July 8, 2014 Denali, AK

We left the RV Park at 7:30 to begin our 8 hour/132 mile round trip bus tour into Denali National Park. The bus was packed (55 people) and we sat in the second to the last row. The bus left promptly at 8:30.

The Park Service says that of all the visitors that go into Denali, due to the mountains micro-climate, only 1/3 of the visitors actually are able to see Mt. McKinley. The weather was overcast and cloudy and the clouds surrounded the mountains. However, the scenery was absolutely amazing. We took over 50 photos, and we can tell you that they do not do justice to the actual view.

After four hours, we arrived at the Eielson Visitor Center. You guessed it – we could not see Mt. McKinley. The photo below was taken inside the visitor center, looking out towards McKinley. If you look closely, you can see where the Park Service has etched the glass to allow visitors to see where the peak of McKinley is (or would be if they could see it.).

Even though we did not see McKinley, the excursion was not a loss. We were able to see an abundance of wildlife including doll sheep, caribou, grizzly bears (2), and an arctic fox.

On our way back, we saw another bus coming towards us. Gayle took a photo of the bus on a bridge. Earlier we said the camera doesn't do justice to the scenery. Look closely at the bridge – particularly the bus. Now compare the bus to the mountains. Unbelievable!!!

We did have an excellent day. Tomorrow we leave Denali and head to Anchorage.