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This is Page 2 of 4 - the best of June 2020!
posted: June 30th, 2020
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This page continues June 8th from Page 1 (at 1:34 PM) while we were hiking/climbing the Denali National Park Savage Alpine Trail.  June 8th concludes at Row 10 and then Row 11 begins June 9th and a STEEP climb on the Bison Gulch Trail up towards Mt. Healy, which is just a short distance to the north of Denali National Park.  We did not make it to the summit of Mt. Healy, but we were quite satisfied with what we accomplished - we found flowers and we made it pretty much to the vertical limit of growing plants. This page ends at the end of June 9th.  Click on any thumbnail to begin.

June 8th Continues from Page 1 (at 1:34 PM)
  As written above, this page continues June 8th at 1:34 PM, still hiking the Savage Alpine Trail in Denali National Park. The first two shots in this row show Ledge Stonecrop (Rhodiola integrifolia ssp. integrifolia) and the third shot shows another Two-flowered Violet (Viola biflora).
June8th_139_DenaliSavageAlpineTrail_RhodiolaIntegrifoliaSspIntegrifoliaRC
June8th_139_DenaliSavageAlpineTrail
_RhodiolaIntegrifoliaSspIntegrifoliaRC
June8_065_DenaliPk_SavageAlpineTrail_RhodiolaRC
June8_065_DenaliPk_SavageAlpine
Trail_RhodiolaRC
June8_068_DenaliPk_SavageAlpineTrail_ViolaRC
June8_068_DenaliPk_Savage
AlpineTrail_ViolaRC

  Here is one more shot of Two-flowered Violet (Viola biflora) and that is followed by two shots which show piles of animal scat. We examined it closely and it had an abundance of Caribou hair in it, which makes one believe it to be wolf scat, but unless a group of wolves sat on a carcass for days and continuously dumped in the same spot, there is way too much of it, so - could it be bear scat? This is a puzzle.
June8th_146_DenaliSavageAlpineTrail_ViolaBifloraRC
June8th_146_DenaliSavageAlpine
Trail_ViolaBifloraRC
June8th_147_DenaliSavageAlpineTrailRC
June8th_147_Denali
SavageAlpineTrailRC
June8th_148_DenaliSavageAlpineTrailRC
June8th_148_Denali
SavageAlpineTrailRC

  The first shot here shows a rock cliff. The outlined area shows the area of the following photo - isn't it amazing how many flowers can occupy one small rocky ledge. The third shot shows scenery while looking back down the trail.
June8_069_DenaliPk_SavageAlpineTrail_SceneryRC
June8_069_DenaliPk_Savage
AlpineTrail_SceneryRC
June8_070_DenaliPk_SavageAlpineTrail_SceneryRC
June8_070_DenaliPk_Savage
AlpineTrail_SceneryRC
June8_075_DenaliPk_SavageAlpineTrail_SceneryRC
June8_075_DenaliPk_Savage
AlpineTrail_SceneryRC

  The first and third photos show an unknown, but attractive, plant and sandwiched between those shots is another scenery shot looking back towards the way we came from. Can you find the person on the trail? Ha! Obviously, it is not too difficult to practice social distancing here.
June8_087_DenaliPk_SavageAlpineTrail_UnknownPlantRC
June8_087_DenaliPk_Savage
AlpineTrail_UnknownPlantRC
June8th_156_DenaliSavageAlpineTrailRC
June8th_156_Denali
SavageAlpineTrailRC
June8_089_DenaliPk_SavageAlpineTrail_UnknownPlantRC
June8_089_DenaliPk_Savage
AlpineTrail_UnknownPlantRC

  Flowers, flowers, flowers - have we died and gone to heaven? Maybe not, as there is not much diversity, though still amazing to see. We were being harassed by the Arctic Ground Squirrels (Spermophilus parryii), one of which is shown in the center photo. It is obvious that these animals are given treats by uneducated tourists much too often, very sad.
June8_095_DenaliPk_SavageAlpineTrail_FlowerySceneryRC
June8_095_DenaliPk_Savage
AlpineTrail_FlowerySceneryRC
June8th_187_DenaliSavageAlpineTrail_ArcticGroundSquirrelRC
June8th_187_DenaliSavageAlpine
Trail_ArcticGroundSquirrelRC
June8_096_DenaliPk_SavageAlpineTrail_FlowerySceneryRC
June8_096_DenaliPk_Savage
AlpineTrail_FlowerySceneryRC

