Day 27, Thursday, August 3, 2006

44 this morning at the Riley Creek campground just inside Denali and still partly to mostly cloudy. The ranger said it’s always partly cloudy and one just has to be in the right place at the right time to get a good clear view of McKinley. We read somewhere that only 35% of visitors get a good look at the mountain while in Danali National Park. Walked into “town” today for a good lunch and internet access. Failed at both. Lunch just so-so and the promised internet access was even worse. Not a real town, either. No grocery store, just gas station fast/deli food. Some restaurants, but we needed groceries. We tried to salvage the day by going back up the 15 miles allowed by vehicle hoping to see Denali again. Didn’t get to see it today. Drove back up the road north to Healy to buy gas, groceries, water, and alcohol for tomorrow’s 3-day excursion into the back country campground. Nothing up there and we can’t leave so we have to be well provisioned. We finally succeeded at something today even though not real groceries. Found some frozen meat, liquor, dairy, and a fresh vegetable stand on the way.

Denali view - our first time to see the mountain, however, it is not very evident in this picture. The mountais is there in the clouds and you might see it if you expand this picture.

We made it! Just one more view from the park- but no McKinley