Category: Alaska Wildlife

• Teklanika Campground and the Tek Pass

  If you have read many of my posts, you know I like the Denali National Park transit bus system. During the summer I usually ride the free bus to Savage River once a week. To go further into the Park via the East Fork Transit Bus, it costs about $35 for the day (plus an…

  Melissa Rudacille

  July 25, 2023

  Alaska Activities, Alaska Wildlife, Camping in Alaska

  Alaska Wildlife, Denali National Park, East Fork Transit Bus, Tek Pass, Teklanika Campground

• Wildlife Count, 3 Nights at Teklanika Campground

  On our drive to Teklanika Campground we saw 11 Ptarmigan dust bathing and getting digestive gravel for their crops.  Mom and Dad work together raising the 9 chicks. It was the start of a wonderful 4-day/3-night experience. For the Denali Big Five seen during our 3 night stay: around 50 Dall sheep sitings, 16 Caribou,…

  Melissa Rudacille

  July 24, 2023

  Alaska Activities, Alaska Wildlife, Camping in Alaska

  Alaska Wildlife, Arctic ground squirrels, Denali National Park, East Fork Transit Bus, Ptarmigan, Teklanika Campground

• Caribou, Moose, and Dall Sheep

  

  My parents and I took at least 7 transit bus rides during our 3 nights at Teklanika Campground (love the Tek Pass). We saw all of the Denali Big Five, including lots of caribou, lots of Dall sheep, and one moose. I was thrilled to see so many caribou and see some caribou females and…

  Melissa Rudacille

  July 23, 2023

  Alaska Activities, Alaska Wildlife, Camping in Alaska

  Alaska Wildlife, Caribou, Denali National Park, Teklanika Campground

• Grizzlies, Cubs, and Tracks

  

  While taking the East Fork Transit Buses from Teklanika Campground, my parents and I saw 5 or 6 grizzly bears. We had gone hiking at Tattlers Creek our second day, not knowing what we would see there 2 days later. In retrospect the bear prints on the side of the road were a clue! We…

  Melissa Rudacille

  July 23, 2023

  Alaska Activities, Alaska Wildlife, Camping in Alaska

  Alaska Wildlife, Denali National Park, East Fork Transit Bus, Grizzly Bear, Teklanika Campground, Teklanika River

• Wolf

  

  While C continued working an 18 day stretch, my parents and I spent 3 nights at Teklanika Campground in Denali National Park. We saw all of the big 5! While I hope to write a couple posts on our Teklanika stay, I will start with the wolf on our last day. With only 90ish wolves…

  Melissa Rudacille

  July 22, 2023

  Alaska Activities, Alaska Wildlife, Camping in Alaska

  Alaska Wildlife, Denali National Park, East Fork Transit Bus, Teklanika Campground, Wolf

• Surprise

  

  These are the first baby moose that we have seen from the house. This mother is relatively small. I wonder if she is a two year old, though rather impressive to have twins if she is that young. In the Park later in the day I saw another moose, a caribou, 3 baby mew gulls,…

  Melissa Rudacille

  July 11, 2023

  Alaska Wildlife, Life in Alaska

  Alaska Wildlife, moose photos

• Wildlife Babies IV, Week 17 in Healy

  

  On the road near home we saw a Ptarmigan and 5 chicks. We think it was a Ptarmigan as the adult clearly had feathered feet. The mother was not happy to have chicks on both sides of the road. They would run or fly from one side to the other, but didn’t seem interested in…

  Melissa Rudacille

  July 11, 2023

  Alaska Wildlife, Life in Alaska

  Alaska Wildlife, moose photos, Ptarmigan

• Arctic Ground Squirrels

  

  I saw about 20 Arctic Ground Squirrels on Savage Alpine Trail. I often see them on Savage Loop Trail as well. I sometimes heard their alarm call before I saw them. Then I would often see one perched on a rock calling out a warning. In the Savage area of Denali National Park the Arctic…

  Melissa Rudacille

  July 10, 2023

  Alaska Activities, Alaska Wildlife

  Alaska Wildlife, Arctic ground squirrels, Denali National Park, Savage Alpine Trail

• Persistence, Week 16 in Healy

  We have done a lot of fishing so far in 2023 to catch four fish and keep two!  We have fished in ice and in mosquitoes.  We have fished raging rivers, tiny streams, ponds and lakes.  We fished near the Arctic Circle and down on the Kenai Peninsula.   If all that mattered were fish to…

  Melissa Rudacille

  July 5, 2023

  Alaska Wildlife, Fishing in Alaska, Life in Alaska

  Alaska Wildlife, fishing

• Cousins on the Kenai, Week 16 in Alaska

  We had a great time with our cousins on the second half of our long weekend off. The weather was gorgeous and they took us out on the Kenai River in their boat. It was a lovely time! C caught a dolly varden and I caught a trout. Between the 4 of us we caught…

  Melissa Rudacille

  July 4, 2023

  Alaska Activities, Alaska Wildlife, Fishing in Alaska, Life in Alaska

  Alaska Wildlife, fishing, Kenai River