Day 10 Dawns a Glorious Day

Byers Lake

NOTE- I need to get out this morning and explore, so day 9 will have to wait. Unfortunately the wifi is non-existent at night due to all the folks here in the RV park.

Short drive today- only 124 miles from Byers Lake to Denali National Park Visitor Center and then backtracking to Cantwell RV Park. Feels pretty good. As I was leaving the Byers Lake campground I hit a puddle so deep I nearly lost the trailer! Lovely campground but I can’t say much for the unbelievable potholes in the gravel roads. This was also the first time I forgot to unplug the truck from the trailer so I was using the truck battery for my trailer lights last night. I don’t unhook the trailer since I’m only staying one night on the road. Fortunately, I have all LED lights inside the trailer so no worries- the truck started right up.

Old cabin along trail around Byers Lake

My first stop was the Alaska Veterans Memorial and Denali State Park Visitor Center- closed. Great view of the mountain, though. Off to Denali north viewpoint. Apparently there’s camping at both the Denali south and north viewpoints. Good to know but I’d take Byers Lake over them if it wasn’t full. At this time of year there were tons of sites when I pulled in. The maintenance guy at Denali North was cleaning the restrooms so I thanked him. I remember my friends from the North Cascades National Park days and the stories they told of cleaning up after visitors. Too often it's a thankless job. Great talk- especially the story of the woman who dropped her IPhone down a pit toilet and expected him to retrieve it. Not happening= get it yourself.

View from the Alaska Veterans Memorial

View from north viewpoint

I must have seen 30 tour buses today. After seeing how some of them and Greyhound bus drivers drive this past week, I’m not getting on one. They pass other vehicles in very dangerous areas (uphill, no-passing zone) and drive like maniacs.

Adolf Murie and wolves

Checked out the Denali National Park Visitor Center and was teary-eyed realizing that I made it, I’m here. I am experiencing a lifelong dream! Then I went to the bookstore on a shopping spree!

Murie Science and Learning Center

Talked to Sherrie at the Murie Science and Learning Center. I am so excited that I was able to visit the center. (I’ve also been to the Murie Center/Murie Ranch in Moose Wyoming). The Muries were amazing people- Olaus & Mardi and his brother Adolf & Louise. If not for these folks we might not have Grand Teton National Park and many other areas. Adolf’s work as a "real" biologist following wolves and studying them stopped the indiscriminate slaughter of the wolves to “save” Dall sheep. He proved that the wolves weren’t destroying the population of sheep. Mardi has a book or two out about hers and Olaus' life. Adolf’s classic the “Wolves of Mt. McKinley” is a good read. Olaus was also a wonderful artist. I could go on but you should google them and/or read their books. Amazing rugged strong individuals that studied wildlife on their turf- no radio collars, no darting, no intrusion. All of them were real movers and shakers in the conservation movement. Heroes of mine- can you tell? But I digress. 

View of Denali before getting to Cantwell

Sherrie told me she has met two other women traveling alone like me who were harassed at the Canadian border; one was held for 6 hours! I guess we look like terrorists. Plus, one of them was threatening to sell everything and buy a plane ticket to return home because the drive up here was so bad (Yukon I bet). Yeah- I’d like to bypass it and take the ferry but I don’t think that’s doable.

Guard bear in front of visitor center

For my transportation friends, I've seen many a poster board alongside the Alaska highways covered with 6-8 8 ½ x 11 pages of their construction SWPPs. They're  generally located where there’s no place to stop. Weird.

Denali National Park along Parks Highway

Wildlife seen- yellow-rumped warblers, dark-eyed juncoes, robins, gray jays, common loons, belted kingfisher, red squirrel. Seeing wildlife is pretty rare these days and driving doesn’t help. I’ve seen a variety of birds but couldn’t stop or they would stop and all I see is a little bird in fall colors. 

Lesson #10 The destination, once reached, is worth all the challenges overcome and the journey continues.