Denali in the rear view mirror almost... and link to new pictures

Dear blog,

Link to a few more pictures

As every day has been, today was also another exciting adventure.  We started this day early with a visit to the sled dog demonstration. Dog sleds are the means of transportation that the year around Ranger staff uses to travel around Denali Park in the winter.  The Park has around 40 Alaska Husky sled dogs that are trained to carry supplies to the out posts in this park.  The ranger gave a talk on the type of dog and the sleds they use.  The dogs are out in the open and you can get up close and personal with them.  These dogs are ready to go to work.  When they harness up the first dog, the others are barking and straining at their leash, hoping to be chosen for today's task.  The ranger takes a short hot lap in a sled that has rear wheels on it because there is no snow, yet.  And I should mention, the lead dog is named King.  After the dog sled, we hiked the two miles back to the visitors center because it was a nice morning and the trail took us through a lush green spruce, birch, aspen taiga (boreal forest) filled with many flowers, and small animals. Back at the campsite, built a fire and grilled chicken for lunch.  Then off to the theater for a enjoyable Ranger program on the Lynx and the Wolverine.  After that, we stopped by the Murie Science and Learning Center for a few hours study of the park. The Murie is a library of information on park history and the different things that affect the day to day operation. 

Tomorrow we leave and head south toward Talkeetna, AK   We were just two of the approximately 450,000 people that visited this park this  year.  Barbara and I feel that this is a truly great adventure in a very special place.  The National Park service has kept this park just about the same as it was over a hundred years ago.  It doesn't have a lot of human shapeing or interventions.  The park is open June 15 to Sept 20th. 

FYI... filmmaker Ken Burns is doing a 12 hour, six episode public television series to highlight the 100 years of the National Park System.  Some of the footage will be from Denali, might be worth watching.  It starts this September.

I will send this in the morning because I have access to WIFI.  We will keep you posted