  Now we are at the summit of the Savage Alpine Trail, the first photo shows that the trail heads down from here. Seeing as our rig was parked at one end, we did not continue down this trail, but turned around to get back to our starting point. The center shot shows more Arctic Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus parryii) harassment (us being harassed by them). The third shot shows Arctic-bell Heather (Cassiope tetragona). Note the three tiny insects inside of the flower.
June8_098_DenaliPk_SavageAlpineTrail_SceneryRC
June8_098_DenaliPk_Savage
AlpineTrail_SceneryRC
June8th_195_DenaliSavageAlpineTrail_ArcticGroundSquirrelRC
June8th_195_DenaliSavageAlpine
Trail_ArcticGroundSquirrelRC
June8_101_DenaliPk_SavageAlpineTrail_FlowerRC
June8_101_DenaliPk_Savage
AlpineTrail_FlowerRC

  Here is one more example of Arctic-bell Heather (Cassiope tetragona) and that is followed by a scenery shot with Kazuya and then a "Flowery Field" photo.
June8_102_DenaliPk_SavageAlpineTrail_FlowerRC
June8_102_DenaliPk_Savage
AlpineTrail_FlowerRC
June8_106_DenaliPk_SavageAlpineTrail_SceneryKazuyaRC
June8_106_DenaliPk_Savage
AlpineTrail_SceneryKazuyaRC
June8_107_DenaliPk_SavageAlpineTrail_SceneryRC
June8_107_DenaliPk_Savage
AlpineTrail_SceneryRC

  Here are two increasingly zoomed "Flowery Field" photos. The third photo shows that 99% of these flowers are all Narcissus-flowered Anemone (Anemone narcissiflora).
June8_109_DenaliPk_SavageAlpineTrail_SceneryRC
June8_109_DenaliPk_Savage
AlpineTrail_SceneryRC
June8_108_DenaliPk_SavageAlpineTrail_SceneryRC
June8_108_DenaliPk_Savage
AlpineTrail_SceneryRC
June8th_212_DenaliSavageAlpineTrail_AnemoneNarcissifloraRC
June8th_212_DenaliSavageAlpine
Trail_AnemoneNarcissifloraRC

  The first shot here shows me on a small summit and surrounded by flowers. Beginning with the second shot, we are headed back to our starting point. The second shot shows a Mountain Avens (Dryas octopetala) and the third shot shows another Lapland Rosebay (Rhododendron lapponicum).
June8th_217_DenaliSavageAlpineTrail_AnemoneNarcissifloraRC
June8th_217_DenaliSavageAlpine
Trail_AnemoneNarcissifloraRC
June8th_218_DenaliSavageAlpineTrail_DryasOctopetalaRC
June8th_218_DenaliSavageAlpine
Trail_DryasOctopetalaRC
June8_117_DenaliPk_SavageAlpineTrail_RhododendronRC
June8_117_DenaliPk_Savage
AlpineTrail_RhododendronRC

  Here are two more shots of Lapland Rosebay (Rhododendron lapponicum) and then another shot of Narcissus-flowered Anemone (Anemone narcissiflora) in the Flowery Field.
June8th_241_DenaliSavageAlpineTrail_RhododendronLapponicumRC
June8th_241_DenaliSavageAlpine
Trail_RhododendronLapponicumRC
June8th_244_DenaliSavageAlpineTrail_RhododendronLapponicumRC
June8th_244_DenaliSavageAlpine
Trail_RhododendronLapponicumRC
June8th_224_DenaliSavageAlpineTrail_AnemoneNarcissifloraRC
June8th_224_DenaliSavageAlpine
Trail_AnemoneNarcissifloraRC

End June 8th, Begin June 9th
  Now it's June 9th and another adventure awaits. Today we are heading up the Bison Gulch Trail and we are going to go as far as we can up towards Mt. Healy. Supposedly, Mt. Healy's summit stands at 5,577 feet (1,700 m). The starting point is at about 1,700 feet (518 m) and this time we made it to about 3,900 feet (1,189 m). On our previous climb here on May 12th we only made it to about 3,160 feet (963 m). Though my stomach was upset today and I did not feel very well, we made it to a higher elevation than we did on May 12th. The first shot here shows Alpine Milkvetch (Astragalus alpinus var. alpinus). The center shot shows the summit of Mt. Healy - the mountain near the center of the photo and the third shot shows the route of the trail.
June9th_004_BisonGulch_AstragalusAlpinusVarAlpinusRC
June9th_004_BisonGulch_
AstragalusAlpinusVarAlpinusRC
June9_09_BisonGulch_SceneryRC
June9_09_Bison
Gulch_SceneryRC
June9_10_BisonGulch_SceneryRC
June9_10_Bison
Gulch_SceneryRC

