Taking An Easy Day
Saturday after multiple days of hiking on tired and sore legs, Arlene and I decided to take an easy day. Arlene had found what was supposed to be a good place to see Denali. So in the morning we set off on a drive to the South Viewpoint of Denali State Park. We drove slowly out of the neighborhood and turned left onto Highway 3 for the first time and we were immediately farther south in Alaska than we had ever been previously. It was only a few minutes before we pulled off to the side of the road to take pictures.
I was unable to find the name of this mountain. It must be a mountain, right? There was no sign or even a wide spot on the shoulder for easier photography.
I had no idea what was to come.
A little ways farther down the road on the left was a range of similar mountains that extended to the horizon. With many angular faces the mountains in the range might have first been polyhedra and then, over the years, eroded. The sunlight was at such an angle that many snow covered faces were brightly illuminated while others were entirely left entirely in shadow. Mile after mile to the horizon.
As we were watching this scene on the left, Arlene glanced to the right and said, “isn’t that Denali?” We pulled off to the side of the road again. The views were as good as the ones that we had seen from within the park and we spent some time discussing why the park was located where it was. Perhaps when the goal is to see something more than 20,000 feet tall, success to pretty easy.
After this we were watching the scene on the left continue and also tracking the right for even more views of Denali. When we arrived at the South Viewpoint, we were not disappointed.
And The Drive Back North
Oddly, the drive back was totally different. It felt like a more normal road and the views of all the mountains were somehow always more behind us than in front of us.
But, oh, what a day.