Denali left us with a life long memory. We first stopped at a lookout station for the South View before arriving in town. We had a short walk to reach the lookout and all of a sudden it appears in front of you and fills your view – it just takes your breath away. We were so lucky that day was clear because only 30% of people that visit see the top of the mountain because of clouds – Well, we were one of those 30% and we even bought a shirt that says so. One gentleman we talked with said he comes every year (15 years so far) to this view and each year is different. The next day we all took a bus tour of Denali National Park. It was a long ride but so much to see along the way to the closest point to view Denali from the park. We were 35 miles from it at that point and to get any closer you would have to view by air or be a climber of the mountain. We saw quite a bit of wildlife on the trip there and back but the park is so vast some look like ants traveling around the streams and mountains. We had an excellent tour guide that was full of information since he drives the tour bus every summer for 3 1/2 months. Most do not stay here in the winter. He told us that the name Denali was just changed from Mount McKinley just last year in 2015. It is the highest in North America at 20,310 feet. Our guide also had a camera that magnified the animals so that we could watch them up close on the pop-down screens on the bus. We saw lots of grizzlies, caribou, moose and birds and we think there was some Dall sheep also but someone spotted them too late and the driver could not stop at that point. The roads are very narrow at some points and the buses just about touch mirrors when passing in the opposite direction. It was a long day but so well worth it. There is something about Denali – you can ride and see so much beauty along the way but when you get a glimpse of that mountain towering above the others it’s complete silence and you feel like you are being drawn to it. Everyone in our group applauded when we reached the top viewing station. We took a group picture, stayed for about 20 minutes and returned to the bus while looking back until you no longer can see it. “There is something about Denali.”
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