June 5 We had tickets for the day guaranteeing us a ride on a shuttle bus up to the last stop on the Park Road at Eielson Visitors Center which is at mile marker 66, or about 37 miles up the Park Road from our campground.
We got up around 7:30, ate breakfast and packed our backpack and fanny pack for the day. We were at the bus pickup point at 9:40 along with several others from our campground.
The bus prior to our 10:10 departure time was late arriving. Since they had the space Peggy and I boarded this bus and off we went. The bus holds 100 people and it was full. The first stop is at a rest area and 4 other buses are there. Talk about a cattle call! UGH!
The driver gave us 10 minutes to do our business which meant that those who had to use the restroom had to stand in line waiting. After 10 minutes it was all aboard and off we went again. The driver did a nice job of describing various things regarding the park, mountains, and animals. We did see Dall Sheep as we drove farther into the park.
It was terribly overcast with a prediction for rain. The mountain peaks were obscured in low clouds and it rained on and off. After about 45 minutes of slow mountain driving we came to another rest stop which had 5 other buses at it! That meant 600 people trying to do their business. WOW! It was a super sized cattle call. I was disappointed and fairly upset with how a National Park could coordinate such a mishandling of masses people. But the bus driver was generous- 15 minutes to do your business.
Then off we rushed in the bus. As we rounded a bend there was a river valley to the left and there it was, a grizzly bear. You could clearly tell what it was even though I estimated it to be maybe 1/2 mile away. The driver stopped but you could not leave the bus, so down go the windows and everyone simultaneously tries to get pictures of the bear. Fortunately most everyone was willing to let others have a turn at a window except the guy in front of me. He was the Window Nazi! (You know him...not from my window your not!)
And, Peggy and I could not sit together because we were about the last 2 on the bus. The seat left for me was, well, half a seat because of a very rotund man who did not like the fact that he no longer had 2 seats to himself. He was the Seat Nazi! You know the kind...takes up so much space you have to sit in the aisle seat with one cheek on and one cheek off. In fact, when he reboarded the bus he sat on my seat belt and quickly fastened his so that I could not put mine on, and God knows I wasn’t going to reach under his you-know-what to pull my half of seat belt out from under him.
We saw another grizzly on a hillside digging. He must have been after a ground squirrel. I got some fairly good shots especially after the driver moved the bus on down the roadside to get us closer. Even the Window Nazi was not a bother as others let me shoot from their window.
About 3/4 of the way to the Eielson Visitors Center the Window Nazi and his wife requested to get off the bus as they wanted to hike the Fish Creek trail. The driver pulled over and as they departed the bus, the Window Nazi asked the driver where is this trail exactly! Who would go traipsing out on the tundra not knowing where your starting from let alone where you’re going! And to top it all off, his wife was wearing sneekers! We never saw them again.
The good news in this is that as soon as they stood up and moved down the aisle, I grabbed their seats. Peggy who was 2 rows ahead of me joined me. Ah! Things are looking better. No more Seat or Window Nazi for me! And my seat partner is much better looking and more personable!
We arrive at the Visitors Center and walk around. You could see heavy rain approaching so Peggy and I went inside to look at the displays. And then another couple of buses arrived and so you are now standing shoulder to shoulder with a mass of humanity. Fortunately the rain eased up and Peggy and I put our rain coats to good use and walked on some of the shorter trails around the Center.
We were told that we were to sign up for a bus at the Visitors Center to return us to our campground- look for the man with a clipboard. As soon as we arrived at the Visitors Center we estimated we wanted to remain about and hour and a half. So, we found Mr. Clipboard and said we wanted to be put on the 2:30 bus. “You can’t request a bus for that time yet. Go do your walking around here and then come back.” Ah, Mr. Bus Nazi!
Fortunately, the Eielson Visitors Center is very nice and we got some photos, none of which show Mt McKinley as it was buried in clouds all day. But, Mother Nature is not a nazi!
About 2:00 we found the Bus Nazi and got our names on the list for the 2:30 bus, assuming there was room for us. If not, we would be bumped to the next bus leaving about 3:00. But, Peggy and I were about the last to get on the 2:30 bus, and we were even able to sit together!
This bus driver was good! He drove at a reasonable speed and did a very good job of commentating on the ride back to our campground. We got some closeup photos of Dall Sheep and then a lady spotted a grizzly running on a snow field in a river valley just below us. The Window Nazi and Seat Nazi were not on board this bus so everyone got reasonably good photos. And at the rest areas we were the only bus there!
We decided the best time to ride the shuttles was in the afternoon as it seemed most people do their touring in the park in the morning. And the fact that we saw 3 grizzly bears made what I considered a bad way to see a national park by bus all the more tolerable!
We got back to our campsite about 5:00 and fixed supper- grilled pork chops and baked potatoes. At 7:30 we went to the Range Program on wolverines, fox, and lynx and how they survive in the Park. We went back and had our campfire. However, this time I spiked the fire with a little diesel fuel. That seemed to do the trick to get the fire going, and we ended the evening on a most positive note.
Although I am not fond of the way the National Park Service runs attending Denali, it is still a special place to come to. If I were 40 years younger, I think I would backpack here as that would give you the freedom to have the time to absorb all that this park contains. With the shuttle system you never are given an opportunity along the way to really appreciate what you are seeing and experiencing because someone else is dictating the time to you. I don’t know how the other National Parks can allow travel within the park by personal vehicle and yet Denali does not. It’s just that I don’t like to be rushed when there is something special to loose yourself in- like the views and seeing wildlife.
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