Valley

Uphill

This arctic ground squirrel is not even paying attention to the scenery

I was kind of amazed at how many of these guys were running around while we hiked the Thoro Ridge Trail in Denali National Park. They're kind of funny to watch, a bit curious about us. That would be Denali in the background if the clouds had ever lifted. That grey streak below the mountain with bits of white poking through is the debris-covered and partially vegetated Muldrow Glacier.

Arctic Ground Squirrel

The closer we were to the visitor center, the bolder they became. I really wish people would not feed animals here.

Prancing

Early on the Thoro Ridge Trail in Denali National Park a caribou came up over the hillside with her calf and trotted across the ridge for a while. blogpost: hiking the Thoro Ridge

Caribou

On the Thoro Ridge - Denali National Park

View from the Thoro Ridge

Denali National Park has one of the most varied landscapes of anywhere I've ever been. Scenery changes drastically and quickly almost anywhere you go in the park. You can walk out of a thick boreal forest to find yourself in desert tundra or follow braided rivers onto glaciers and high mountains. This is the view to the north and east from the Thoro Ridge, a bit west of the Alpine Trail near the Eielson Visitor Center.

A few of the high peaks came in and out of the clouds.

All we can see

Denali was in the clouds. Looking over the Muldrow Glacier.

Thorofare

Thick fog remains on the north side of the ridge

A bit of blue

Blue skies appear over the Thorofare Ridge

Unveiling

Denali over the Muldrow Glacier from the Thorofare Ridge

Denali

Alpine Trail

The start of the Alpine Trail near Eielson Visitor Center at mile 66 on the Park Road in Denali National Park. Turning left at the ridge follows the Thorofare Ridge slowly back down to the Park Road. This day we turned right to hike to the top of Mt. Thoro.

To Mt. Thoro

Cat on the Thorofare Ridge on the approach to Mt. Thoro.

Wyoming Hills

Looking north from the Thorofare Ridge are the Wyoming Hills. Very smoky day with all the wildfires burning in the state.

Thoro 5629'

There's a social trail that is easy to follow to the saddle before Thoro.

Colorful Trail

The geology on the Thorofare is impressive. There are many different colors of rock as you travel.

Wyoming Hills

Snow arnica

Smoke

There are 120 fires burning in Alaska right now. Most of the state is filling with smoke. This was the view looking at the Alaska Range from the Thorofare Ridge in Denali National Park on July 9, 2019.

Alaska Poppy