.
Reports on all to follow!
Pictures of Talkeetna, some flies Bob purchased for fishing and a farewell lunch with our nephew. Sorry for the double pictures-can't figure out how to remove them!
This town was the inspiration for a TV series that Bob and I both enjoyed during the early 1990's called Northern Exposure. That must be where we got this inherent view of what a town in Alaska would look like. It fits our picture to a tee! There is a general store called Nagleys that is home to the mayor-a cat named Mr. Stubbs! He was asleep when we wandered in.
We are looking forward to breakfast at the famous Roadhouse located here-big enough to split plus trying their "said to be wonderful" cinnamon rolls.
Reports on all to follow!
Pictures of Talkeetna, some flies Bob purchased for fishing and a farewell lunch with our nephew. Sorry for the double pictures-can't figure out how to remove them!
Wednesday, August 5, 2015
A Bear and the Mountain
What a fantastic day! We spent 12 hours touring the park by bus-sounds awful, but they stopped at several spots along the way to the end of the park road at Kantishna Road House. The longest segment was 1 hour and a half. At the Road House we enjoyed a lunch of minestrone soup and turkey wrap sandwiches plus a giant chocolate chip cookie. There were opportunities for gold panning in the creek, dog sled demonstration or just sitting on the porch and rocking- our choice!
It was a beautiful day with glorious views of Denali plus close up wildlife as you will see! Much to our delight, upon our return to camp, was our nephew who lives in Florida. He has been on Kodiak Island this summer serving as captain on fishing expeditions. We are enjoying an evening visiting with him. In Alaska of all places!
So today we had a close up with a grizzly right outside the bus, a family of Willow Ptarmigan(the state bird)and fantastic views of the mountain!
Tomorrow is a down day, prepping to move on down the line!
It was a beautiful day with glorious views of Denali plus close up wildlife as you will see! Much to our delight, upon our return to camp, was our nephew who lives in Florida. He has been on Kodiak Island this summer serving as captain on fishing expeditions. We are enjoying an evening visiting with him. In Alaska of all places!
So today we had a close up with a grizzly right outside the bus, a family of Willow Ptarmigan(the state bird)and fantastic views of the mountain!
Tomorrow is a down day, prepping to move on down the line!
Monday, August 3, 2015
30% Club!
A beautiful bluebird skies day brought us a wonderful view of the mountain! So we have officially made it into the 30% club-only 30% of the people who visit the park annually actually see the mountain.
We enjoyed two short hikes today-one along the Savage River; the other on the Mountain Vista Trail with great views of Denali.
We had an ice cream splurge today-I had "Caramel Caribou with Chocolate Chips" and Bob had his standby-Cookies and Cream. Hey-we hiked today-a little ice cream was deserved!
We are hoping for a clear day tomorrow for our 12 hour trip into the farthest point of the park. If it is, the photos will be fantastic!
We enjoyed two short hikes today-one along the Savage River; the other on the Mountain Vista Trail with great views of Denali.
We had an ice cream splurge today-I had "Caramel Caribou with Chocolate Chips" and Bob had his standby-Cookies and Cream. Hey-we hiked today-a little ice cream was deserved!
We are hoping for a clear day tomorrow for our 12 hour trip into the farthest point of the park. If it is, the photos will be fantastic!
Sunday, August 2, 2015
Wildlife Galore!
What a successful tour we had today! We took an 8 hour bus tour into the park stopping whenever anyone spotted an animal plus at planned spots along the way ending at the Eielson Visitor Center. We had a great driver, guide-Elton Parks with 27 years driving for Denali Park. He shared tons of info about the park, the animals, the plants-a very knowledgeable guide. Plus he had great stories to share!
We saw 12 Grizly Bears, 17 caribou and several moose plus wonderful scenery! Sadly, the cloud cover kept us from seeing the mountain-Denali or Mt. McKinley (we prefer calling it Denali). But we still have days left to see it come out of the clouds! Only 30%?of the people who visit the park get a view of Denali. Hopefully we will join the club!
Photos today highlight the animals, the road, the scenery. Did not get shots of the moose- a guy stood up as Bob clicked the camera. It was a mama and calf. The cutest shot is of the little critter eating grass and flowers. Just couldn't resist!
We saw 12 Grizly Bears, 17 caribou and several moose plus wonderful scenery! Sadly, the cloud cover kept us from seeing the mountain-Denali or Mt. McKinley (we prefer calling it Denali). But we still have days left to see it come out of the clouds! Only 30%?of the people who visit the park get a view of Denali. Hopefully we will join the club!
Photos today highlight the animals, the road, the scenery. Did not get shots of the moose- a guy stood up as Bob clicked the camera. It was a mama and calf. The cutest shot is of the little critter eating grass and flowers. Just couldn't resist!
Saturday, August 1, 2015
Denali National Park
Day 18
We have arrived in Denali-so excited to have 5 days to explore this wonderful treasure! Tomorrow we are off on an 8 hour shuttle ride into the park in hopes of spotting wildlife. Denali restricts public transportation, so it's shuttle buses or tour buses all the way. We will go about halfway or so into the park tomorrow and on Tuesday we have a 12 hour tour to the very end of the park road. I hope to have many pictures to share!
We had smokey skies once again which made for hazy views of the scenery. Stopped at a railroad museum in a little town, Nenana. The town is "famous" for its Ice Classic. Every year people bet on when the ice will break up on the Nenana River. They must predict day and time to the minute! There can be multiple winners that split the pot which is in the thousands of dollars. The little town seems to be nearly bankrupt- most businesses boarded up with "For Sale" signs. Looks like a tough place to live. A gentleman was walking his dog and had him "show off " for us-barking hello and I love you. Well....we were polite.
Had reservations in the campground at the park, but our rig didn't fit! So we are a few miles outside the entrance at an RV park. Actually, it's better-water, sewer, TV, electricity- the whole enchilada!
First Denai wildlife sighting-a moose. It was a cow; I am hoping for a bull with a huge rack!
We have arrived in Denali-so excited to have 5 days to explore this wonderful treasure! Tomorrow we are off on an 8 hour shuttle ride into the park in hopes of spotting wildlife. Denali restricts public transportation, so it's shuttle buses or tour buses all the way. We will go about halfway or so into the park tomorrow and on Tuesday we have a 12 hour tour to the very end of the park road. I hope to have many pictures to share!
We had smokey skies once again which made for hazy views of the scenery. Stopped at a railroad museum in a little town, Nenana. The town is "famous" for its Ice Classic. Every year people bet on when the ice will break up on the Nenana River. They must predict day and time to the minute! There can be multiple winners that split the pot which is in the thousands of dollars. The little town seems to be nearly bankrupt- most businesses boarded up with "For Sale" signs. Looks like a tough place to live. A gentleman was walking his dog and had him "show off " for us-barking hello and I love you. Well....we were polite.
Had reservations in the campground at the park, but our rig didn't fit! So we are a few miles outside the entrance at an RV park. Actually, it's better-water, sewer, TV, electricity- the whole enchilada!
First Denai wildlife sighting-a moose. It was a cow; I am hoping for a bull with a huge rack!
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