Denali Watchers

All day today we looked for Denali. Best views are not in the park, but from the south. As we stopped at each rest stop that is supposed to be great Denali viewing, we had conversations with every one there. "Did you see it?" "yes, it came out about 5 pm yesterday and the park was full of people watching." "No, we saw just the tip from Wonder Lake." And so it goes. Seeing the Great One is everyone's challenge.

We ourselves decided to go to Talkeetna for the night, since the view from just outside the town is good when the mountain comes out.

And guess what? There it was. Not right away, but when Carl said let's go back again before we park for the night. There was a band of clouds around the middle of it, like Saturns rings, but the top was in the clear. Mark another one off the life list.

Talkeenta is a hoot. It's the town that Northern Exposure was modeled on. It's a mountain climbers town, where international climbers come to ascend Denali in the spring. Other than that, it's smaltzy Alaska, complete with a dirt street. Sightseeing planes take off for Denali circling continuously. The train comes in several times a day, and about a dozen big tour buses full of folks drive by the RV park 5 minutes later. From here to Hurricane, the train is a milk run. Anyone walking along can flag it down for a ride and get off without a designated stop.

I enjoyed their moose parade and posted some photos for you. They are getting ready for the July moose dropping festival. Mostly, I enjoyed people watching. We walked into town for dinner for fresh halibut and bread pudding and Ice Axe beer, their own 9% alcohol brew.

Single ladies, I took special note of all the men in town. You have your own blog following this one. Enjoy!