- On the way in the first bus of the day
- Two grizzly families with two year old boys each and one other grizzly seen
- Start of the self-planned route cross-country up to the steep Stoney Dome
- On foot another grizzly and caribou spotted from a safe distance
- Bull elk, caribou and other brown bears on the way back
- Dad's last day of work - congratulations at retirement age =)
The alarm clock rings at 5 a.m. We only timidly get out of bed and have breakfast. The reserved first bus of the day arrives at 6.25 a.m. We hop in and the ride begins. It doesn't take long and the driver has already spotted a grizzly bear with two cubs in the bushes. Unbelievable what kind of eye this guy has, because the bears are some distance away. It goes on in rapid succession. A grizzly family follows pretty close to the road. Again the she-bear has two one-year-old cubs with her. They march slowly towards the street and come closer than ever in the last few days. We have hardly found our luck when the next grizzly is already crossing the street. The sky is adorned with significantly more clouds today than yesterday.
Shortly after the Highway Pass - the highest point on the park road - we get out and walk out into the wilderness. There are hardly any hiking trails in the Dinali National Park, you are allowed to choose your own cross-country path. Yesterday we stocked up on a topographic map and a bear bell in order to be prepared for the bear spray that was already there. A few hundred meters we made it out onto the plain when I discovered a grizzly about 400 m in front of us. The bear is relaxed while searching for food and anyway not directly on our planned route. So we continue to march attentively. Soon we will reach the first hill that we now have to climb. In the hope that the exertions will be rewarded with a grandiose foresight. In fact, from the summit we can also see the summit of Mount McKinley, which is now somewhat surrounded by clouds.
We now slide down a scree slope to get to the next river valley. When the bushes are thicker, we draw attention to ourselves with speeches in accordance with the rangers' recommendations and keep looking around. Next we spot two caribou grazing. The second stream crossing proves to be a little more difficult because of the more water. So we collect some large stones and make our way across the water. Now the ascent to the Stoney Dome is imminent. A sweaty affair, especially since it goes up extremely steeply. At the top we are rewarded with a breathtaking view over the park. Again and again we see traces of animals and their legacies and another caribou. The snow-capped peaks of the Alaska Range, especially the towering Dinali, are really fascinating. After a break for refreshments, some photos and videos, we start the descent. We decide to hike back to the street more directly than planned and stop the first bus there.
On the way back in the bus we see a lying elk bull, caribou and a grizzly bear again. Fortunately, the bear family can be seen again. My ankle swells while driving and causes severe pain. The leg must now be stored up in the caravan. In the meantime, Mänu and Chrigu cook on the fire. As soon as we have eaten delicious food again, it starts to rain and we are happy to have the table in the dry.
