- Joined
- Dec 11, 2015
- Messages
- 2,039
My wife and I were able to break loose for a night so we headed to Denali NPP to camp and spend a day in the Park. We were treated with a beautiful and relatively warm night and a stunningly beautiful following day. We drove to the Road Closure at Mile 30, stopping a few times to watch moose go about their day. We then drove back to hike along a ridge near where we had seen a couple of bull moose and cows.
With few clouds in the sky, Denali was out in full glory.
![1606765472665.png 1606765472665.png](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94286-39f8d50466d3e5cdfe744cd6f0ebab91.jpg)
We spotted one bull caribou quite a ways from the road, but a caribou nonetheless.
![1606765564420.png 1606765564420.png](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94287-b3ae5d36baa4749724e549ee3e21d294.jpg)
We parked and started off on a game trail through the brush.
![1606765687800.png 1606765687800.png](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94288-1d38f5d1a4bbc8c164e7eb811bd85dce.jpg)
This trail eventually led to an old hiking trail that took us up onto the ridge and beyond. There is no sign for this trail and it looked to be abandoned.
![1606765754642.png 1606765754642.png](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94289-b8f1715d1754d7e12b88307c0aa936cb.jpg)
Shawna on the trail.
![1606765837250.png 1606765837250.png](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94290-8954f6f56832a533129383bfdd9035bb.jpg)
As usual, there was wolf scat along the way.
![1606765899240.png 1606765899240.png](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94291-e9dab128fdcf3c810ea70ce507a64fee.jpg)
A partially excavated arctic ground squirrel burrow.
![1606765964373.png 1606765964373.png](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94292-0ea437e81c6857b9c41f7f10acfbca23.jpg)
Recent damage to a couple of spruce saplings either by a bull moose or caribou.
![1606766042610.png 1606766042610.png](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94293-fbdc86a7eba415477c52c50bc8715b79.jpg)
Another view of Denali with some clouds rolling through.
![1606766159051.png 1606766159051.png](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94294-bca574459796c51d38bb1fe7f4107138.jpg)
The trail heading up onto Primrose Ridge.
![1606766241208.png 1606766241208.png](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94295-eb24a32cac37f8db2282b66dc6330eb8.jpg)
After reaching the top of the ridge in the previous photo, I looked over and saw this fat(!) sow griz.
![1606768813471.png 1606768813471.png](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94296-a51e6dd2cba30ff92a7e278475c4a4bb.jpg)
She was feeding pretty intently on some plant that she was scooping out of the ground pretty easily. Not sure what (wild onions, some member of the carrot family?). I have mentioned in other TRs how they feed on Hedysarum in the spring and fall but this is not typical habitat for Hedysarum, so I don't know. Guess that gives me an excuse to hike back up next year and see.
![1606769073967.png 1606769073967.png](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94297-cb1526957beea2bef8914ace01333bdd.jpg)
Occasionally she would look around.
![1606769342856.png 1606769342856.png](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94298-1a46d2773410411c897c35f59785ae4a.jpg)
While watching the grizzly, we could see that at the top of the next ridge north, there were 3 Dall sheep rams feeding. I suspect they were the same 3 I had seen the week earlier about a mile southwest of here.
![1606769491744.png 1606769491744.png](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94299-5379ddb0206daaebae507bc4d9d46036.jpg)
Meanwhile the sow continued to feed.
![1606769574423.png 1606769574423.png](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94300-0ac1a2672353635908f96070a7d4df51.jpg)
... and scan her surroundings.
![1606769735695.png 1606769735695.png](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94301-a7e2f7c50b5cb6e0e0d3d9d78394c92f.jpg)
And feed.
![1606769820180.png 1606769820180.png](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94302-2d75dbd5e367e39d8623f8ffe61a02e5.jpg)
Shawna and I were sitting about 80-90 yards from her, with the sun mostly at our back. After about 15 minutes, it appeared that she might have noticed us. If she did, she wasn't too concerned and immediately went back to feeding.
![1606769987263.png 1606769987263.png](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94303-ff685da7f80478123e2d052d19abe9e8.jpg)
![1606770138567.png 1606770138567.png](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94304-b9c29bc7ed4dad9b5d396da0d9485df2.jpg)
At one point, a raven flew over us, squawking as it went.
![1606770198665.png 1606770198665.png](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94305-33afe647118c80cb591753298e9fab45.jpg)
I looked back up at the sheep through my binoculars. Three hikers that we had seen earlier were "stealthily" harassing them.
![1606770282947.png 1606770282947.png](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94306-9fdce702a5d5ada3816af9a0aa80f093.jpg)
Eventually, the grizzly moved off and disappeared in the terrain. We had been watching her for about 45 minutes. What a treat!
Shawna along the top of the ridge, we were seated down the slope to the left of where she is now.
![1606770482143.png 1606770482143.png](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94307-3b6dfbe33260c442c71e779e50dd9c6a.jpg)
After the grizzly left, we hiked back to the van, staying on the trail the whole way back to the road.
![1606770592713.png 1606770592713.png](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94308-e6e9926708b8780003c608ced40ba2e8.jpg)
We headed back to the park entrance but along the way, our progress was halted as we passed this cow moose about 20 yards off the Park Road.
![1606770695605.png 1606770695605.png](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94310-fad96d9c0c6f35c4724f486e316b7192.jpg)
She was nonchalantly feeding on the willows and birch shrubs. I love her golden cape.
