It is fairly clear in the morning and we only drive West a few miles on the Park Rd to see Denali in the distance. Both North and South peaks are visible although from afar they look like a monumental cloud.

We are heading to the end of the section of road open to the public at Mile 15. The rest is impassable due to a landslide.

Mini again is asked to wait so we manage the strenuous Savage River Alpine trail in 2h25 with only an 8 minute break. It is 6.7 kms long, with 457 m vertical, all the uphill in the first section less than 2 kms long. But the Army Corps of engineers has done a great job carving steps in the stone and the steep grade is easier on the ankles this way.

The flowers are varied and colourful, there are ground squirrels everywhere and the views are spectacular. The Alaska range is immense and rugged.

Thankfully, after this one way traverse through the pass just below the top, we do not have to double back as the park runs a shuttle on the Park road. The shuttle is however very slow , there is a caribou laying down on an island on the Savage river, so every tour bus has stopped to give people time for pictures. It would have only been a dot on my phone so no pic.

Then we drive South, the traffic gets very heavy, Friday night of a very long weekend so we stop in Wasilla. We are here Sarah Palin but we don’t see you!