Alaska Binoculars in Denali National Park Friday July 17th

On Friday Mike and I decided to drive into Denali National Park as far as we were allowed to go.  The drive was 15 miles long.  We stopped along the way and looked for animals with our binoculars.  

Mike in his element.  Looking for animals in their natural habitat.  He so wanted to see a grizzly bear.  

As it turned out I was the one that got to see a grizzly bear through my binoculars.  I saw it and told Mike.  By the time I told Mike where the bear was it was gone.  At this same spot we were packing up to move on and I saw a lynx cross the road just above us.  I called out to Mike but was occupied doing something else.  By the time he turned around the lynx was gone. 

As we headed up the road we saw a hiking trail that we explored.

Alaska is so unique and beautiful. 

Since we didn't have any bear spray we decided not to travel too far on the trail.  

We stopped at another spot toward the end of the road.  Mike spotted a caribou swimming in the river.  I didn't see the caribou and Mike said it went up into the brush.  We couldn't find it but someone else did a few minutes later.  If you stop to look at anything others stop to see what you are looking at.  We were glad this guy stopped.  The caribou didn't move much and we thought it might be injured.  When the caribou finally started to move we noticed it wasn't injured. We must have watched that caribou for 45 minutes.  No pictures of the caribou.  It was too far away.  

We made it to mile 15.  A hiking trail led to this rock formation.  It was way up high.  There were some people on top of it when we got there.  I wanted to get a picture but I needed to change the lens on my camera to get a better picture.  The people didn't wait for me to do that.  Unfortunate. I didn't get the picture. 

I wanted Mike to stand below the rock formation to get a perspective of how high it was but it didn't really work. You still can't tell how far up it was.  I kept the picture anyway.  

Wildlife taking pictures along the river.  HAHA. 

Our snacks were peanut butter and crackers. 

A volunteer was telling us about the area. This was a fun day just doing what we wanted to do and spending time it God's very unique creation.  Alaska is beyond majestic. I saw a caribou, a grizzly bear and a lynx.  Mike saw the caribou.  I wish the grizzly bear would have stayed around just a little longer. 

West Glacier National Park Again, Sunday

Sunday fun day!  This is our set up.  Thought I would take some pictures of the RV park. Here they are!

The park is big but you would never know it.  Our site was very private.  Several roads wound around the park. We never explored it all. We might have gotten lost.

 This was the view from the office.  Nice, you could fish in this pond.  There were rules but I didn't read them.

 The office and small store.

We headed up to Lake McDonald again to find a place to hike.  Safety in numbers!  The more people the less bears maybe?

 Mike had to return a shirt he bought first!

We decided this trail looked like a good one.  It was right across from the hotel.  6 miles up to the top.  We decided from the start we were not walking 6 miles up.

 Everything you read about hiking says to take bear spray on any trail, so we did.  We didn't have to use it thankfully.

Muscle man Mike!

 We met some trail riders going the opposite way.  Down.

 A nice little creek.

 This is Lake McDonald! Well, a small part of a very large lake.

 Upward we go.  Doesn't look like it was uphill but it was!

We sat down for a rest and met Stacy.  He said he was going to work hiking up the trail.  What?  Well, there is a chalet at the top of the trail and it burned down.  The rebuilding had started and the roof was rebuilt and anything else that burned.  Much of it was stone.  Stacy was working on the stone part of the chalet.  Making any repairs needed.  It has several rooms that hikers can rent.  The deal is you have to hike up 6 miles to get to it.  It hasn't reopened yet.  He showed us some pictures of the chalet.   Beautiful place for sure!

 I took this picture because it marked one mile up.  We hiked up a little more and then turned around.

 Down we go!  So much easier!

 Who lives here?

 We finished off our visit to the park with a picture to prove we were at Glacier National Park!

 And then another date night with Mike!  He knows all the best places.

Actually, the food and the service was great.  Very friendly people.  Mike had fun watching all the locals.  

These dollar bills were all over the restaurant.  They all had names or messages on them.  

 Dart board of course.

 These are all pool trophies.  I didn't get a picture of the pool tables.

 Well, that sums it up for Sunday.  Hiking and eating at the local joint.  I really like hiking!