Off into the wilderness by bus

The Park Road, headed west from Sable pass

Copyright 2007 Lydia Hinshaw

DENALI NATIONAL PARK, AK -- Sunday I was part of an orientation trip that traveled 53 miles along the Park Road to the Toklat Ranger Station and back.
Tourists can't drive their cars here. Access is by bus -- think your basic school bus upgraded inside with more comfortable seats for bigger people.
It was another gray Denali day, but we did get a glimpse of some blue sky at Sable Pass.
Later, near the Toklat River, we spotted this fine grizzly
sitting on the gravel flats fairly close to the road. Alas, I had only my pocket point-and-shoot camera with me, since this was a "work" day. Lugging around an SLR with a big lens doesn't look particularly professional for a bus driver. So I can only dream of the close-ups of this fellow's face I could have gotten with Prince Charming's 200mm.