Denali National Park - Amigo Urso, Magic Bus and the magic of the aurora

Factsheet 4×1

Date: 28/09/2012 to 30/09/2012

Saímos of: Coldfoot, AK

Destination: Denali National Park, AK

Distance: 590 km

Travel time: 12 hours, pulling near 2 hour stop in Fairbanks for dinner and relax, and other stops along the way

Path: We take back the Dalton Highway, até a Elliot Highway, we dropped again to Fairbanks. From, followed by George Park Highway to the entrance of Denali National Park, near the town of Healy.

Where to sleep: Floor warm and luscious post office park. After spending a tremendous cold camping in the camping area, mail (post office) with the lobby open 24 horas foi a solução para não congelarmos durante a noite.

What eat different: King crab (carangueijo) and more natural salmon! We take our passage to savor the culinary delights even more in Alaska 49th State Pub & Restaurant.

Tire cheio: The ballet's magical Aurora Borealis! So after much anxiety and positive thinking, were finally rewarded by a light show in the sky of Denali.

Tire murcho: Park partially closed! Unfortunately, could not pass the mile 30 do Denali, since the road was closed from then on for the winter season. We arrived about 10 days late.

Denali National Park - Amigo Urso, Magic Bus and the magic of the aurora

After unforgettable days in wilderness, We were treated to a light show as never seen before. The Denali is truly a special place, which, no doubt about it, already has a placeholder forever in our memories.

After we reach the most northern point of our expedition, in the icy mountains of Atigun Pass, we headed south. We left the morning of Coldfoot toward the famous Denali National Park and Preserve. The park encompasses more than 25.000 km ² of montanhas, forests and lots of wildlife. Ali is also home to the highest mountain in North America, o gigante Mckinley, with 6.194 meters.

Even with all our efforts, I could not get the time to have the entire park open for visit. The roads that cross the Denali are fully flyable during the summer season, from the middle of May until September. From dai, with the arrival of cold and snow in the region, a good part of the park is closed to visitors. There is still the possibility to participate in a lottery to get visit Denali whole car a few days after the closure of roads, but it is very difficult to achieve, due to intense competition.

Happily, was not all bad we missed the date. A visit to Denali in the summer, from Mile 15, can only be made with a bus available from park management. This runs regularly through the points of interest along the 91 miles (146 km) of highway cortam the park. Os visitantes podem descer e subir nas paradas que mais tiverem interesse. But, not allowed to use their own vehicle during this period. In other words, se chegássemos a tempo nunca poderíamos rodar com a Tanajura no interior do parque. Isso deixaria nossa parceira bastante sentida, tadinha! Then, in the end, although we found the only open until Denali mile 30 (48 km), had the pleasure of bringing us Tana, which made the visit even more special.

It was late evening when we passed the park entrance. In the darkness, we come to the only campground that was not closed for the winter season, already near the park entrance. Or was quite organized camping, with placeholders, tables and restrooms. And it was free. There was still some travelers out there, most of them in their gigantic RV (or RVs – Recreational Vehicles).

The temperature hovered around 0 º C, As we prepared to spend the night. We had not eaten dinner and there was no hope of finding something open at that hour in the vicinity. That's when we decided to cook a soup that we bought on the way. The task became very difficult with the cold and icy wind, who would not let anything in our toaster oven warmed pot. Suddenly, solution! Remember one a curious recommendation on the official website of the park. There is a post office (Post Office) in the Denali, que tem o saguão aberto 24 hours. The message indicated that it was the perfect place for those who wanted to escape the cold a little park. We did not know exactly what they meant by this, but we have seen this recommendation the only way to get a meal that night. We brought the utensils inside, along with our folding table and prepared a delicious soup in a pleasant temperature inside the post office.

We think up to spend the night over there too, even in the lobby, but we decided to test our resistance to cold of Alaska. For? Before we had even gotten in the mail! We were beaten during the night! Not even the heater we bought to try to help realized as dawn was falling and thermometer lowered to negative.

Despite the cold, agreed to forward the following day, when we finally take a look at what the park has to offer. We went through Murie Science and Learning Center, an information center that functioned as the visitor center in the winter season, since the others were closed. We know the trails and learn about the park and the animals we could find on the way, before leaving for the wilderness.

We decided to complete the miles by car possible (even miles 30), enjoying the weather was relatively open (at least more open than in previous days). The snow already took care of the landscape and the mud road from Mile 15. We were in no hurry, enjoying the mountain scenery and the animals that gave time or another faces. No horizon, who appeared was the giant Mount Mckinley, postcard park. His name is controversial. The natives used to call him alaskianos Denali (“the high one” ou o grande na linguagem Athabaska), but at the end of the nineteenth century, o dono de uma mineradora na região, gave the name to Mount Mckinley, as a form of political support to then President William Mckinley. Although this continues to be the official name of the mountain, Alaskan people still prefer to keep the traditions and call it even Denali.

We reached the mile 30, where a gate prevented to follow the path. This stop has a beautiful view of Rio Teklanika, who became famous in the movies by preventing the passage of Christopher McCandless Alexander Supertramp or back to civilization in the film Into the Wild (“Into the Wild”). Para quem não conhece, o filme conta a história de um jovem que decidiu romper seus laços com a sociedade e ter uma experiência pura na natureza. Este seguiu seu rumo justamente ao Denali, where never returned. Remembered the film at all times within the park. Until today we discussed whether he had some kind of influence this crazy idea to go to Alaska by car. The Teklanika saw that there was not even the mighty river movie, since in winter the water freezes again and just get volume with the melting snow in the summer. We proved that McCandless would probably not have problems to cross it a few months later. For those not familiar with the movie, recommendation is! Very good!

