Dr. Shellie

Denali National Park has few maintained trails. A single road leads 91.6 miles into the interior of the park. Anywhere you like, you can get off the park bus (cars are not allowed) and walk.

We set out for a nearby ridge, to the right of distant snow-capped mountains. Soon we found that what looked like a little creek was a rushing river, as much as four feet deep. Looking for somewhere to ford the river, we got lost in the thick, yellow-leaved bushes. Several times we tried to decide on a new destination, only to end up tromping through a muddy swamp. I grew happier and happier to be lost right in the middle of this scenery, just another animal roaming through the park.

Working our way back to the park road, we found a thin trail, leading down to a footbridge across a branch of the river. Continuing downstream, we found ourselves stranded at the edge of an island, with no way out but to retrace our footsteps. Instead, I tried to jump over the river — and got my boots soaking wet. Almost immediately, my wool socks rubbed against my heels and gave me blisters.

The bears must be much better at hiking without a trail.

Due to early Russian settlement of Alaska, many native Alaskans coverted to Russian Orthodoxy. Below is a samovar from Anchorage’s Russian Orthodox Museum. Today, the attached church has several native Orthodox Priests.

In the 1890’s, Scandinavian Sami people came to Alaska to teach the Inupiaq tribe how to herd reindeer. Some Sami people stayed and intermarried with Native Americans.

During the Depression, the federal government sent Midwestern families to the Matanuska Valley of Alaska to try and start a self-sufficient farming community. Initially, families with Scandinavian roots were favored, since it was thought that they could withstand the cold conditions. After 60% of the initial families failed, they were replaced by a second group of colonists, who had previous farming experience. The experiment was eventually successful. Due to the long daylight hours in summer months, the area produces giant cabbages and other root vegetables, prized at the annual Alaska state fair.

The elk is a beautiful and powerful animal.

Reindeer, on the other hand, are somewhat comical.

As the antlers grow, they are covered wtih "velvet." The velvet sheds as the antlers harden from cartilage to bone. Yuck.