DENALI - SHUTTLE BUS TO MOUNTAIN VISTA & SAVAGE CABIN TRAILS; MET UP WITH MEL, BRIAN & KAREN ON BIKES; SHOPPING AGAIN ALONG THE DENALI BOARDWALK; & 49TH STATE BREWERY & INTO THE WILD BUS - Tuesday, July 11 - Wednesday, July 12, 2023

Tuesday, July 11, 2023

Today it is partly cloudy with a temperature of 56 degrees. Mel, Brian and Karen are planning a bike ride to the Savage River Campground area and the Mountain Vista. I'm going to ride Savage River free shuttle and met them there. We all took off for our journey of the day at 10:45 a.m.

Shown below are Brian and Karen Burk and Mel all ready to leave on their bike ride.

After walking over to the Bus Depot, I hoped on the shuttle bus and I too was on my way.

It wasn't too long before the bus caught up with the bike riders -- Mel, Karen and Brian (up ahead).

I soon arrived at the Mountain Vista stop.

There was a lonely seagull walking around the Mountain Vista rest stop (see below).

The Mountain Vista trail is a short loop (0.7 miles round trip) that begins and ends at the Mountain Vista Rest Area at Mile 13 of the Denali Park Road. It had stunning panoramic views of the Savage River Valley to the south, Mount Healy to the north, and on a sunny day views of Denali to the southwest. Today wasn't one of those sunny days where you could see Denali.

Interpretive signs along the trail illustrated how vegetation and development in the area has changed over time. The trail passed through an ecosystem known as the transition zone, which is found at elevations between the taiga (or boreal forest, at lower elevations) and the tundra (at higher elevations). Brush and scattered trees that grow here and the open style of vegetation created an opportunities for great views of the surrounding landscape.

Mountain Vista Trail was a fairly easy 0.6 mile loop with an elevation change of only 50 feet. This wide trail was made of compacted gravel, which made it easy to walk. The trail included numerous interpretive panels about the early days of the park, when a camp was set up here for the early tourists. The trail also provided a look at the mountains and vegetation of the region.

In the picture above, I spotted a couple of black ravens in the top of the tree. They were making the classic gurgling croak, rising in pitch and seeming to come from the back of their throats. I stood and listened to them for awhile.

I then continued along the trail.

The interpretive panel above told of the tourists that had been traveling to Denali by rail since 1922. The trains often arrived in the middle of the night and the tourists were often greeted with very few amenities. By 1925, Savage Camp improved its services and the railroad adjusted its schedule to make daytime stops.

As the interpretive panel above told us, Savage Camp became known as a "Pleasure Trip" between 1923 through 1938. The visitors explored the surrounding landscape by stagecoach, touring car and bus, on horseback and from the air with excursions being arranged for an hour, for a day or two, or as long as eight days for a horseback trip to Copper Mountain. 

The beautiful panoramic views from the Mountain Vista.

The above interpretive panel told of the landscape being dotted with tent cabins.

The interpretive panel below told that the guests at Savage Camp stayed in canvas-sided tent houses. Each 10-foot by 12-foot tent was furnished with two iron cots, a washstand, chair and wood stove for chilly nights. A large social hall, a dining room and a well-stocked cookhouse made for a pleasant stay, just like a "Home Away from Home."

The interpretive panel below told of the visitors "Spending a Few Fun-Filled Days" at Savage Camp.

According to the above interpretive panel, in 1938 when Park Ranger Sam Houston spoke to the visitors at Savage Camp, the spruce tree and the U-shaped valley was present in the picture. Compare it to the picture I took of the same sight today (see below).

The above interpretive panel talked about glaciers and how they have influenced Denali's landscape. A glacier forms where snow lasts through the summer year after year, piles up, and compresses into hard glacier ice. The ice flows and scrapes its way downhill due to gravity, grinding rock to dust and ripping great boulders from the bedrock. Over thousands of years this action sculpts mountains and carves valleys.

