The Nenana River runs just east of Denali National Park.  We booked a jet boat excursion and ran down river for a couple of miles.

Performing a sliding U-Turn, the driver headed up river where we saw this caribou crossing.

At the up river turn around we ran into this big guy and his buddy sunning themselves on a gravel bar.

After a really good presentation from a local trapper we were able to pan for gold.  Expecting to pay for our trip with the results, we did experience some disappointment but they had salted all pans with a few grains of gold flake ... back to the old credit card.

A lovely local model displaying the latest Alaskan fashion craze, the red fox.  This was actually a pelt, not a living fox intent on biting off her ever so close fingers.

After some discussion we decided to book the last bus in to the park, leaving at 5:00 pm.  The discussion centered largely around the return time of 11:30 pm.  Bed time be damned, we're going through the park!

A young couple at the turn around Toklat River, 53 miles into Denali.

A mountain range view like I've never seen!

Mature caribou, a rack you'd die for in the living room.

This grizzly was right beside the road eating with a vengeance.  They've got a long sleep to prepare for.

Finally a moose!  This cow was up on the hillside on our trip back out of the park.

Mt. McKinley!  Absolutely incredible, at 22,000 feet its the highest in North America.  1200 people attempt to climb it every year and about 50% actually reach the summit.  Access is by helicopter or plane to one of the glaciers where the base camp is located ... incredible!

Mingo and Dingo attempt to Hi Jack a school bus, no doubt in an attempt to flee captivity and return to Florida.  No hands, no steering wheel, no tires on the bus were all issues overlooked in their initial flight plan.  Needless to say, they've been recaptured and returned to their cell behind the front seats in the pickup.  Off we go to Fairbanks ...