It’s a Bear, It’s a Bear!!!

Grizzly bear spotted near Denali National Park

Spent Friday, July 15, driving down the Parks Highway from Fairbanks to Anchorage, a distance of 357 miles.  We started out with cloudy weather but it quickly became very nice sunny skies with poufy clouds. We didn’t stop a lot since we will be coming back up the highway to Denali in about two weeks and then will be spending several days exploring our way back down to Anchorage. The road was in great condition, probably the best of all the roads we have traveled since we left Edmonton, Alberta. The road opened in 1971 and until it was opened, there wasn’t an easy way to get from Fairbanks to Anchorage.  Also, access to Denali (both the state and the national parks) was limited.  Now the area is the biggest tourist draw in the state. This comes with some of the touristy stuff I don’t like – kitschy shops and fast food joints just across from the entrance. At least they have done a good job of controlling access to the park – there is only one road into the park and you can’t drive further than 15 miles in your own vehicle (unless you are camping at Teklanika River – which we will be doing in two weeks.)

I understand that it is difficult to get a clear day around Denali so that you can get a full view of Mt. McKinley, so I wasn’t surprised that we were able to only get a glimpse of the mountain top this time.  I hope to get a full view of it when we return.

You can just make out the top of Mt McKinley through the clouds.

And we got to see our first grizzly bear and porcupine.  The bear was sauntering down the railroad tracks towards the road.  Russ pulled over and got out (he was a safe distance away, don’t worry.) This critter was huge.  I think it was at least 4 feet tall at the shoulders.  I thought it was going to cross the road, but it stopped and sniffed the area then made a left turn into the brush.  I think it smelled us and decided to detour. It was amazing how quickly a creature that huge could disappear!

It wasn’t a couple of miles later that we saw a porcupine cross the road. By the time I could get a picture it was almost into the brush.  I didn’t realize that porcupines could be that big – this one looked to be the size of a medium dog. It raised its quills a little when we stopped, but it just kept moving along.

Passed through Wasilla for all you Tea Party fans.  Not exciting. The mountains heading into Anchorage were impressive.  It will be great to spend the next several days touring the city of Anchorage and the surrounding area.  This will be the first time we have seen the ocean since we left Long Beach, 40 days ago.

Our view while we were enjoying lunch in our trailer.

One of the highest bridges we crossed over on the Parks Highway.

View along the Parks Highway headed south into Anchorage.