Day Nine

We took the train to Denali National Park. It was a beautiful five-hour trip. The train whipped back and forth through the countryside, crossing bridges, going through tunnels and over rolling hills. On top of the cars were observation rooms where you could sit and get a 360-degree view of everything. When we passed through small towns, people were gathered to wave at the train. Even families in remote cabins came out and waved at us as we passed. We arrived in Denali around 3 p.m. and spent our first several hours in the ranger station trying to decide where in the park we wanted to camp. Denali is vast. It covers 6 million acres and is larger than the entire state of Massachusetts. Before you get a camping permit, you have to watch a safety film and get a bear-proof container, a round plastic cylinder with a locking lid, for your food and toothpaste. Finally, we headed for our site at Riley Creek, near the park's entrance, to set up camp.

Day Ten

We got up early this morning to take down our tent and strike out for our venture into the backcountry of Denali. Before we left the park's visitor center, we had been assigned areas where we were allowed to camp, so we had to get there before nightfall.The terrain was hilly and you could see mountains in the distance. There are no paths, so you must hike through brush, climb hills and cross rivers to get to your destination. You really need to know how to use a compass and a topographical map to find your way. Early in our hike, we confronted one of the big challenges of backcountry hiking, our first river crossing. Before going into the water, we threw rocks to find the deep areas, to show us the safest route. The water was ice-cold. We had a big stick with us, which Pat held onto as we crossed. (I held onto Pat.) After taking a short rest and some photos, we continued our hike, heading up a cliff. Then, we passed through an area where the ground was covered with spongy green moss, and our feet sank into the ground as we walked. (The Thighmaster has nothing on this). Finally, exhausted, we reached the area where we set up our tent for the night.

Day Eleven

We got up this morning and climbed down the side of a hill to the river to get water. After boiling it and then allowing it to cool, it still tasted like I imagine a rock would taste. After breakfast, Pat and I debated our options. Should we continue our backcountry backpacking or head back to the campsites near the ranger station, where things are a bit more civilized? The day before, it had taken us so long to get to this site that we only got to see a small part of the park. Finally, we decided we weren't experienced enough at backpacking to go on in this truly rugged way, so we headed back toward the ranger station. We set up our tent again, and then went over to the ranger station to arrange a bus tour for the next day. We ended the day by catching a bus that took us outside the park to an area where there are bars and restaurants. We felt as though our rigorous hiking had earned us a drink.

Mt. McKinley

Day Twelve

Today, we took a bus to the Eielson Visitor Center, about 60 miles from where we are camping at Riley Creek. The trip took us up and down mountains and through valleys. The driver stopped and let people take pictures along the way, so it took about three hours to get to the place where we could get of view of what we had been hoping to see since we arrived in Alaska -- Mount McKinley, the highest mountain on the North American continent. We couldn't see it. It was extremely foggy, so McKinley wasn't visible. We climbed a hill behind the visitors center to take photos. The sky began to open up and we could see some of the mountains -- Scott's Peak and Red Mountain -- but not McKinley. However, there were some higher points to the day. On the bus trip there and back, we saw moose, ground squirrels and some caribou.

Day Thirteen

Our last day at Denali. We packed up our tent and other gear and boarded a bus for the trip back to Anchorage. It turned out that we were in luck. Although it has rained during our entire stay at Denali, the skies had cleared. As we rounded a bend in the road after leaving the park, we were confronted with an incredible view of Mount McKinley. It was like a postcard. The mountain's peaks are jagged, and it's vast. The bus driver stopped and let us take photos for about 15 minutes. We felt lucky to be able to see McKinley before leaving. It made the trip to Denali worthwhile. When we arrived in Anchorage, it was late in the day. We checked in to the Royal Hotel again for our last night in Alaska. (The family who operates the place remembers us from our stay here a week ago). After a tasty meal of Chinese food, we tucked in for the night.

Day Fourteen

Our plane didn't leave until the afternoon, so we spent the morning at the Anchorage Aviation Museum, which had airplanes, helicopters, uniforms and memorabilia from World War I, World War II and the Vietnam war. Some of the planes were rebuilt after being crashed. It was a neat place. Aviation is a big deal in Alaska because you have to fly to get to a lot of places. A lot of Alaskans are really into aviation, and many have their own planes. We said goodbye to the state as our plane took off. The flight took us to Los Angeles, where we spent a two-hour layover in the airport bar before catching our flight to Atlanta. When I got home, the first thing I did was to take a really hot shower. Then, I hit the bed and slept for about nine hours.