By Howie Wolke and Fran Mauer
A light-colored sow grizzly and her two darker cubs of the year watch us from across the gravel bar as we wade the calf-deep creek. We are too close for comfort, but we’re at a narrow bottleneck of the valley bottom. The only alternative would be to detour away from the bears by climbing the steep, brushy slope flanking us, then side-hilling through the knee-high jungle of willow and dwarf birch, and then descending back to the braided stream bottom well beyond the bears.
Since neither of us is a spring chicken and we’re carrying full backpacks, that option is out. So, we cautiously watch the bears as we slog past them and continue up the valley. Fortunately, mama bear is undeterred in her quest for calories, scarfing down buffalo-berries and digging up whatever she is finding beneath the surface. Less than a mile back, we had encountered a different sow with two larger yearling cubs, also in a feeding frenzy.
It’s early August and the two of us have a Park Service permit for four days and three nights in units 7 (Upper East Fork) and 8 (Polychrome Glaciers) of the Denali National Park backcountry. Come hell or high water, we will do our best to camp in the anointed zones on the correct days.
What the Park Service didn’t disclose to us was that a massive construction project along the park road is visible from miles away in much of Unit 8. The road repair project is an attempt by modern engineers to counter nature’s effort to close the road via the “Pretty Rocks Landslide” of 2021. Here, nature is attempting to re-wild roughly 35 miles of the Denali Park Road corridor between the landslide and the end of the road at Kantishna, a small developed enclave just beyond much-photographed Wonder Lake. As we see it, the Park Service should simply abandon the project and let nature reclaim the corridor.
Despite the visible construction project about four miles from us as the raven flies, we find a good campsite as light rain showers come and go. We string up a tarp amidst streamside willows and enjoy the long evening alpenglow with curtains of low-angled sunlight streaming through the broken, dark, rain-swollen clouds.
We focus on the landscape of braided river channels, streamside willows, bushy and dry tundra, plus colorful, bare mountain slopes flecked with patches of snow. Although we encountered a few day-hikers within a mile or so from the trailhead, since then we’ve seen no other humans. And we do enjoy the solitude.
On day two we day-hike up the valley, return to camp, wait out a couple of showers under the tarp and scan the landscape for more grizzlies. We see none. We cook dinner in between showers and retire for our second night in backcountry zone Unit 8. Several times during the late night and early morning hours we hear willow ptarmigan chatter coming from several directions. They seem to be at or near peak abundance this year.
We bed down under a clearing sky, and when Fran must leave his tent to answer Mother Nature in the soft, early morning light, he spots another grizzly across the river from our camp, bringing our total griz count to seven. Howie sleeps blissfully through this sighting. Morning fully emerges on day three with cloudless blue skies and unrelenting sunshine. We break camp, ford the creek and bushwhack across a shrubby ridge, gaining maybe 600 or 700 feet of elevation before descending into the valley of the Toklat River’s East Fork. At our high point we enjoy a view of Denali’s striking white summit thrusting into the cloudless blue sky about 30 miles to the southwest.
We locate a good campsite on a sparsely-vegetated gravel bar with accessible clear spring water that’s free of glacial silt. It’s a beautiful valley and as a bonus, the not-so-distant engineering debacle at the landslide is out of sight, out of hearing range, and out of mind. After setting up tents, we two aging wilderness fanatics enjoy a late-afternoon session of cigar smoking, exchanging countless stories of our combined many decades working and playing in wilderness. We sit facing each other to guard against bears surprising us from behind. There is, however, no defense against the almost constant drone of low-flying small airplanes doing “scenic flights” for tourists. This definitely degrades the wilderness experience!
All things must pass, and in the morning, we break camp under cloudy skies, ascend a steep, bushy ridge and slowly fight our way through about a mile of wet, shrubby, tussock tundra that caribou and other northern wildlife negotiate with minimal effort. We descend back into our original valley and complete our trek back to the current end of the road, just east of the landslide.
Howie Wolke is a retired wilderness guide/outfitter and a long-time and current Wilderness Watch board member. He lives in southern Montana near Yellowstone National Park.
Fran Mauer is a retired U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologist for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. He is a former Wilderness Watch board member and lives in Fairbanks, Alaska.
