Back in Anchorage

Not only vegetables grow extra large in this climate but so do the flowers

Alaska Huskies

These huskies run the Iditarod Trail.

Denali National Park

The big 5 animals here are the Bear, Carabou,Wolf,Moose and the Dall's Sheep.
On the 8 hour wilderness tour we had plenty of grizzly bear and carabou sightings. Also moose and in the distance the dall's sheep.
No wolf. There are only about 50 in this big area and they are concerned about the small numbers.
Unfortunately we did not see Mt Mckinley  ( also called Denali, the great one ) Americas largest mountain due to the smoke and clouds.

Fairbanks to Denali National Park

Today we rode the Alaskan Railway. About 4 hours through mainly uninteresting trees, although the last hour was better.

We enjoyed the Grizzly Bears ( drink ).  The second picture shows the train we were on. Our carriage was the last and we were on the second deck in a clear domed apartment

Spot the rafters in a glacier fed river.

Fairbanks 2

Fairbanks 3

Alaskian Huskies, Salmon being dried and Caribou.

Fairbanks 1

Hard to describe this town. Think of a town like Hamilton but a lot smaller but sprawling over 5 times the area. Fairbanks was only settled about 1900 so a young town that has various phases. The gold rush, the WWII where America and Russia joined forces against Germany and now this oil pipeline. Hopefully the photos show this and some of the old and newer Fairbanks. The object in the pipeline is a pig. It is remotely controlled and cleans and tests the integrity of the pipeline.

The fuzzy picture is of the smoke from all the wild fires. Seems to be rather bad tonight. Flights here have been stopped.

More at Valdez and Prince William Sound

There were hundreds of seals along the way to the Glacier.
Commercial fishing boats and the terminal for the Trans Alaska Pipeline.

Xmas time?

Town of North Pole. The reindeer look like they were moulting.  The candy sticks were too big to bring back. Sorry J L and N.

On the way to Fairbanks

Part of the pipeline held up by a suspension bridge to cross a river.
Some of the pipeline is above ground where the ground is permafrost. Otherwise above ground. About 1.2 meters in diameter.
We came across some Germany tourists. They are cycling the world. Currently heading south to be at Rio Olympics.

Moose

Hard to photo but hope you can see it.

Prince William Sound.

Absolutely fantastic. A six hour cruise around this sound. The previous post was also in Prince William. Not Glacier Bay. That will come later.
The boat had to go through thousands of Ice begs to get close to the Colombia Glacier.
Frances was sent overboard to get a sample of the ice!