Thoro Ridge Panorama

Denali National Park

Thorofare River and Denali

Looking over the confluence of the Thorofare and McKinley River at Denali. Some interesting geological features in a valley on my hike down from the Thorofare Ridge back to the Park Road.

Valley

Uphill

Laughing at something. There was a lot of laughing.

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.

That's Kate!

From the Thoro Ridge - looking toward the Muldrow Glacier and McKinley River

Descending the Thoro Ridge

Kate and CJ begin the descent.

Beautiful - but time to turn around

Midway through our descent we came across a sow with her two cubs. The cubs were a pretty good size - maybe 2-3 years old. They were right where we needed to be, so we had to turn around and retrace our steps.

Arctic Ground Squirrel

In Denali National Park and Preserve.

Mixed Colors

A bit of summer and fall in the foliage near the Eielson Visitor Center in Denali National Park.

Snow-Covered Greens

Still green foliage covered by a dusting of snow. Denali National Park

Termination Dust

Laying it on thick on the last day of August.

Reds and Greens

Snow-covered ground foliage at Eielson Visitor Center.

Summer Under That Snow

Snow dump in Denali National Park on the last day of August. Near Eielson Visitor Center.

Denali From Thorofare

Taken from the Thorofare Ridge. Looking over the Thorofare River, red alpine tundra with a kettle pond nested up high, and the debris and vegetation covered Muldrow Glacier and, of course, Denali hovering high above all of it.

Sow with Cubs

Grizzlies near Stony Mountain in Denali National Park