Fall is here with fresh snow on the mountains and fall color everywhere.  

We spent 4 nights fishing for chum and camping at Sheep Creek Slough.  Four co-workers joined us, and all caught at least one fish.

We got on the road early on Saturday to pick up a friend at the airport.   Thanks to his flight schedule, we had a beautiful view of the sunrise glistening off of Denali despite 100% cloud coverage overhead.

The Fish Count for the long weekend was 15 salmon for C and M (plus 18 salmon for our friends).  5 trout for C (and one for a friend). 

I spent the day before and the day after our trip in Denali National Park.  The color progressed dramatically in 6 days.  The first and last photos in this post are both from the Savage River area.

Fishing and Wildlife Details:

August 28 (East Fork transit bus):  7 grizzlies, 12 caribou, 3 moose.

August 29:  coyote along Parks Highway.

August 30:  M 1 coho at Sheep Creek Slough, C 2 trout, one at Sheep Creek Slough and one at Caswell Creek.   Friends 2 coho and 1 trout, all at Sheep Creek Slough.  Saw muskrat at Caswell Creek.

August 31:  Sandhill Cranes along Parks Highway.   C – 3 chum, M – 1 chum and 1 coho.  Friends 1 chum.

September 1, 22 salmon!  C – 7 chum, M – 0.  Friends 14 chum and 1 coho.  Saw 2 adorable red-breasted nuthatches at our camp. 

September 2: C and M – one chum each.

September 3 (Savage River):  15 Dall Sheep and 3 pika.