High drama in Denali National Park

We stayed about 10 miles outside Denali on the 8th after an unbelievable ride on the gravel Denali Highway - 130 miles or so. Saw a large male moose swimming across a pond with a huge set of antlers and beautiful snow capped mountains and rivers/lakes the whole way. As Paul mentioned, we had strawberry rhubarb pie with huckleberry ice cream and chicken soup at this really cool restaurant 1/2 way down the highway.

The 9th we visited Denali park - they let you drive in about 15 miles up to a parking lot. From there, you have to take a bus tour if you want to go further into the park. When we got near the 15 mile parking lot, Dug, Paul and Dan stopped to see a moose and cute baby calf. Paul and Dug stopped their bikes at a place where they figured out the Moose and calf would eventually would cross the road and had the intuition to move up about 15 yards. Sure enough, the moose and baby crossed - then about 3 minutes later, a momma brown bear (Grizzly) with her two cubs in pursuit of the Moose and calf. Dan filmed the whole thing from about 50 yards.

I saw the bear cross the road from a distance and went down to check it out. There were a few buses and cars watching this unfold - and sadly, the grizzly's got the baby moose while momma moose watched helplessly. She paced back and forth - bewildered but as we learned from the Lion King, that's the circle of life. The Bear eat the moose and when the bear dies, he becomes the grass that the moose eats... that's what i tell Kaitlyn anyway. It was quite sad.

As i watched this drama unfold up on the hillside, out of nowhere comes this family of moose (Momma and two calfs) jogging from behind me- clip-clopping away. I was straddling my bike, camera in hand and all i could think about were all the warnings people gave along the way - most recently the hunter at our cool lunch spot on the Denali Hwy - "don't get between momma moose and her babies - she'll tear you apart!" So i fumbled between trying to jump off my bike, then starting it (to get away) - to almost abandoning my camera (panicking a little) but once it was clear they were just running by, i had the composure to snap this:

I was shaking for a while after - these animals are giant!

Had a great hike along the river into the mountains at the 15 mile parking lot - saw some sheep way up the mountain and caribou on the hike back. Finished the day up in Fairbanks. Went to Chena pump house for dinner - Dug had way too much beer:

Today we are headed to Wiseman - 1/2 way to Prudhoe bay.. should be a long day. i'm guessing we'll be out of contact for at least two days - it's a very remote area.. Will post again when we can.

Brian