Denali National Park
Shuttle Bus to Savage River
Day 5: Friday, June 28, 2002
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Today was my day to leave Wonder Lake campground. I was heading to Savage River campground, a true “car campground” around 15 miles from the park entrance. Cars are allowed to drive in to this point.
I got up to catch the early bus out of Wonder Lake
(7am departure), and the mountain was nearly fully in view for the first
time! Soon the few remaining clouds
dissipated and I had an unobstructed view!
The vantage point changed as I rode the shuttle bus away from the
mountain, and my last view was near Eielson Visitor Center. |
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On the way out of the park, past Eielson, we saw lots more wildlife than we saw on the way in. A total of five grizzlies were sighted, the best shot of which is here. The shuttle busses stop for wildlife sightings, and the windows open so a clear camera shot can be taken right from the bus.
A Dall sheep crossed the road in front of a bus that was ahead of us, I wasn’t able to get a shot. All of my Dall sheep shots are specks on a mountainside.
Several caribou were also seen from the bus, but this was anticlimactic to me after seeing so many in ANWR.
I spent part of the afternoon by the Savage River, where I was watching what I believe to be a lone wolf. My 200mm lens was not adequate to get a good shot. My binoculars were a bit better, but still the wolf was so far away it was difficult to see. Another animal was resting by the river, could have been another wolf or perhaps a lynx. I didn’t get a good enough look before it went into the brush. |
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