We were taking some photos in our back, when a friendly park ranger pulled up beside us and asked if we had seen any wildlife. “Have you seen any wildlife?”, asked with a smile. We stopped to really think and had seen very little that day. Mas Little did we know it was for a short time…

We followed the road when, suddenly, demos in front with a giant bear grizzly!!! It was right there, in the road, walking without worries. If I were a cartoon would probably be singing a song of those very happy. He was shocked to see Tanajura and ran straight to the snow. Happily, after a few seconds, Bear thought twice and decided to keep walking around the track. He followed closely by the Tanajura few meters, like good friends. It was chilling to see the bear so closely!

As we still had some time to daylight, decided to make a track to finish the ride. We stopped at mile 15, to the path that surrounds the Savage River. At the visitor center told us that was where we would have more chances to see wildlife. With the bear we saw nearby, we do not leave the car without pepper spray in our hands. Bears may look cute and cuddly, but from solving up, no one hold. We followed the directions of the leaflets and were talking loudly the whole way, to draw attention to our presence. Bears do not like to be surprised. Increase the volume even more after seeing the footprints in fresh snow, that in order not bear were. No fim, no luck (or random) by ali, and not come across any animal. But we were quite pleased with our experience with grizzly hours before.

We left the park in the late afternoon into the city for dinner Healy. On the way, we saw a restaurant that looked nice, the 49th State Pub & Restaurant. There was a lot of movement, so we decided to take a look to see what he was so special. That's when knotted in our heads. O ônibus mágico de Christopher McCandless (the film Into the Wild - Into the Wild) paradinho was in front of us! But what he was doing there?? Should not you be in the woods?? After a few minutes of confusion, find the answer on restaurant menu. The bus that was there was what was used in the filming of the movie. It works as a sort of museum, contando a história de McCandless a partir de cópias de fotografias e anotações, he even recorded along your journey.

When we came to Alaska to seek various information on Stampede Trail, which leads to the BUSES became famous in cinema. But, found that the trail is not usually done and is still very dangerous. Very few guides know the path, it would take a few days in the forest to be completed. Some people by the way, lost in the park or even died trying to complete it. Even the official website of Christopher McCandless, maintained by his family, recomenda às pessoas que não façam a trilha. The motive for the bus to be there the film was exactly this. The restaurant owner says he bought the bus from the producers of the film so that he was available for people to take their pictures without risking their lives for them. Ele you sensibilizou with the case u European tourist who drowned in the river Teklanika trying to reach BUSES. Moreover, was curious to see how all local criticize the stupidity of Chris in their decisions. In the end, To our surprise (and joy!), without hope, we got our picture with the magic bus!

After a very hearty dinner, com e direito a King Crab King Salmon (a delight!), headed for another cold night in the park. Only this time the thermometer already marked negative temperature. If we had spent the night before cold, now imagine. That's when the post office again appeared alongside save our lives. "Today there is no escape, 'll sleep on the floor even!!”, think. And we did, until a lady who wanted to check his mailbox awoke in the morning. But okay, oddly enough, was a good (and quentinha) noite are!

Another day in the park, took the Tanajura for a walk in search of wildlife. This time we saw our friend bear close, but some appeared in other forest. Moose and reindeer also gave the guys once in a while. We passed the kennels, where trained dogs to sleds made our visit to the party. All Huskies eles alaskianos, one more beautiful than the other.

We did another track in the Savage River, this time up the mountain for a beautiful view over the park. The walk lasted about an hour and a half and had the right rises somewhat tilted and Ice. But the view is worth the effort.

The weather had improved compared to previous days, being that the heavy clouds that covered the sky for most of the time had dissipated mostly. It was our hope! In recent days, despite all positive thinking, the weather was closed, preventing the phenomenon that we could see more in the region urged, A Aurora Boreal. Throughout our journey, from or tied or Alasca Yukon, we were looking for this wonder, mas sem sucesso até então. Para aumentar nossa expectativa, o Denali costuma ser um ótimo local para observar a explosão de cores no céu durante a noite.

From that day was nothing, it was now or never!!! The sky finally opened, Aurora forecasts for good, darn cold (say the Aurora appears most strongly in the cold days) and we wake. We were in the car waiting for the show. We would be as long as was!! That's when we saw a spot shy away from the sky. Was that as the famous Aurora?? We got out of the car to check. We were almost in when a disappointing faixo Green crossed the skies. He moved from side to side as if dancing. When we realized, the lights were dancing everywhere. Green, purple, pink, colors variavam! Ficamos ecstatic, admiring this wonder! Hard to explain in words and pictures the feeling, but it was as if something were happening really magical. And curiously, the moon was more crowded than ever, perhaps the brightest of the whole trip. Em theory, the full moon like that should disturb our vision of dawn, but we prefer to think that she just left the most beautiful scenery!

Our days in Denali could not finish better way. The Aurora came to crown one of the most intense experiences and different that the expedition had hitherto. We go on, there is still much to explore!

To see more photos of Denali, click here!