Photos by Howie Wolke
50 Comments
This story brought me from my living chair right to the beautiful Denali National Park. Just for a moment I was feeling the cool fresh water on my legs walking the creek with my heart pounding with not only joy but fear at the same time as I watched mama Grizzly and cubs enjoy their freedom and knowing that I would NEVER disturb their peace and wilderness. Thank You to both of these talented and brave authors for taking me there.
This is one of the most extraordinary stories I have read. What talented writers and obvious lovers of our nature you are. What you see, say and feel is real. This is so different from what others see and say in this horrid world we live in now. Be thankful you are who you are. Never change. Most people are blind and deaf to what you see and hear. That is why carnage, disaster is upon us . I wish the entire world could be like you. It would be protected if it was.. the beautiful landscapes and our beloved animals would survive in peace…. not the wars upon both now happening. I no longer know this world or our once great US. We are no longer respected by other countries anymore . Never change who you are. Always see what is real and beautiful… while it is still here. May God bless you.
My son and I were just there in August as well. We were not as adventurous – took a bus tour due to a bum knee. Anyway, we were very lucky to see a mama with two older cubs, one of which ran at a flock of ptarmigans like a child does at a flock of seagulls. The birds dutifully scattered and no doubt made the cub very happy. They are magnificent animals!
The Park Ranger that the campgrounds were full, but we could still camp as long as we observed the “if you can see it (the park bus on the road) then they can see you and we should be seen. He told us then that there was a five-mile swatch of parkland where we could camp, but that those five miles were known wildlife corridor. “Secure your food, make sure you’re not seen, and you can camp. And – if you’re worried about grizzlies — just whistle or hum some country music!” Not kidding – that’s what said. All went quite swimmingly and we hiked from the road where the bus dropped us, found a spot an set up camp. We had barely begun to secure our food, when I saw a grizzly heading down the slope in the distance. OKay…hum hum hum, whistle… Nothing was stopping that grizzly from coming straight down to the valley we had camp. We lingered, and then seeing the grizzly still coming, we high tailed it up the opposing ridge — and I do mean hightail. Never knew I could run as fast. At the top of the ridge we watched as the beautiful grizzly ran right by our tent (no interest in it or the food) and headed straight for the swampy thicket nearby – to take a nap. This was right by the stream of course, and was shaded from the very, very HOT sun that day, so made perfect sense. However, we decided to seek alternate digs for the night!! This was back in 1979, but remains one of my favorite Denali National Park stories – and I have others!
Thank you for publishing these. So interesting to read and imagine!
Wish I was there too. But you made it so real that I felt like I was there Mahalo.
I wish they keep safe
Awww, I loved this story. I felt like I went a long for the ride. Wish it was longer.
Hahaha, we want more pictures!! Great story. Just got back from my first full ride through and hikes in Glacier National Park, Montana with my brother living there, skinny dipping in the river to wake up a little. I live half-time in Washington Sate and Thailand. So, as my daughter and I flew back to Washington, we could see the fires below, a sobering reality in our beloved Olympic and Cascade Forests. America, the Beautiful belongs to We the People and our government can can do better by us to honor and respect wilderness areas. Potter John- 50 year, wilderness activist and 40 year community leader and ceramic artist.
I am in agreement with you that they should give up trying to repair that road and let nature continue to do her thing as she has been.
I was there in 2021 and saw the slide. That is beautiful country.
Hello everyone, I’m Italian and I have a deep admiration for anyone who loves and fights to protect the wonderful nature and all wild animals. Unfortunately, humans have forgotten the respect and right to their existence, in peace and freedom. We need, I need these wonderful and hopeful stories. Thank you.
Protect the environment.
Thank you for this wonderful story, and all you do and express for the wilderness and its vital creatures.
Our wildlife needs protection. We are killing this planet. So many wonderful animals have already been made extinct by our hands. We should do more. We need to make tunnels under our freeways so animals can travel without fear of being run over
Hi!
I am very strongly committed to preserving all bears in the United States, and love these stories. I have visited Denali National Park, but I have seen grizzlies closer up during a horseback ride adjacent to Glacier National Park several years ago.
I love wildlife and provided a small Midwestern prairie area in my modest back yard in Illinois. The butterflies, but especially several bee species, are so happy with everything to eat and pollinate there, and still going strong even though it is October!
A lovely and interesting story by true naturalists. Sounds absolutely wonderful.
Sounds absolutely wonderful – love reading these essays.
