Denali Day 5

We are sitting outside beside a crackling fire, the sky to the east is blue but it is black and threatening rain to the west. Not sure what the weather will do next.

The hike we chose to do by ourselves today is across from the Polychrome Plains on one of the fingers of the Polychrome Mountain. We chose a route that took us to the top of a ridge and then walked along it to its end before descending. As is usual in this area, the base is covered with willow trees and birch bushes that we have to bushwhack our way through. The wild flowers are prolific on this ridge and John is happy that I'm not making him stop to look at them or take pictures of them.

It is a steep climb thru the bushes but we are rewarded with a walk along the tundra at the top. The view is spectacular! We are surrounded by mountain ridges and peaks. The plain below is cut through by a wide river and is a lush green. Behind that are mountains that still have snow caps and glaciers running between them. Opposite that view and behind us are row upon row of mountain peaks, some closer than others. Most are colored rust, gray or black, and shades of green and shrouded in clouds with bursts of sunshine highlighting their vibrant colors. And in all that splendor there is not one animal!!! We see no caribou, sheep or bears! Where did they all go??

As we walked along the ridge it rained for about 10 minutes, thankfully that was all. We found a small bowl of green grass below the edge of the ridge where we stopped for lunch and a short nap. As we geared up after our break we watched a pika scamper across the rocks and a marmot sunning itself at the top of the ridge. At last some animals! The point of the ridge is rock covered with no easy way down in sight. We very slowly and cautiously descend a short distance to the tundra. When we look up from our feet we see a grizzly bear lumbering along the field right below us. He is probably 400 yds. away. Just as John gets the camera out, the bear lies down for a nap, so we walk down the hill to try to get closer for a better picture but that bear is really sleepy and doesn't move. With the naked eye it looks like a brown log in the grass but with the binoculars it is massive! Such a large bear! I wish we could show that to you.

It was a really neat day! We celebrated with a couple of beers before supper and wine after as we toast by the fire! Aahhh.