Day 9 Denali Natural History Tour and Mt. Mckinley Princess Wilderness Lodge (Talkeetna)
Another “getting up early” day as we had an early excursion-- Denali Natural History Tour at 7:30AM. Denali Natural History Tour is a scenic bus tour that consists of a ride to the visitor center for the award-winning film “Across Time and Tundra” -- which showed the development of roads and hotels in the early age, and eventually the national park. (Details about the development: http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/dena/dena_concession.pdf)
The tour exposes guests to the six-million-acre wilderness, which is the habitual of the wildlife; and also the Savage cabin where a native in her costume will explain about the life in the pioneer days. At around mile 9, which is about half of the tour, the full aspect of the 20,320 ft high Mt. Mckinley could be viewed in distance.
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| Sourdough Walnut Casserole, Walnut Muffin |
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| Reindeer Sausage, Scamble Egg, Walnut Muffin |
We had the sourdough-casserole, reindeer sausage breakfast buffet ($14.99 PP) at the Denali restaurant (same place as the Music of Denali Dinner Theater) and then we headed out to the main lobby and wait for the Natural History Tour. The bus driver was our tour guide for the entire trip and he provided the narrative description of the history and background of Denali National Park. Usually at this time of the year, a lot of wildlife would be out in the field enjoying the spring; however, due to the heavy rain this morning, we couldn’t see any animal except for a porcupine. If we could choose the time of the tour, we would have chose the afternoon tour-- just because the sky opened up later and I heard some visitors saw caribous and mooses in the wilderness.
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| Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge |
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| Denali National Park |
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| Mountain and Ice (source: Denali-A Living Tapestry by Alaska Geographic) |
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| Park Road and Bus Route (source: Denali-A Living Tapestry by Alaska Geographic) |
The six million acres Denali National park is an ecosystem with caribous, bears, wolves, Dall sheep, moose, soapberries, willows, birches, fungi, tundra plants, etc are living together in an equilibrium relationship. Even the snow in the winter plays a role in the equilibrium by keeping the temperature underneath the snow at zero degree to prevent creatures from the harsh below-zero temperature above the snow. Our bus drove from the George Parks Highway to the Park Road and on our way we passed the Park Headquarters, Savage Cabin, Savage river checkpoint and Primrose Ridge. I enjoyed the movies “Across time and Tundra” and the story telling at the Savage Cabin. Immersing in the wilderness made me realized how tiny I am when compared to the huge nature and nothing (problems) really matter anymore.
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| Our one and only one wildlife that we saw: Porcupine |
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| Denali National Park |
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| Denali National Park- Primrose ridge |
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| Denali National Park- Primrose ridge |
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| White Dall Sheeps (source: Denali-A Living Tapestry by Alaska Geographic) |
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| Mooses (source: Denali-A Living Tapestry by Alaska Geographic) |
We came back to the lodge around 11:45 AM and decided to have lunch early so that we can prepare for the departure at 2 PM. We went to Salmon Baked restaurant and ordered a yak quesadillas and a salmon seafood chowder for lunch. The salmon chowder was good but the yak was a little bit bland. Maybe I was expecting the gamey taste from the yak meat, I didn’t taste much except for the cheese in the yak quesadillas. I like this restaurant but if you were in hurry, it might not be right for you. The group sat next to us had booked a tour around 1PM and they were like the ants in a wok- jumping up and down. They complained that the food and service were really slow and almost had to cancel all the orders. Luckily, it was a happy ending for both group- but I guess the restaurant should take a look with the staffing and long food-waiting time.
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| Chulitna River |
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| The BUS going from the lodge to Talkeetna |
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| (source: Denali-A Living Tapestry by Alaska Geographic) |
After lunch, we waited at the lobby for the 2 PM motor coach taking us from the Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge to the Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge. It took around 3 hours to commute and on our way down to Mt. McKinley, we passed the Alaska Veterans’ Monument. (http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/aspunits/matsu/akveteransmemorial.htm) We arrived the Mt.Mckinley lodge around 5 PM and we were planning to take the shuttle ($10 per person) to Talkeetna for a walk. I’m glad that the excursion desk staff informed us that most of the stores in Talkeetna would be closed by this time- the only reason to go now would be checking out the restaurants/ having dinner. I was not interested in taking an hour long shuttle just for dinner, thus, instead of going to Talkeetna, we stayed in the lodge.
