We explored by water and highway on our 12-day trip to Nabesna, Gulkana, Klutina, Denali Highway (including Tangle Lakes), and Glenn Highway. See the previous post for our time in Wrangell-St Elias NP&P on Nabesna Road.
We arranged a June 19 raft rental and drop off on the Gulkana River while we camped with electric on the Klutina River. It was HOT (81F) and we took full advantage of our $55 per night by running the air conditioner in the trailer, and using the campground showers and laundry. C fished briefly for sockeye without success.
June 19 we had a long, hot day fishing for king salmon on the Gulkana. Since it was the last day to fish with bait we stayed on the river 12 hours, but didn’t get a single bite!
Next, we went to Tangle Lakes on the Denali Highway for 3 days. With a higher elevation the temperature was no more than 72F during the day and upper 30’s to low 40’s at night. We caught and released 8 Lake Trout and 21 Arctic Grayling without working very hard.
C thought he spotted a moose in a ravine beside Tangle Lakes Campground. When we hiked uphill to see if there really was a moose, we inadvertently scared a mom and her little twins into the campground. Oops!
We also drove over 50 miles of the Denali Highway where we saw 3 more moose, a Grizzly Bear, and my first Arctic Warbler. We also took an impromptu tundra hike to get a better look at some swans. As usual, the bushwhack was twice as far and ten times as hard as it looked! We were rewarded by seeing 20 swans all on one small lake. On a body of water this size, it is usually just a mated pair plus any babies – not sure what was going on at this lake.
C was still itching to get his first “real” king salmon. (He didn’t count the first 5 little ones.) So we decided to raft the Gulkana River again on June 24, this time with me relaxing and birding while C fished with single-hook lures.
I had a great day with birds, including spotted sandpipers.
C didn’t catch anything until the last hole, but his work paid off as he landed a 36″ King Salmon. (He also caught and released 2 decent but smaller kings from the bank the night before).
Yet the night of the 24th, we drove over halfway home via the scenic Glenn Highway. No worries about driving in the dark as it is always daylight this time of year. Our next trip is to the Russian River, leaving tomorrow.
A few bird lists:
https://ebird.org/checklist/S253740380
Me & C 
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