We enjoyed a lie-in and slept until 8:00. That was treat number one. Treat number two was opening the curtains to a cloudless sky and breathtaking views not only of Denali but of the whole Alaska Range. Just what Dan and I planned on flying around yesterday was staring us in the face this morning. Spectacular! The part of the range in the foreground was in shadow so looked brown and the taller mountains in the background were smothered in snow. It was beautiful framed between the clear blue sky and all the green below.

After we got over the shock of the magnificent view out our window, we focused on getting our bags out by 9:00 followed by a light breakfast at the grab-and-go in the lobby. Then we had free time to take countless money shots of the mountains before boarding the bus for the 10 minute ride to the train station.

There is a cute dining room and an enthusiast wait staff on the train, so we decided to have lunch on board. In honor of our host state Cyd and Barb tried reindeer chili and said it did not disappoint, and I had a halibut Caesar wrap. The others went mainstream with choices common in the lower-48. Really?

Our four-hour ride offered awesome scenery the whole way. The further north we traveled the more yellow we saw in the forest. Always on the lookout for moose and bears, we had to settle for birds and a few large beaver dams and a couple lodges. We pulled over twice to let the southbound trains pass us on the single track they share. At the second stop the two conductors changed trains, so they could sleep in their own beds tonight.

After we exchanged conductors we passed Cantwell, home to an all-grades (K-12) school with a graduating class of one last spring and a lone teacher for the current school year. Cantwell is known for its all-woman team of Gandy dancers. These gals, not to be confused with dancehall girls, were railway section hands who laid and maintained track while there was a shortage of men during World War II. They did so well and won so many awards men were not allowed to take their places when they came home. “Work with women or apply elsewhere” was not a common refrain after the war, but it was here.

We were at our hotel in Denali National Park with time to get dinner before Dan and I were picked up for our 7:00 visit to DogOnIt, a sled dog kennel in Cantwell. It is owned and run by dog-loving Massachusetts transplants who remodeled original homestead buildings and then designed and built other structures for the specific purpose of breeding and training dogs as well as sharing their love of dogs, knowledge of mushing, and experience with the Iditarod. Their whole operation is impressive and well worth a visit.

Dan and I got back to Denali Park Village around 9:45 tired but pumped by our luck with the clear skies that allowed for such beautiful views of the mountains, nice train travel, and the interesting visit to the kennel.

… Who Knew …

Denali is among the largest mountains in the world situated entirely above sea level.

The park averages 600 mild earthquake events each year.

It is the first national park to conserve wildlife. Dall sheep were the inspiration.

Unsuccessful and disputed attempts to summit Denali began in 1903,
but it wasn’t until 1913 that the first verifiable ascent was made.