Inside Denali National Park

Friday we went to Denali for some historical perspective.  My dad had been here in 1943-44 when the US Army Recreation Camp was here.  During WWII the military had taken over most everything in Canada and Alaska Territory.  I talked with Park Rangers who pointed out locations of the “Million Dollar Hotel” and ski slopes used by our military men and women on leave.

On Saturday we signed up for a 12-hour Park bus trip on the 92-mile road through Denali National Park.  This is the only road in the park that ends at Kantishna.  Stopping about every hour at rest stops (and for wildlife along the way) our driver guided us on a wonderful journey and provided several places to photograph and view Mt. McKinley (Denali, if you prefer).

Will keep you updated this week as we look forward to Sarah and Jason’s arrival Friday.  While have not purchased fuel here at Denali it is available at $ 4.54/gallon.

Teklanika River Overlook

Park Road winds over mountains

South and North Peak of Denali

Eilson Visitors Center at Mile 66

Hiking Trail above Eilson faces Mt McKinley

The Park Bus

Rare Arctic Ground Squirrel 

Polychrome Pass

Denali National Park

We departed Fairbanks mid-day after some laundry and washing of the motorhome.  As we traveled the Parks Highway south we encountered some delay due to a fire that started June 25th about 40 miles south of Fairbanks and burned near the highway and bringing smoke over the weekend in Fairbanks.

The highway climbs leaving Fairbanks then descending into a broad valley passing Nenana before climbing again as we approached Healy, Alaska (where we are the next two weeks).  We are located at the McKinley RV Park along with our friends, the Relyea's.

We went out this morning to look around and get the lay of the land spending most of the early afternoon in Denali National Park and taking a hike along the Savage River trail about 14 miles inside the park.  We plan to visit Denali State Park tomorrow about 80 miles south of here.

Traffic along the Parks Highway fire

Moose on the loose

Another National Park on Joy's bucket list

Savage River in Denali

On the trail.......

Alaska Railroad Bridge approaching Denali Station

Fairbanks - Last Day

6/30/13

After a quiet day yesterday (Friday) we set out to see the Dalton Highway (The Haul Road) that runs from Fairbanks to Prudhoe Bay.  We drove up the road to get a sense of travel on a gravel road that is 450 miles long.  Since we just returned from flying to Prudhoe and Barrow we had no desire to travel its entire length.

Today (Sunday) we enjoyed an afternoon on the Chena River on the sternwheeler Discovery III.  This evening we are preparing to break camp.

On Monday plans are to travel some 125 miles south (finally) to Denali National Park.  We will be at McKinley RV Park in Healy, AK until July 15^th.  We look forward to some of our family joining us over the next several weeks.  We will update this blog as internet connections at Denali permit.

Joy finds the Alaska Pipeline

A moose on the loose

Just before the mosquitos attacked

Northbound on the Dalton

Curious sign

Don actually is on the trip with Joy!

A better section of the Dalton Highway

Fairbanks - Day Two

6/25/13

One of the main motivators for my trip to Alaska was to see where my father spent his “formative years” as an Army Air Corps crew chief between 1942-46 at Ladd AAF, Fairbanks.  He and my Mom met as he transited Watertown, SD AAF during those years flying back and forth to Alaska.

I was able to access Ft. Wainwright today for a few hours though photographs were not permitted due to this being an active-duty military installation.  The original large hanger, four barracks, base chapel, the mess hall, and the commanding officers house are all that way still standing, as they were at the time my dad arrived here.  I did a short walking tour around that small area on the northeastern side of the base.

During the war Ladd AAF was the transfer point for more than 8,000 aircraft to the Soviet Union.  My dad was assigned to the Cold Weather Test Detachment that I found is still active here today.  Harsh winter weather had to be mastered by pilots and mechanics to maintain war-readiness.  About 800 Soviet soldiers were based here at the time working to transfer aircraft desperately needed to fit Germany on the Eastern Front.  The “forgotten war” was also fought here on Attu Island in the Aleutian Chain when the Japanese landed and occupied the only North American soil of the War.  What a change my dad must have felt coming from Texas to a very cold, dark (6 months of the year) and foreign place!

Joy rejoined me for lunch at the Elf’s Den in North Pole made famous by a visit from Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives TV Show.  And no trip to the North Pole would be complete without a visit at Santa’s House.

Barrow, Alaska - Part II

6/27/13

We were up early in Barrow for a lovely breakfast at Sam & Lee’s Restaurant and a short walk to the airport terminal.  By morning the Inupiat fishermen had the whale “dismantled” preparing parts for each of the boat crews that landed it.  Then each boat crew cuts up portions for their families.  A celebration was scheduled for the next day with all Barrow residents invited.

Our non-stop flight back to Fairbanks was routine (if any flight across 550 miles of frozen tundra can be).  Joy did some laundry today as we relax a bit after the last 48 hours.  We remain in Fairbanks until Monday as we visit more sites and plan our next adventure.

The north end of North America - Point Barrow

Cold War DEW LINE station

Land of the Midnight Sun

Barrow's answer to the St. Louis Arch

Frozen tundra

Barrow, Alaska

6/26/13

We departed Fairbanks this morning bound for Barrow, Alaska (the northern-most) city in American and North America, some 330 miles north of the Arctic Circle.  Alaska Airlines 737 took us to Anchorage, then Prudhoe Bay, and finally Barrow.  We arrived under brilliant sunshine and mid-40’s temperatures.

Across the street we checked-in to our hotel – The King Eider Hotel.  Because of the tundra, mud, and dirt a no-shoes-inside policy is in effect.  Kind of nice, actually.

We arranged for a private tour of Barrow and Point Barrow by a 40-year resident.  A small town with apparent poverty, high salaries, government support mechanisms everywhere, and ancient traditions carried on today by the Inupiat Indians.  It was a banner day here as the first whale of the hunting season was caught.  Five boats towed what we were told was a 54 foot, 200 year old hammerhead whale to shore late in the evening.  Facebook spread the word around town a hundreds of the 4,800 residents came to the beach to see the first catch.  The native Inupiat are the only ones authorized to hunt whales, as no commercial hunting is lawful.  We drove to near the end of the peninsula at Point Barrow (considered a holy site by the Inupiat).  Gasoline is $ 6.20 gallon, milk is $ 8.00 gallon, and alcohol almost non-existent.

Top of Mt. McKinley

Go to the link below on YouTube to watch Joy and Sharon in the Arctic Ocean:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elaod9m6QO8