![1606770797756.png 1606770797756.png](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94311-d98327727edf3a6bc89ca8b6a148f243.jpg)
![1606770844973.png 1606770844973.png](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94312-a142b8d9de8dec7bd51fbd4a950ab177.jpg)
![1606770909391.png 1606770909391.png](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94313-d30a0c1c428122123326d8a938caf21d.jpg)
Thanks for looking!
With few clouds in the sky, Denali was out in full glory.
![1606765472665.png 1606765472665.png](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94286-39f8d50466d3e5cdfe744cd6f0ebab91.jpg)
We spotted one bull caribou quite a ways from the road, but a caribou nonetheless.
![1606765564420.png 1606765564420.png](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94287-b3ae5d36baa4749724e549ee3e21d294.jpg)
We parked and started off on a game trail through the brush.
![1606765687800.png 1606765687800.png](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94288-1d38f5d1a4bbc8c164e7eb811bd85dce.jpg)
This trail eventually led to an old hiking trail that took us up onto the ridge and beyond. There is no sign for this trail and it looked to be abandoned.
![1606765754642.png 1606765754642.png](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94289-b8f1715d1754d7e12b88307c0aa936cb.jpg)
Shawna on the trail.
![1606765837250.png 1606765837250.png](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94290-8954f6f56832a533129383bfdd9035bb.jpg)
As usual, there was wolf scat along the way.
![1606765899240.png 1606765899240.png](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94291-e9dab128fdcf3c810ea70ce507a64fee.jpg)
A partially excavated arctic ground squirrel burrow.
![1606765964373.png 1606765964373.png](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94292-0ea437e81c6857b9c41f7f10acfbca23.jpg)
Recent damage to a couple of spruce saplings either by a bull moose or caribou.
![1606766042610.png 1606766042610.png](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94293-fbdc86a7eba415477c52c50bc8715b79.jpg)
Another view of Denali with some clouds rolling through.
![1606766159051.png 1606766159051.png](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94294-bca574459796c51d38bb1fe7f4107138.jpg)
The trail heading up onto Primrose Ridge.
![1606766241208.png 1606766241208.png](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94295-eb24a32cac37f8db2282b66dc6330eb8.jpg)
After reaching the top of the ridge in the previous photo, I looked over and saw this fat(!) sow griz.
![1606768813471.png 1606768813471.png](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94296-a51e6dd2cba30ff92a7e278475c4a4bb.jpg)
She was feeding pretty intently on some plant that she was scooping out of the ground pretty easily. Not sure what (wild onions, some member of the carrot family?). I have mentioned in other TRs how they feed on Hedysarum in the spring and fall but this is not typical habitat for Hedysarum, so I don't know. Guess that gives me an excuse to hike back up next year and see.
![1606769073967.png 1606769073967.png](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94297-cb1526957beea2bef8914ace01333bdd.jpg)
Occasionally she would look around.
![1606769342856.png 1606769342856.png](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94298-1a46d2773410411c897c35f59785ae4a.jpg)
While watching the grizzly, we could see that at the top of the next ridge north, there were 3 Dall sheep rams feeding. I suspect they were the same 3 I had seen the week earlier about a mile southwest of here.
![1606769491744.png 1606769491744.png](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94299-5379ddb0206daaebae507bc4d9d46036.jpg)
Meanwhile the sow continued to feed.
![1606769574423.png 1606769574423.png](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94300-0ac1a2672353635908f96070a7d4df51.jpg)
... and scan her surroundings.
![1606769735695.png 1606769735695.png](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94301-a7e2f7c50b5cb6e0e0d3d9d78394c92f.jpg)
And feed.
![1606769820180.png 1606769820180.png](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94302-2d75dbd5e367e39d8623f8ffe61a02e5.jpg)
Shawna and I were sitting about 80-90 yards from her, with the sun mostly at our back. After about 15 minutes, it appeared that she might have noticed us. If she did, she wasn't too concerned and immediately went back to feeding.
![1606769987263.png 1606769987263.png](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94303-ff685da7f80478123e2d052d19abe9e8.jpg)
![1606770138567.png 1606770138567.png](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94304-b9c29bc7ed4dad9b5d396da0d9485df2.jpg)
At one point, a raven flew over us, squawking as it went.
![1606770198665.png 1606770198665.png](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94305-33afe647118c80cb591753298e9fab45.jpg)
I looked back up at the sheep through my binoculars. Three hikers that we had seen earlier were "stealthily" harassing them.
![1606770282947.png 1606770282947.png](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94306-9fdce702a5d5ada3816af9a0aa80f093.jpg)
Eventually, the grizzly moved off and disappeared in the terrain. We had been watching her for about 45 minutes. What a treat!
Shawna along the top of the ridge, we were seated down the slope to the left of where she is now.
![1606770482143.png 1606770482143.png](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94307-3b6dfbe33260c442c71e779e50dd9c6a.jpg)
After the grizzly left, we hiked back to the van, staying on the trail the whole way back to the road.
![1606770592713.png 1606770592713.png](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94308-e6e9926708b8780003c608ced40ba2e8.jpg)
We headed back to the park entrance but along the way, our progress was halted as we passed this cow moose about 20 yards off the Park Road.
![1606770695605.png 1606770695605.png](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94310-fad96d9c0c6f35c4724f486e316b7192.jpg)
She was nonchalantly feeding on the willows and birch shrubs. I love her golden cape.
![1606770797756.png 1606770797756.png](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94311-d98327727edf3a6bc89ca8b6a148f243.jpg)
![1606770844973.png 1606770844973.png](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94312-a142b8d9de8dec7bd51fbd4a950ab177.jpg)
![1606770909391.png 1606770909391.png](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94313-d30a0c1c428122123326d8a938caf21d.jpg)
Thanks for looking!