I love Denali. This last trip in August was my second trip into the park and this trip was the best. The skies were clear which allowed for a great view of Denali the mountain as well as the animals roaming the early Autumn tundra.
For those unaware, when you explore within the park you use a shuttle bus. You make reservations, buy a ticket and off you go. You can choose your destination, the two most popular being Eielson visitor center and Wonder Lake. As you drive through the park you are able to get on or off as you wish and catch a ride on another that will, in time, pass by. I really enjoy riding the bus. It can be a bit crowded at times, and a little dusty on a dry day, but it’s a good and practical way to get around inside of the park. The best part is that the bus drivers are all experts on the park and its wildlife and are great at interpreting everything from the history to geography as well as information on the animals that call Denali their home.
As we were travelling along on the bus the driver stopped at the sight of a brown bear and her two cubs. They were on an opposing ridge about 500 yards away. Far enough for us to easily observe their behavior. On this morning they were traversing the ridge eating blueberries. They acted as if they had no care in the world. It was an amazing experience.
At first we saw the sow and only one of her cubs but within a few minutes we observed another little bear behind a bush and working it’s way up the ridge and toward the others. At the same time the mamma and her cub roamed to another area of fresh berry bushes. In time the adventurous little bear made its way to the top of the ridge and started to make his way toward his mamma and his sibling. It was fun to watch. The mamma bear and the first little cub paid the other cub no mind and kept eating berries.
As we watched them I noticed adventure cub moving in on his sibling and a moment later he attacked. They both started tumbling down the hill in a ball of fur and legs.
At the end of the day we saw a variety of animals. Everything from bears to caribou, moose, sheep and even a wolf, but the two little bear cubs was the highlight of the trip.