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| Horse-Drawn Wagon Ride |
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| Internet Room @ Mt.Mckinely Princess Lodge |
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| The Great Room@ Mt.Mckinely Princess Lodge |
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| The Great Room@ Mt.Mckinely Princess Lodge |
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| Coffee bar by the Great Room@ Mt.Mckinely Princess Lodge |
We walked around the lodge and hike with the 2 out of 3 trail inside the lodge. Since it was drizzling, we didn’t see any moose but we saw a lot of interesting-looking plants. We had dinner at 20320 Alaskan Grill-- a more reasonable priced restaurant when compared to Mountain View Dining Room. We had the BBQ rib ($19.99) and grilled salmon with blueberry glaze ($23.99) for dinner.
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| Funny looking plant @ the trail in Mt. Mckinley Lodge |
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| Funny looking plant@ the trail in Mt. Mckinley Lodge |
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| Look at the 3D line on the leaves~increasing the surface for light? |
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| Mt.Mckinely Princess Lodge |
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| Chulitna River close to the Mt.Mckinely Princess Lodge |
After dinner, we went to the theater for the Photosymphony ® -- LeRoy’s Zimmerman’s Aurora Experience (http://www.photosymphony.com/ ; for LeRoy’s Zimmerman’s collection, please check this website: http://leroyzimmerman.com/ and for pictures of Aurora, please check this website: http://leroyzimmerman.com/galleries/interior_alaska_auroras/index.html) Photosymphony ® was a show that combined classical music and Aurora pictures and it was a stunning experience (words can’t describe, sorry) that I highly recommend anyone who stays at Mt. McKinley Princess lodge, Copper River Princess Lodge, or plans to visit Fairbanks Lacy Street Theater to watch this widescreen panoramic masterpiece. ($8 per person, 7PM and 8PM show at Mt. Mckinley lodge.) We had the Photosymphony ® as our ending music for the day.
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| 20320 Alaskan Grill Restaurant |
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| BBQ Rib by 20320 Alaskan Grill Restaurant |
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| Blueberry Glaced Grilled Salmon by 20320 Alaskan Grill Restaurant |
第九天 迪納利自然歷史生態觀察團至麥金利山公主號原野旅館 (Talkeetna)
今天亦是另外一天要提早起床的日子: 因為我們被安排參加了早上7時30分的迪納利自然歷史生態觀察團. 這個風景觀光巴士團會帶遊客到旅客中心去觀看得獎電影“Across Time and Tundra”. 這是一套介紹當年阿拉斯加怎樣開發的電影- 由怎樣開闢道路, 第一間酒店/旅館, 至國家公園的產生. (詳細內容請參照這網頁: http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/dena/dena_concession.pdf)
然後會讓旅客置身於6百萬畝的草原中去觀看野生動物; 穿著印地安民族服飾的土著會在Savage cabin恭候大家, 她會細說當年開拓時代的生活故事. 大概在整個車程的一半/ 9英哩的時候, 旅行車會抵達一個地方能夠看到20,320 英尺高的麥金利山. 雖然是遠眺,但仍能感受到麥金利山的雄偉.
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| (source: Denali-A Living Tapestry by Alaska Geographic) |
我們到迪納利餐廳（跟昨晚的迪納利音樂劇場餐廳自助晚餐同址）去吃早餐（自助餐形式，每位$14.99美元，有馴鹿香腸，酸麵團肉桂焦糖煮，炒蛋，等等）接著我們便到大堂集合等候巴士團．巴士司機亦是我們的導遊先生, 全程他會提供詳細的歷史及文化背景資料. 一般動物都會在春季這季節出動, 享受著萬象更新,花草萌芽的時候; 可是今天早上滂沱大雨, 除了看到一隻箭豬外, 甚麼動物都看不到. 若果我們有機會選擇的話, 我們會選擇下午出發的巴士團—因為下午的天氣比較好, 而且有旅客說他們能看到駝鹿及馴鹿的蹤影.
