This was a moving day. We had a 6 ½ hour trip from Seward to Denali. The drive was easy (says the person enjoying the stunning views from the passenger seat the whole way)! As we got closer, we could see the Denali peak clearly. We’d been warned that it’s often clouded in so not to be disappointed but, we had a gorgeous, clear, 70 degree day.
The kids did amazingly well and played so nicely until, like, the last 3 minutes. After getting checked into our hotel, we went into the park for a short hike near the Savage River.
We got there and found that the trail was closed because of dangerous wildlife activity. We walked over to talk to the ranger who told us that a female, teenager grizzly had lost her fear of humans. She was repeated approaching and charging people on the trail. The park biologists were able to trap her recently and put on a radio collar to give park staff a better sense of where she was. They then did a “hard release” meaning that they let her go back in the area but we loud dogs barking and horns honking in the hopes of scaring her away. No luck. She continues to come back- as fearless as ever. Yikes!
The kids couldn’t have been more DELIGHTED to escape the hike and just play in the shallow river. This was a reminder for me to let them enjoy nature how they like to enjoy it. The control freak in me wants them to do it my way.
We ended the day by getting food truck take-out, practicing handstands and cartwheels, and playing corn hole.
Things I want to remember:
How silly sweet the kids played in the backseat for hours and hours on the drive
The ridiculously yummy food truck fries
The feeling of peace I always get driving into a national park.