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Sunday, August 21, 2011

Weekend in Denali

Two friends and I headed down to Denali for the weekend. The valley is well into Fall--it had already had its first frost a week prior, and its trees were more obviously turning. The weather is generally harsher there, but this weekend we got lucky and left rain and dense fog in Fairbanks, to find patchy sun and gentle drizzles in Denali. However, the constant wind was still there, tossing us about on our hike, and buffeting and snapping the walls of my tent all night long.

One of my friends confessed that she had driven by this steep trail that goes straight up to a ridgeline multiple times and had often been curious about it, so up we went.

It was a heck of a climb:




With a view of increasing beauty behind us every time we glanced back:








Autumn posing with her namesake Fall colors:


A pause for breath:


Me and my goober:


Queen Autumn surveying her domain:


The much-talked-about Healy Clean Coal plant caught the sunlight very beautifully:


They were pooped at the end of the day!






Homemade cinnamon buns for breakfast! Yum!


The girls were pretty popped the next morning after another walk:

2 comments:

mdr said...

Wow, another adventure, I would enjoy it if I were much younger. I am glad you enjoyed it and came home safe.

Didn't we see brown bears in Denali when we visited many years ago? Was there a safer route route you took?

Rena said...

Agree with Mudder - you have such wonderful adventures! What a magical place you live in.

I'm super impressed that the cinnamon buns turned out so beautifully - I always associate cooking in the fire with burned outsides and underdone insides. These look as evenly cooked as oven-baked.

How wonderful to be in good health and have healthy doggies to accompany you.