Raptors!

Golden Eagle

Bald Eagle on Iceberg

Alaskan Flora

Alpine Arnica (probably)

Columbine

Lupine

Alaskan Rodents

Snowshoe Hare

Squirrel

Snowshoe Hare-- unable to capture a hare with it's white winter coat, I settled instead for several pictures of the brown summer coat.

Ground Squirrel

Raven Dance

This beautiful video of ravens circling in a cloudy sky was taken at the sand cliffs.  

Sand Cliffs

These massive sand cliffs are about an hours hike away from camp-- on the way back the first time we traveled here I saw my first Alaskan bear as we startled it and it fled into the forest.

Camping at Montana Creek

About a mile and a half down the Montana Creek Trail there is a trapper's cabin owned by a friend of our bosses-- we're allowed to camp there.  It's a glorious spot perched above a river and far from anything.  We all went as a group the first time-- later I went out by myself, making it almost to the cabin before stumbling upon an angry moose in the trail.  He refused to yield and threatened to charge.  I, naturally, retreated and went home.  It was exhilarating being harassed by a beast of that size that could have easily killed me with a well placed hoof to the skull.

Tyler at the cabin

There are several of these structures along this trail, as well as other trails in the area.  I assume they are markers for the trail, but the trails all seem well socialized leaving these feeling extraneous.  They could possibly (but unlikely) be emergency shelters, but they seem far to small and haphazard.  They have a creepy Blair Witch feel to them, whatever their purpose.  Aiding the unease, both of these had animal parts (a skin and a wing) suspended from them.

Hoofed Beasts

There are three main hoofed mammals in Denali Park that everyone wants to see: caribou, dall sheep, and moose.  I saw two caribou on my first day getting to camp, but am yet to see any since.  We would see dall sheep almost everyday going to work early in the season-- less so as there are more cars on the road.  And moose?  We see moose all the time.  Looking for the big racks on the moose?  They fall off every season and the moose have to grow them back during the summer.  They haven't gotten to the stereotypical size yet.

Dall Sheep

Pet Moose (took this photo less than 2 minutes from my cabin)

Park Moose

More Park Moose

Joe vs the Fire

There's more craziness afoot!  Gasp with terror as Joe attempts to leap a small campfire in a single bound!  Applaud as he succeeds!  Deja vu as he then does it... again!  Giggle at the silliness of it all!

Campfire Tales

Nothing like a late evening bonfire to pass a dull Alaskan day.  This one actually prompted me to quit drinking for a few weeks after a remarkably awkward incident involving me blacked out and pissing on the floor of my cabin.  Roommate = unhappy.  Naturally.

Hooligans

Naughty Corbin

Faris/Tyler

Two Tylers and a Corbin