Gorgeous pink fireweed above, while below is the yellow alpine buttercup.

As I continued on the trail, I was told by some people who were stopped and taking pictures that there was a moose and calf in the brush. I tried to take a picture as well . . . but wasn't too successful. (If you look really close, you can see a smudge of brown in the center of the picture -- which was the moose.)

Shown below is a gray-colored, German-engineered MAN overland expedition camper. It really looked interesting and it's huge. Everything about it is huge -- from its height and tires to its cargo box -- all huge. There is no mistaking it for anything other than a vehicle designed to crisscross the world and all of its brutal terrain. I simple had to take a moment and stare at it.

After that, I walked over and began the Savage Cabin Trail. It was an easy 0.3 mile loop trail.

The Savage Cabin Interpretive Trail began as a easy walk with interpretive panels along the way.

The interpretive panel above shows a map of the Savage Cabin Interpretive Loop Trail, as well information on how the historic cabin, dog mushing and rangers have all played a vital role in protecting Denali's wilderness.

The Savage Cabin trail took me to the Savage Cabin. It was originally constructed by the Alaska Road Commission in 1924-1925. The interpretive panel above provides information on the cabin.

As the above interpretive panel indicated, the spruce trees before cabins were built provided protection from the wind and other elements. Later these trees were used to provide shelter in the form of cabin walls. The round logs made walls and were sawed into planks for flooring, roofs, tables, shelves and shutters. The smaller poles became roof supports, chairs and tables. Natural materials like moss were chinked between logs and provided additional roofing insulation when mixed with dirt. The trees also provided wind protection and were a source of fuel for warmth.

As I continued along the trail, I saw wildflowers.

The above interpretive panel told of the "Step to the Wild Side," and the wilderness that Congress set aside and designated as "Denali Wilderness."

The above interpretive panel told of the "Wilderness Guardians" and how important it was to have enough cabins along the main trail through the park to enable the rangers to reach them in one day's travel.

In the above interpretive panel, we learn that Harry Karstens realized that this national park needed to be accessible to its visitors. However, he may not have anticipated the impact that large numbers of visitors and vehicles would have on wildlife and the wilderness experience. Therefore in 1972, the shuttle bus system was established to keep the "Road to Wilderness" less traveled and thus keeping it wild.

The Savage River Campground was right across the road from the Savage Cabin Interpretive Trailhead. It resides at an elevation of 2,780 feet.

Since I had not seen Mel, Brian or Karen yet from their ride, I sat waiting at the Savage Cabin trailhead bus stop. Shortly thereafter Mel rode up and said that they were over at Mountain Vista and had just got there. I told him to go ahead and walk the trail over there with Brian and Karen and that I would sit here for awhile. 

After waiting about 45 minutes, I decided to walk over to the Mountain Vista bus stop, and saw all three of them riding their bikes my way. We talked briefly, and I told them I was going to go ahead and get on the bus to go back to Riley Creek Campground.

I got back to Riley Creek Campground at around 3:00 p.m. Mel, Brian and Karen arrived at around 4:00 p.m. exhausted and glad to be back.

We had chicken drummies and fried potatoes for dinner. We then invited Brian and Karen over for a campfire at our campsite until 10:00 p.m.

Wednesday, July 12, 2023

Today was another cloudy day and since everyone was a little exhausted from yesterday, we decided to take it a little easy. The temperature started out chilly at 47 degrees. At ll:00 a.m., we decided to drive into the Denali boardwalk to do some shopping.

We walked into almost every store along the boardwalk. Mel and I did purchase some t-shirts, a Uli knife sharpener, Mel got a baseball cap and a bottle koozie with a bottle opener (see below). 

The next place I went to was the Northern Heart Originals quilt shop.

There I bought the 2023 row-by-row quilt kit (see below to see what the finished row will look like) to include in the Alaska row-by-row quilt I plan to make when I get back to Colorado.

