Near Clearwater Mountain Lodge on the Denali Highway

Mileage:  44,832

So, the day started like this…oil dripping from the RV.

Tim and Kyle investigated and the oil filter was loose.  First Tim and then Kyle tightened the filter.  YAY!  It worked!  We knew now though that we did not want to take the RV and further on the gravel Denali Highway.  We turned around and took the RV back to Cantwell RV Park.

We left it safely there and we packed the Jeep for an overnight outdoor adventure.

The views were pretty enough for the first 30 miles but then suddenly it was spectacular.  The Alaska Range was visible, the sun was shining, the sky was brilliant blue, the clouds billowy and pillowy and cottony and fluffy.   We marveled at the scenery as we drove further east.

We found several potential camping spots…one more beautiful than the next.  Lunch was along the way at a scenic view overlook.  This is a favorite spot for many Alaskans.

One more stop at the Clearwater Mountain Lodge and the Sluice Box Bar.  We decided to fill the Jeep with gas – $6.00 per gallon!

Tim wanted an ice cream and Kyle wanted a beer.  We met Clee (or Lee) at the bar.

He once shot and killed an 11 foot grizzly bear in Cordova, Alaska.

Once Clee (or Lee) warmed up, he had a lot to say.  He has a dollar bill collection from many of his patrons.  It’s how he decorates the place.

And ours…

Clee (or Lee) was a bush pilot for more than 30 years before giving it up.  We met two women who were going to hike 16 miles into a glacier and then they were going to take a river raft back to the bar.  Clee (or Lee) wanted to know where they had hiked before…Colorado…okay they have done some hiking then…but he wouldn’t go out there without a loaded high powered rifle.

We told Clee (or Lee) that we hadn’t seen much wildlife…only a beaver and some quail.  He set us straight.  First of all, beaver are a real problem  They build their dams in the culverts designed to direct water flow under the gravel roadway.  When storms come, the culverts are completely blocked and the road washes out.  For this reason, there is a mandate allowing anyone who sees a beaver building a dam in a culvert to shoot and kill the beaver.  Secondly, we didn’t see quail but rather ptarmigan.    After explaining that we hadn’t seen much wildlife for many days he said that the male moose are growing their new antlers so they like to stay hidden.  When the antlers are growing they are covered with a velvet and the antlers are very innervated and sensitive.  Clee said that mother bears are very protective of their young cubs at this time of year.   He also said that the caribou are so bothered by mosquitoes because their skin is very thin that they move high up into the mountains and sometimes will even lay in the snow to avoid the pests.

He asked how much further up the road we planned to go.  In reality we had planned to turn around and head back to find a camping spot.  Clee said…don’t turn around yet.  Go at least 2 more miles to see the view of the Susitna River and the valley surrounding it.  When he learned that we were looking for a spot to set up out tents he said we should go past the bridge, over the hill, and to the right.  “You should see some moose from there.  They come out in the evening.”  Clee is an honest man.  The views of the valleys and the river were stunning.  Perfect is a high standard but the campsite we chose high on the ridge just as Clee directed was perfect!

Within minutes of being there, Tim yelled “moose.”  Within 100 yards we saw a female moose moving quickly through the trees.

We passed the afternoon watching the clouds.  There were several storms moving around the Alaska Range in the distance.  We were in an amphitheater of mountains.  Fortunately for us, the storms seemed to follow the outside of the ring of peaks.  We were protected in the center.

We saw two cyclists pedaling up the hill past our campsite.  We had seen them 25 miles away earlier in the day.  They worked hard to get so far.

We drank Sangria and cooked beans and hot dogs over the fire.

We were guessing where the sun  might set.  I saw movement in the valley below…a bull moose faraway in the distance.  With the binoculars, we could see him drinking from the lake.