Honestly, comforting to know – KNOW – that the wild places are still there.
save nature
A lovely and interesting story by true naturalists. Emotional respect towards Nature. Sorry for that road construction if not really necessary. Even worse, the airplanes. Enjoyed reading this article. Miroslav Demajo, Retired research biologist. Belgrade, Serbia, Europe
I hope they don’t reconstruct the road and hate to hear drones and tourist low flying planes are disrespecting the wilderness
Wonderful to read and made me miss my backcountry camping days! So sad to hear about all the human made contraptions which interrupted what should be serene wilderness silence…. except for nature’s talk and calls. Thank you!
Awe inspiring! I agree with you about letting mother nature reclaim what is hers. I would like to see more grizzlies!
I enjoyed their journey into the wilds. Very descriptive and makes me want to get out there again. Good job!
I enjoyed reading it.
Thank you
Wonderful story and I loved it.
Thank you for caring about nature and wildlife!
Thank you for the beautiful photos and description of your hike in the Alaskan wilderness. So good to know there is still somewhere so special to go.
In 1979 I spent the better part of a week in Denali with my wife and two good friends. The Park permit system then was less oppressive. One of the friends managed to forget to bring from Chicago a section of what was to be our large group tent. This would have been a total disaster, except that in the park we chanced upon an old abandoned cabin that we made our home for our entire stay. Since it rained every day but one, the cabin was a life saver. We saw Denali on only the one clear day.
On that day we had a glorious hike on the Muldrow Glacier where one of my friends (who lived in Phoenix) took an ice-bath in a water pocket on the glacier. I showed various educational slides from that day to my “Life in the Universe” classes at UCLA. After one such lecture an (adult) student came up to me and said that she recognized my friend in the photo of his ice-bath!
It’s a shame that the wildlife in this country and around the world have been constantly either hunted till there is only a few left in the wild or they are killed indiscriminately and left to the people who must stand up and make their voices be heard loud and clear . The people who give a damn must make sure that each and everyone of them will do all they can to stop this killing and allow these beautiful creatures to come back from the brink of destruction and help to allow them to recreate and them to live free and wild for the future of generations to come.
Absolutely true!
We need to take better care of what is left of our environment, for wildlife, marine life, plant life, and people.
God’s creation. As humans God calls us to be stewards, caretakers, preservationists.
Let’s honor God
Two cool guys! Great recount of a trek in the “wilderness”. Sad that planes and road construction changes what could be true wilderness. Very exciting to see that many grizzlies in a short time. Wish I’d been there!
Nice job fellows. I vicariously enjoyed your trip along with the photographs.
So much to do these days to protect our Wilderness.
Awesome! You two are most fortunate; exhilarating trip. Thanks for sharing your story with us!
We were just in Denali with our son, grandson and daughter-in-law. I very much enjoyed your description.
What a beautiful story that allowed me in my mind to invision what you saw when spending time with nature. For the few minutes it took me to read your story I was able to forget all the division and hate that we are surrounded by. Thank you for that time.
Well written. Reminds me of my small bus trip into Denali. Watching the bears eating berries and no thought of 25 people on a bus taking photos. Denali is a special place. Hope it stays that way for many more years
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Thanks for sharing. This is wonderful!
Perfectly marvellous. I totally enjoyed every moment and so happy y’all were able to do it so well❣️ Thank you and Blessed be🙏
Howie, you have a flourish for good writing! It’s a vivid account of an enviable adventure.
Thanks, Nancy!
Howie and Fran –
Thank you for your years of good work and service. I imagine you’re an inspiration to many.
Two beautiful men who know what it means to respect nature and live life!
Oh to travel with you and enjoy the silence and peace that your trip entailed. Not very adventurous but Oh how I want to be. Thank you for sharing this.
I gotta save the grizzlies
PLEASE HELP WILDLIFE AND NATURE!
THANK YOU.
Keep the wilderness ‘wild’!! No airplanes, etc.
Protect our Grizzlies, all wildlife and land where they are located!
Please preserve the Daneli area with the grizzly bears and all the other widlife in that area. Not only is this important, but clean air and water are as well.
WE HAVE TO SAVE OUR INNOCENT ANIMALS FROM EXTINTION ..SAVE OUR LANS FOR THIER HOMES..THEY DESERVE OUR PROTECTION..