Denali National Park and Preserve (Part 1)

 

Unlike most of the national parks, Denali National Park and Preserve was initially established as a national park, not because of its spectacular beauty, but to conserve wildlife.  The original park boundary did not even include the mountain.  The lack of hunting and car access today is designed to keep the park wild.  The original 2 million acres still does not allow any motorized vehicle access, so the park has their own kennels (about 35 sled dogs) for mushing in the winter.  100 rangers work in the park during the winter.

In 1980, then President Carter not only tripled the size of the park but also renamed it Denali National Park and Preserve from the original Mount McKinley National Park.  Denali means “the High One” for Athabascan Indians north of the Alaska Range.  It was always called Denali by Alaskans even before the official name change.

The park road was being paved and widened but funds ran out, so it is gravel and narrow past the Visitor Center.  The farthest RVs are allowed is Mile 29, Teklanika Campground.  You need a road pass (must post it in the windshield) and are allowed one drive in and one out with no tow vehicle; I had to leave my Jeep at the Visitor Center and proceed to the campground; you have to stay a minimum of three days.  It is a dry/no facilities campground (the most expensive boondocking I’ve ever paid for, but totally worth it).  There are shuttles to take you closer to the mountain, and I have a ticket to Kantishna, as close as is allowed.  I’m a little early in the season (what’s new?), so I’m waiting a few days until the road is open.  I made my first trip to Eielson Visitor Center (6 hours round trip).  It was a nice introduction to the park.  We saw 4 of the “big 6,” plus a couple Golden Eagles and other assorted birds …  We were also among the lucky to see the full mountain on the road up, however, when we arrived at Eielson a thunderstorm started and the mountain was partially blocked by clouds.  Hopefully, the next trip will be clearer.  Apparently, it had been clear for the previous 5 days!

Quilt in the Eielson Visitor Center - yes, a quilt not a picture

I have learned a lot on the ranger walks and talks, about mushing and sled dogs and about the adaptability of plants and animals in the park.  Such as, the grizzly bears here are smaller than those elsewhere because they live on plants and rodents here as there is no salmon for them to eat; 70% of bear cubs are killed, mostly by male bears, to force the female bears to mate again.  Is that not sad? 

I saw a moose with a calf, some caribou and a bear on the way in.  The ranger said there was a wolf den close to the campground, but I haven’t seen one as yet.