Banzhafrica: Bucket List

If you have a bucket list, you would be well served to meet Jim Heck (Explorers World Travel). I am now on my third adventure with Jim. In 2003, Jim guided our family with friends on an safari to East Africa, and then in 2010 Alex and I went on a Primate Safari to Uganda and Rwanda. On each trip he commented that the only rival to Africa's beauty, vastness and sense of adventure is Alaska. Hook firmly set.

We spent two days in Fairbanks where we learned about the history of Alaska and how these folks survive 40 below zero temps in Winter with 5 hours of "sunlight" that is barely dusk-like. We also birded and visited a large mammal research facility (see moskox and caribou pics).

We took the Alaskan railroad to the eastern edge of Denali Naional Park.

Once off the train we boarded a bus to take us to the west side of the park - a 90 mile trip that takes about six hours. We had been warned that we might see wildlife, but given millions of acres of land and large mammal populations numbering in the hundreds, we might see nothing. Fifteen minutes into the bus ride we ran into this girl.

And the luck held out as a few hours later we saw several grizzly bears.

We had also been warned that Mt. McKinley was frequently hidden in the clouds and a clear view was rare. Yesterday there was not a cloud in the sky. We hiked to a ridge above our lodge and saw this: