True to form, this guy was eating everything in his path. He hung around the visitor center for about an hour today, and forced us rangers to do a bit of crowd control (of the human variety). He gnawed and stripped this aspen of its bark. And then he just stared in the windows of the visitor center and watched us as much as we were watching him. 😉
At the moment, I’m really struggling to focus on _anything_. I have work still to do here in Denali, and I have a bunch of friends I will miss when I leave.
At the same time, I’m so ready to leave, take that amazing road trip and just get to the Rockies and my friends down there.
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Today was a long day at work. Busy with a few visitors who caused me to raise my eyebrows, if you catch my meaning. But at the end of the day, a coworker and I went to the Kennels. Sultana gave birth this morning to Denali’s 2012 litter (yet to be named), and we wanted to see the puppies. They were squealing and squirming about, trying to feed, while Sultana eagerly gobbled up her own food: momma and babies are all healthy and happy.
The first (of many) things I will miss about Denali: these sweet dogs. Always ready for a snuggle and play time. I wish I could take them all with me.
It is that time again…..
The big, western National Parks have started their road plowing efforts for the 2012 season, getting ready for the millions of summer visitors that will travel these well-loved routes.
To that end, Denali started working on our park road on March 12. With only a couple of days needed to replow after spring snows, the crew is working on Polychrome Mountain this week. The picture is from around Mile 44-46, roughly. Note that drop-off to the left side of the screen is not just a typical hill – it’s hundreds of feet. 😉
Parks like Rocky Mountain, Glacier, Yellowstone, Mount Rainier and Yosemite all go through the spring plowing ritual. If you’re visiting one of these gems this summer, stop and look at the road you’re traveling on. Chances are, it took a lot to get that road ready for you! Besides the man hours and resources, it takes a bit of understanding and respect for the land itself. These efforts are only possible when Mother Nature lets us have our way.
Notes From The High Country 