Alaska Cruise-Tour, 28 May to 8 June 2011

[reservoir88]

#126 #127 is ...stunning beautiful.. You have seen the other side of earth.

So beautiful..........I wish I was there too.....
Thanks for sharing...

Thank you Edwan and MGohzxc. The pleasure is mine, so glad you enjoy the thread.

 

[reservoir88]

#139
Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge

#140
At the foot of Mt Healy

 

[reservoir88]

Denali National Park is a vast wildlife preserve of 6 million acres. It is larger than Massachusetts. At the lower elevations mainly coniferous trees grow. This is known as the Taiga region. At higher elevations only minatures shrubs and wildflowers adapted to the cold and short growing season are found. This is called the Tundra region. It is a haven for animals such as moose, caribou, bear, dhall sheep, wolf etc. Unfortunately during our short stay we did not have time to go on special trips to spot the animals. We only got a glimpse from our bus when the driver pointed them out. We saw Dhall sheep, moose, squirrel but they were all far away.


#141
Taiga and Tundra

#142
Rainbow after a slight drizzle

#143
Park Ranger (actually just somebody acting as a ranger in the early 1900s, as a setting for an educational talk)

#144
Side of Ranger's cabin studded with long nails to keep bears away

#145
Moose that came near the bus

 

[limwhow]

#145
Moose that came near the bus

This really is how a moose looks like! Like the moose I've often seen in the cartoons.
Haha... doesn't that make me a real sua-koo?

 

[reservoir88]

#146
Mt Healey with some buildings in our lodge visible at the right side

There were many trails for exploring in at this part of Denali Park. We took one that led across the railway and down to a lake called horseshoe lake.
They kept warning about what to do when you meet a bear. It made us nervous when we took the trail. Whilst we didn't mind meeting a bear up close, we certainly did not want to end up being its lunch. Halfway along the trail my wife saw a black hairy object and got a shock. Turned out it was just 2 other tourist who happened to be wearing black woolly jackets. Had a good laugh.

#147
Horseshoe lake. Part of a dam made by beavers is in the midground

#148
Railway tracks that cut through one of the trails

#149
Opposite bank of Neenana river that flowed at the foot of Mt Healey and beside our lodge

#150
Neenana River

 

[reservoir88]

This really is how a moose looks like! Like the moose I've often seen in the cartoons.
Haha... doesn't that make me a real sua-koo?

Haha, usually we see moose with antlers. Only male moose have antlers but they drop off seasonally.

 

[Alpc]

This really is how a moose looks like! Like the moose I've often seen in the cartoons.
Haha... doesn't that make me a real sua-koo?

I believe this is a female moose, so no antlers. The male will drop its antlers after the mating season and conserve energy for the winter. A new set of antlers will then regrow in the spring (3 to 5 months to fully develop).

 

[Alpc]

I just realized that we have almost the same shots for the rail journey from Whittier to Denali, especially #133 to #136 - exact location, just different angle/zoom!

 

[reservoir88]

Haha, usually we see moose with antelopes. Only male moose have antelopes but they drop off seasonally.

Sorry I meant to say antlers not antelopes

 

[reservoir88]

Mt Mackinley, situated in Denali National Park, is the highest mountain in North America. It's height is 20320 ft or 6194 metres. It is snow peaked and usually covered with clouds. There is a "Mt Mckinley is out" wake-up call which shows how "shy" the mountain is, On the first day we arrived at Mckinley lodge we were fortunate to be able to see the peak. The next day it was all covered with clouds that we wouldn't have known that it was there if we had not seen it the previous day.

#151
We arrive at Mt Mckinley Princess Wilderness Lodge

#152
Our accomodations

#153
Good view of Mt Mckinley but still with some clouds

#154
Later in the day - abt 10.00 pm

#155
Around 11.00 pm

 

[Alpc]

McKinley is the only one that is missing from my photos. Sounds like only those staying at McKinley lodge is able to get photos of this shy mountain without traveling deeper into the park. It was fully covered with clouds when I was there, even during the ride into the park.

 

[blueskye168]

Makes me drools...and feel like I'm there (at some points...) while viewing thru your spectacular:bigeyes:views/pics:thumbsup: of Alaska Cruise-Tour:heart:

Wish I've the time to be there manzz...

Thanks for sharing...

 

[reservoir88]

#156
Guide to the Mountains

#157
Tokosha Mountains

#158
Moose's Tooth

#159
North and South Peaks of Mt Hunter

#160
This must be the North Peak of Mt Hunter

 

[reservoir88]

Makes me drools...and feel like I'm there (at some points...) while viewing thru your spectacularviews/pics of Alaska Cruise-Tour

Wish I've the time to be there manzz...

Thanks for sharing...

Thanks for visiting, blueskye168.
May you have the opportunity to personally take in the spectacular scenery, some day.

 

[reservoir88]

McKinley is the only one that is missing from my photos. Sounds like only those staying at McKinley lodge is able to get photos of this shy mountain without traveling deeper into the park. It was fully covered with clouds when I was there, even during the ride into the park.

Would be interested to see your pictures, especially those of the Arctic. Do post them.

 

[SK1968]

#157
Tokosha Mountains

#158
Moose's Tooth

#159
North and South Peaks of Mt Hunter

#160
This must be the North Peak of Mt Hunter

Beautiful !

 

[divinemoment]

After 3 weeks, then realised this thread. Beautiful picture and thanks for the narratives. I also wanted to go but wearing suit and tie on board discouraged me lei. I can skip that restaurant but I can't loose out.

 

[Alpc]

After 3 weeks, then realised this thread. Beautiful picture and thanks for the narratives. I also wanted to go but wearing suit and tie on board discouraged me lei. I can skip that restaurant but I can't loose out.

Only 2 nights that requires the suit... Some people just go to the buffet for dinner for those 2 nites... So I don't see how that can be such a big impact on decision making!

 

[divinemoment]

Only 2 nights that requires the suit... Some people just go to the buffet for dinner for those 2 nites... So I don't see how that can be such a big impact on decision making!

Just giving myself the conventional excuse that one fine day I'll go as some have repeated here. I thought my excuse is more "legitimate". When come to makan, cannot lose out esp when its free.

 

[engta]

Hi reservoir88, nice pics.. thanks for sharing.
How's the food served at the cruise? Was there wide selection of Asian and western food?
From your pics, there seems to be many mountains and lakes in Alaska. Have you been to NZ South Island? If you have, can share what's the difference if any, in terms of scenery beauty? I have not been to both, but have seen some NZ South Island pics posted in this forum, thought they are kind of similar to those in Alaska.