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If you think big, think Denali.
The Denali National Park and Preserve is a six-million-acre wilderness habitat for over 160 species of birds and 40-plus species of mammals, the most famous of caribou, Dall sheep, grizzly bear, moose and wolf, Alaska's "Big Five."
To rev up your imagination, this land mass is larger than the state of New Hampshire. And this wilderness is filled with 450 plant species despite the short growing season.
The popular tundra wilderness tour is worth enduring a bus drive somewhere between six and eight hours (depending on the number of sightings). The golden rules are to keep your eyes (and binoculars) open for impromptu appearances by animals, and to be as quiet as possible so as not to scare them. Of course this is quite a challenge for a large group when the buzz question, "Where?" constantly echoes from one side to the other when this happens.
For the rest of the excursion we will attempt to become "better spotters" through the living tapestry that nature continues to create in the park. Early into our approach is the taiga ("land of little sticks"), the northern boreal forest that borders Denali. We notice white spruce no taller than 50 feet and black spruce ("drunken trees") hopelessly stunted at six or seven feet, caused by poor soil and extreme elements.
About 20 minutes into the tour we spot a moose and 15 minutes later, three caribou and within another five minutes, three more. As we cross a bridge someone spots something furry and the vehicle grinds to a halt. It's snoozing in the sun, totally unaware we are whispering every possible assumption until we confirm that it's a marmot, the size of a beaver, commonly found in the warm slopes near and above the timberline
We notice the ever-changing pattern of the forest as the park road elevation reaches 2,500 feet to reveal the tundra, void of trees, followed by valleys, and then more taiga landscape. From bare hilltops bears target young moose among the forested taiga, while raptors sitting atop the stunted trees swoop down voles and mice in the vast open tundra. "Little guys" are found throughout the park and are a vital source of the food chain at Denali :ground squirrels, hoary marmots, pikas and snowshoe hares.
The tundra is Denali's "magic carpet" and a feast for the eyes especially in the summer. Delicate plants thrive on the long hours of daylight time (20 hours in June) but are limited to a three-month growing season. Colorful wildflowers blanket the tundra, but the development is almost like a time warp. Imagine some take at least a decade before they bud and even more years before they actually flower.
There are no close-up encounters with the Dall sheep. The world's only white, wild sheep roam freely way up high on the mountain ridges, presenting the illusion of white dots on the move. Males and females grow horns, striking and distinguished curved horns.
Getting out on flat terrain comes as a bit of a surprise but you only have to look around at the rivers wandering aimlessly around and you realize you are standing on rock and mud sediment brought down by glacial flow. Also, don't miss the colorful rocks in Igloo Canyon (purple, orange, white, tan, yellow and brown) made up of basalt, andesite and phyolite.
Although grizzlies and foxes are nowhere to be seen, we tally over 25 caribou, four moose, 23 Dall sheep and of course the sleepy marmot. The state bird even puts in a special appearance for us and of course it's a real thrill to see the willow ptarmigan pecking at seeds on the park road, totally blasé to being the star attraction. The ptarmigan is the chameleon of birds: it has brown plumage in the summer that becomes white in the winter when they also sprout white booties (feathers that cover the lower legs and feet.)
Centuries ago, this amazing land was home to Native Americans including the Athabaskans, Ahtnas, Tananas and Koyukons. The park has been designated as an International Biosphere Reserve for over 25 years by the United Nations, and the environment remains undisturbed in all its natural glory for future generations to enjoy.
Remember, Denali is approximately 300 miles south of the Arctic Circle and during the summer the sun is up for more than 20 hours. The "warmest" time to visit is from the beginning of May to mid-September.
DENALI NATIONAL PARK
PamelaAnn Campbell,
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