Onward with our journey. Next stop: Mt. McKinley. We rode the McKinley Express rail to Whittier, Talkeetna and then motor-coached to Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge. We both agree the next time we go to Alaska we will go by rail. The luxury of a train is definitely the way to go. You can play cards across the table or dine in the dining car, order drinks or just plain old walk up wide aisles. But I do have a lesson for you. Run to the train first so you can grab the seat facing the front of the train. We lagged behind because we knew we had an assigned table on the train, but by the time we boarded another couple had chosen the best seats; therefore we were in essence riding backwards. It's hard to take photographs backwards.
I was fascinated by the houses with sod roofs and loved the tasteful placement of homes in the trees along the mountains.
Even the McKinley Princess Lodge was environmentally friendly.
How about this wolf? He doesn't look too friendly, does he?
Since it is rainy or cloudy most of the time at Mt. McKinley, you have to get lucky to see the highest mountain in North America. And we were lucky! Truett was able to capture the bottom and top of the mountain (to the left), but as you can see a cloud hugged the middle of it. Mt. Mckinley was 80 miles away from us.
So are you ready for some wildlife on our tour around Mt.McKinley area?
How about a moose? Just as the bus turned a corner to leave the lodge, there it stood. Thank goodness it was on my side of the bus so I could photograph it.
How about a caribou?
The guides said we were lucky to see caribou because they have a low tolerance for mosquitoes. (Worse than Florida's mosquitoes unless you live on the river.) Because Alaska gets a lot of rain, they have tons of these biting, pesky insect. The caribou will soon migrate north because their hide is not thick enough for mosquitoes. This fellow is lying on a cool riverbed.
Well, that's it for today. I feel like I have re-traveled Alaska this week. Whew!
Wonderful photos; great presentation! Give this teacher an A+! I am enjoying this trip through Alaska to the fullest!
Posted by: Nancy | June 27, 2008 at 06:18 AM
I'm enjoying the trip, too. You've given us bits and pieces of everything. How did you get so close to that not-so-friendly-looking wolf?
Posted by: Sherry | June 27, 2008 at 12:56 PM
Enjoyed the pictures. I'm assuming the wolf wasn't real.
Posted by: Darlene | June 27, 2008 at 01:33 PM