Continued from the previous page.

BERRY-LICIOUS

Most of the time on Healy Ridge I was hiking and taking pictures but I also spent about half an hour picking blueberries up there. Yum! They are sweeter after a frost.

Picking berries was the main reason my hands were cold -- most of the leaves were wet:

There are a lot of different kinds of berries in the taiga (boreal forest with spruce, aspens, birch, and alders) and in both sub-alpine and alpine regions at Denali.

Here are some more berries and interesting alpine plant montages I photographed on the ridge:

Pretty contrast with bright orange leaves, blue berries, and lacy white lichens;
I first saw lichens like these on Rendezvous Ridge in the Chugach Mtns. east of Anchorage.

 I love this mélange of colors.

Pretty plant medley that looks very Christmas-y

Since I don't know whether any of the red, white, or black-colored berries are edible I ate only the blue ones.

There were also lots of different colors of berries on the trail up to the overlook. I learned today what rose hips look like – plump oval red berries with "tails:"

I’ve seen rose hips at Byers Lake, in the Chugach Mountains near Anchorage, and at Denali but didn’t know what they were until another hiker told me today. They are high in Vitamin C, which is why you see some Vitamin C pills with rose hips.

THE REST OF OUR DAY

I had a great hike. The views on the way up and down, as well as along the ridge, were stunning. I love autumn at Denali, even when it's cloudy, raining, snowing, or sleeting!

It was less windy down in the campground than up on the ridge but there was enough wind that Jim decided not to go on a long bike ride. That’s probably a good idea because it's usually more windy out on the park road than near the entrance where there are more trees to block the wind.

In addition, a lot of people were driving between the entrance and Savage River on the park road. There may have been more buses on the road today, too, since it’s a holiday weekend.

Above and below:   Colorful views of Nenana Canyon
  and the entrance area of Denali NP on my descent from Healy Ridge

I called Jim when I was near the trailhead and asked him if he’d like to drive out to Savage River one more time with me.

As I descended the mountain between 3-4 PM the sun was shining more than in the morning. I was hoping the reds and oranges in the taiga and sub-alpine terrain along the road would be brilliant like they were in the late afternoon on my bus ride Wednesday.

 

Above and below:  Much of the taiga is red but there are 
bright flashes of yellow, orange, and magenta in some areas.

 

The snow on these peaks probably fell today.

Jim was game to go out Savage Road when he picked me up at the trailhead.

The only downside at that time was facing the sun going outbound at 4:30-5 PM. The colors in the fields and on the mountains were better coming back, with the sun behind us.

Work continues on the culverts between the park entrance and Savage River.

Nice variety of colors

The trees are taller and more dense within three miles of the park entrance (lower elevations).

View toward mountains east of Nenana Canyon from
the park road near Riley Creek Campground.

There was a lot of traffic on the road today and a jam at one place where a bunch of guys set up tripods and long camera lenses along the road. It was in the five-mile stretch where moose have been rutting.

We didn’t see any moose there on the way out or back but we did see a pair in another location. Only two vehicles were stopped to watch them. We didn't stop and I didn't get pictures of them.

FAREWELL TO DENALI

This is our last full day at Denali and our last time driving along the park road until we come back up to Alaska again.  We'll both miss the park. It has become our favorite destination in the state.

Above and below:  One of the best views in the park entrance area is this one facing
east into the Riley Creek valley where the Alaska RR bridge crosses the stream.

Unfortunately, it's time to move on.

Winter is coming and we need to find some place sunnier and/or warmer soon so we can get the camper dried out. Jim found all sorts of mildew in closets, cupboards, and corners of the entire camper today and cleaned/vacuumed them. We just hope there isn’t any structural damage from all the moisture this summer.

All summer Fairbanks has been warmer and drier than Southcentral Alaska so we'll head up there tomorrow and see what that area has to offer.

Next entry:  the drive to Fairbanks and beginning to explore that city

Happy trails,

Sue
"Runtrails & Company" - Sue Norwood, Jim O'Neil, and Cody the ultra Lab

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© 2012 Sue Norwood and Jim O'Neil