Outside the real Denali

DEBALI PARK, AK - - The Nenana River flows northward. Right now it is in a sort of calm stage as all the ice hasn't broken up yet and there has been little glacier melt. In 10 days the river will be dotted with rafts heading for adventure. This shot shows the area just north of where I'll be working with Alaska Rafting Adventures. Adventures is an apt description ...the water temperature never gets above 40-degrees even on the hottest days.

TO GET all those great scenery and animal pics (check out Lydia's Tuesday blog with the shots of the Snow shoe bunnies) you have to give up something. The area in the shot below is called 'The Canyon'. For about 2 miles Alaska Highway 3 is lined practically wall-to-wall with either lodging or souvenir/food/tour-sellers/restaurants and fast food places. There isn't traffic yet as everyone is still setting up. In about 2 weeks the terms "zoo" and "chaos" will probably apply most of the time. And I and my fellow drivers will be right in the middle of it most of the time.