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| Savage Cabin |
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| Savage Cabin |
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| Savage Cabin |
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| Savage Cabin |
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| Savage Cabin |
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| Savage Cabin |
六百萬畝的迪納利國家公園是一個完善的生態平衡系統: 馴鹿, 駝鹿, 巨熊, 狼, 多爾大角羊, 無患子, 柳樹, 樺木, 真菌, 苔原植物, 等等,大家互相依靠, 互為因果而生存. 即使冬天裡的雪亦在生態平衡系統中扮演重要的角色. 雪以上的地方/空氣是零度以下, 相當寒冷. 相對地, 雪扮演著”保暖”的角色, 令雪以下的地方保持在零度溫度, 讓有些生物能夠在穩定的氣溫中渡過寒冬. 巴士從
George Parks Highway 開到Park Road. 沿途經過Park Headquarters, Savage Cabin, Savage river checkpoint 及 Primrose Ridge. 看了經典的 “Across time and Tundra” 電影及在Savage Cabin聽了有趣的歷史故事, 感覺充實有趣. 身處於無邊無制的原野中令我頓然覺得自己是有多渺小; 相對起浩大的大自然, 個人的問題亦只是細小的一項而已.
我們大概在早上11時45分完成觀察團回到旅館大堂. 我們決定早一點去吃午飯, 讓自己有充裕的時間去準備下午2時的巴士到下一個目的地. 我們再回到Salmon Baked 餐廳用午膳. 我們點了犛牛芝士夾餅及三文魚海鮮周打湯. 海鮮湯味道不錯但是犛牛肉略嫌淡了一點. 可能是我對犛牛肉有所期望- 期待它有一種野生動物的騷腥味. 可能是有所期待, 所以當我吃到只有芝士味的犛牛芝士夾餅時,頓然有些失望. 我們都很喜歡這家的餐廳, 可是若果你要趕時間的話,那你可要三思三思. 坐在我們隔壁的旅客們需要在下午12時多至1時前完成午餐因為他們下一個活動是在下午一時開始. 他們投訴這裡的服務及出菜的速度都很慢, 他們焦慮得像鍋裡的螞蟻一樣-坐立不安, 差點要把所有點的菜都全部取消,趕到活動集合區. 幸好在最後關頭, 所有食物都一一到齊,雙贏的局面, 但餐廳真的須要認真檢討一下緩慢的出菜速度及服務.
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| 三文魚海鮮周打湯 |
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| 犛牛芝士夾餅 |
午飯後, 我們回到旅館大堂等候下午2時的巴士. 巴士由迪納利公主原野旅館開至麥金利山公主原野旅館, 全程大概3小時, 途中會經過阿拉斯加退伍軍人紀念碑 (http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/aspunits/matsu/akveteransmemorial.htm)
我們大概在下午5時抵達麥金利山旅館. 我們本想乘搭館內巴士(每位$10元,美元)到Talkeetna 去遊玩參觀, 興幸活動服務台的服務員提點了我們說這時候 (下午5時)所有商店都差不多關掉了. 現在乘車到那裡的原因只有是為了到那裡用餐.我對坐一個小時車去用餐這個想法並不感興趣, 於是我們決定留在館內, 放棄今天到Talkeetna去.
我們在主館內參觀, 然後在館內的遠足徑走動探索. 因為天雨的關係, 我們未能看到駝鹿的蹤影, 但這裡有很多樣子長得很奇怪的植物. 我們到20320 Alaskan Grill 吃晚餐- 這裡食物的價錢比起Mountain View Dining Room合理得多. 我們點了炭燒牛骨 ($19.99) 及藍草莓醬燒三文魚 ($23.99)--- 一字記之曰:好 !!
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| 藍草莓醬燒三文魚 Blueberry Glaced Grilled Salmon |
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| Mt.McKinley Princess Lodge |
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| Mt.McKinley Princess Lodge |
晚飯後, 我們到館內的劇場去欣賞LeRoy’s Zimmerman 的大作: Photosymphony ® 北極光之旅. <<Photosymphony ® -- LeRoy’s Zimmerman’s Aurora Experience http://www.photosymphony.com/ ; LeRoy’s Zimmerman的其他作品,請到這網站: http://leroyzimmerman.com/ LeRoy’s Zimmerman北極光的有關圖片,請到此網站: http://leroyzimmerman.com/galleries/interior_alaska_auroras/index.html) Photosymphony ® 是一個古典音樂加上北極光影片的混合體. 這大師級的製作令人讚嘆不已, 不是筆墨能夠形容的體驗. 我極力推薦所有會住在Mt. McKinley 公主號原野旅館, Copper River公主號原野旅館, 或會計畫到Fairbanks Lacy Street Theater劇院的旅客去觀賞這大銀幕全景的傑作. (每位$8 美元, 麥金利山旅館 Mt. Mckinley lodge的播影時間是晚上7時及8時.) 我們以Photosymphony ® 作為我們今天的完結音樂.
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