Then we went to the 49th State Brewery in Healy for an early dinner. Karen, Brian and Mel each had a flight of craft beer.

Karen Burk with her flight of craft beer.

Brian Burk with his flight of craft beer.

And Mel with his flight of craft beer.

Since I don't like beer, I was elated to find that they had flights of Frontier Soda available.

The sodas from left to right are: spruce tip (a bight moss green soda made with notes of red raspberry and lemon-lime that tastes like a stroll through an ancient Alaskan spruce rainforest during a downpour), cola (this cola tastes life a bolt of citrus and ginger lightning striking the Alaskan tundra), wild blueberry cream (a purple potion with bold notes of wild blueberries and vanilla that taste like a hungry black bear is ravaging a ripe berry patch), and root beer (a delightfully sweet and spicy libation, overflowing with notes of vanilla and honey that was modeled after an old Klondike gold miner's closely guarded root beer recipe). I really liked the spruce tip!

49th State Brewery makes all these sodas in-house. I am told that they have some new Frontier Soda flavors in the works including: 1) Spring Breakup (a mysteriously delicious indigo blue soda crafted to celebrate the magical time in Alaska when the ice and snow of winter melts away into spring); 2) Aurora Borealis (experience the mysterious majesty of the northern lights in every sip of this soda that tastes like Alaska's most beautiful natural phenomenon); 3) Endless Summer (take a sip of sunshine with this mysteriously delicious vivid, orange-colored soda that is as vibrant as the Alaskan summer sun); 4) Ripe Raspberry (radiating a bright crimson, this soda tastes like a wild sun-ripened Alaskan red raspberry after being plucked from the vine); 5) Shamrock Splash (our leprechaun friends helped us craft this milky green soda based on their favorite St. Patrick's Day treat: a vanilla milkshake with a hint of mint); 6) Sugar Cookie (this special soda tastes just like a fresh batch of holiday sugar cookies decorated lovingly with icing and sprinkles); and 7) Pumpkin Pie ( crafted especially for fall, this soda tastes like a slice of homemade pumpkin pie with a generous dollop of freshly whipped cream). Can't wait to try each one of these if we are ever get back to 49th State Brewery again!

Shown above is the Mt. Magnificent burger that Mel, Karen and I each had (made with Applewood smoked peppered bacon, aged smoked cheddar cheese, smashed potatoes, crispy onions, and Blonde Eagle Ale BBQ sauce) with fries , while Brian had the Savage River Flatbread (made with Blonde Eagle Ale BBQ sauce, grilled chicken, smoked gouda, red onion, mozzarella, and cilantro).

After eating, we visited the "Into the Wild" bus -- this time with Brian and Karen.

We could actually walk inside the bus as you can see Karen Burk is doing below.

Below is the list Christopher McCandless made as he caught animals, picked berries, and tried to stay alive in the wild.

Below is the S.O.S. message written by Christopher McCandless asking for help.

Below is Chris' farewell from August 13, 1992.

Below is the old mattress and fur off an animal in the bus.

Below is a picture of Chris' success in hunting on one day. There were numerous pictures of his lonely journey in the bus.

Bus 142 was the bus that Christopher McCandless used to try to survive (see above). Mel drove bus 42 in Willis, so he stepped in to drive this "Into the Wild" bus. 

Shown below is Karen and Brian Burk with Mel.

We could have walked 20 miles through mosquito infested tundra, risked our lives crossing the Teklanika River, just to get a picture next to the "Magic Bus." But why take that risk, when all we had to do was come to the 49th State Brewing Company, and visit the "Magic Bus" from the movie, and then walk 20 yards and try one of their handcrafted beers or frontier sodas in the popular bar & grill.

We stopped briefly at the 3 Bears Grocery Store in Healy to get groceries and propane. Then we sat out at the campfire with Brian and Karen until 10:00 p.m.

Cheers to craft beer!

Shirley & Mel