8.20.2008
August 9 - Denali National Park
Today we arrived in Denali National Park proper. We visited the visitor's center, attended a dog mushing presentation, (got to visit with the dogs for a while), and did some hiking and nature watching.
August 8 08 - Our first views of Denali from the train
Denali is the tallest peak on the continent of North America at 20,320 feet tall. It is the considered the coldest mountain in the world, and summiters only have about a 51% chance of success. That's WAY worse odds than Everest. And it has a higher rise than Everest - on Everest you start at 17,000 feet and go up to 26k. Denali base is at only 2000 feet, giving it a rise (climbing distance) of 18,000 feet!
August 6 - Hope, Ak
Hope is a charming little town (pop. 152) we stumbled upon on the southern side of the Turnagain arm on our way back north up the Kenai peninsula. We liked it so much we decided to stay the night.
August 5 2008 - Kenai Fiords National Park
The second day we did a tour of the Kenai Fiords National Park on a charter boat - the only real way to actually see the parklands. A was ecstatic to see both tufted and horned puffins. Oh, and the glaciers were pretty cool, too.
After the tour we explored Seward a bit, and found the historic start of the first Iditarod.
August 4 2008 - Alaska Day 1
First day in Alaska - We rented a car and toured the Kenai Peninsula from Anchorage down to Seward.
We drove alongside the Alaska train which runs the Turnagain Arm of the Cook Inlet (yes, you guessed it - Captain Cook got lost and had to turn around again in order to exit the inlet). We would be riding that train in a few days' time.
On the way further down the peninsula we visited Portage Glacier and Exit Glacier.
Our first introduction to wildlife in Alaska.
Stayed the night at a BB in Seward.
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