A little more Denali, then to Fairbanks 8/12/2019

We decided to go out early (for us), and drive the 15 mile paved portion of the Denali road. The morning was cool, with clear, brilliant skies. It was wonderful because there was no one on the road then! We stopped at the Savage River which at the end of the paved section. We then took a short 2 mile loop trail that took us along the river where it was wide and braided (water flowing around sand bars), down into a narrower steep canyon. The roar of the river s we descended the canyon was deafening. Any noise we might have made to scare off any bears in the area was probably drowned out by that. It was a beautiful walk, and the air smelled and felt fabulous. It was a walk that really brought home to me why I love the mountains so much. I feel so alive in this environment.

On the return drive from Savage River back up Denali Road, we stopped to take a stroll along a path to an area that was used in the late 1920s and later (when Denali Park was just being developed as a tourist destination) as a tent camping spot for visitors. "Campers" had meals at tables with tablecloths, silver and crystal. Today, the area shows no evidence of this use. It provides a distant view of Denali.

From there, we started north to Fairbanks. For the main road north from Anchorage to Fairbanks, route 3 is really unpopulated. In 2 1/2 hours, we passed 2 towns with a few buildings and lots and lots of trees. For the most part, that stretch of road is not in the mountains.

In Fairbanks, we picked up a few snacks, and headed to our hotel. Here are a few photos of the day: https://photos.app.goo.gl/aYXqDVbKrJXpQKnD9