  We were pleasantly surprised to find the Two-flowered Violet (Viola biflora) here. The second and third photos show Long-pod Stitchwort (Minuartia macrocarpa).
June9_11_BisonGulch_ViolaRC
June9_11_Bison
Gulch_ViolaRC
June9th_007_BisonGulch_MinuartiaMacrocarpaRC
June9th_007_BisonGulch
_MinuartiaMacrocarpaRC
June9th_008_BisonGulch_MinuartiaMacrocarpaRC
June9th_008_BisonGulch
_MinuartiaMacrocarpaRC

  This Capitate Lousewort (Pedicularis capitata) in first position was also a surprise, though we rather expected the Lapland Rosebay (Rhododendron lapponicum) shown in the center photo and also the Snow Arnica (Arnica frigida) shown in the third photo.
June9_12_BisonGulch_PedicularisRC
June9_12_Bison
Gulch_PedicularisRC
June9th_014_BisonGulch_RhododendronLapponicumRC
June9th_014_Bison
Gulch_RhododendronLapponicumRC
June9th_015_BisonGulch_ArnicaFrigidaRC
June9th_015_Bison
Gulch_ArnicaFrigidaRC

  In this row are three scenery photos. In the first photo you can actually find the trail above us. In the second shot you can find Mt. Healy and in the third shot you can find the Parks Highway and the parking lot for people who want to climb this trail.
June9th_016_BisonGulchRC
June9th_016_
BisonGulchRC
June9th_019_BisonGulchRC
June9th_019_
BisonGulchRC
June9_16_BisonGulch_SceneryRC
June9_16_Bison
Gulch_SceneryRC

  These three shots all show Lehmann’s rock-jasmine (Androsace chamaejasme ssp. lehmanniana).
June9th_029_BisonGulch_AndrosaceChamaejasmeRC
June9th_029_BisonGulch
_AndrosaceChamaejasmeRC
June9th_030_BisonGulch_AndrosaceChamaejasmeRC
June9th_030_BisonGulch
_AndrosaceChamaejasmeRC
June9th_031_BisonGulch_AndrosaceChamaejasmeRC
June9th_031_BisonGulch
_AndrosaceChamaejasmeRC

  The first shot here shows me hiking up the mountain, the second shot shows another specimen of the Two-flowered Violet (Viola biflora) and the third photo shows Mountain Avens (Dryas octopetala).
June9th_037_BisonGulchRC
June9th_037_
BisonGulchRC
June9_20_BisonGulch_ViolaRC
June9_20_Bison
Gulch_ViolaRC
June9th_044_BisonGulch_DryasOctopetalaRC
June9th_044_Bison
Gulch_DryasOctopetalaRC

  Here is a really nice shot of the Two-flowered Violet (Viola biflora). The center two-shot panoramic image shows the trail and the summit of Mt. Healy and the third shot shows One-flower Cinquefoil (Potentilla uniflora).
June9th_049_BisonGulch_ViolaBifloraRC
June9th_049_Bison
Gulch_ViolaBifloraRC
June9_23_24_AutoPano_BisonGulch_SceneryRC
June9_23_24_AutoPano_Bison
Gulch_SceneryRC
June9th_054_BisonGulch_PotentillaUnifloraRC
June9th_054_BisonGulch
_PotentillaUnifloraRC

  The first shot here shows that there were many species of flowers in every square meter. The second shot is Arctic Lupine (Lupinus arcticus) and the third shot is Mountain Avens (Dryas octopetala) and distant scenery.
June9_29_BisonGulch_FlowersRC
June9_29_Bison
Gulch_FlowersRC
June9th_060_BisonGulch_LupinusArcticusRC
June9th_060_Bison
Gulch_LupinusArcticusRC
June9th_071_BisonGulch_DryasOctopetalaRC
June9th_071_Bison
Gulch_DryasOctopetalaRC

  The first two-shot panorama shows the trail, Mt. Healy and me searching for flowers. Due to the fact that I am not wearing my backpack, you can discern that this was a short break to search the immediate area for flowers. The center two-shot panorama was taken from higher up on the mountain - you can easily find the summit of Mt. Healy. The third shot shows an amazing patch of Arctic Lupine (Lupinus arcticus) on the hillside.
June9th_075_076_ReposPano_BisonGulchRC
June9th_075_076_Repos
Pano_BisonGulchRC
June9_34_35_ReposPano_BisonGulch_SceneryRC
June9_34_35_ReposPano
_BisonGulch_SceneryRC
June9_38_BisonGulch_LupineRC
June9_38_Bison
Gulch_LupineRC

  The first two shots in this row show Arctic Lupine (Lupinus arcticus) and the third shot shows that we are still climbing.
June9_39_BisonGulch_LupineRC
June9_39_Bison
Gulch_LupineRC
June9_42_BisonGulch_LupineRC
June9_42_Bison
Gulch_LupineRC
June9_45_BisonGulch_SceneryRC
June9_45_Bison
Gulch_SceneryRC

  This is the spot where we stopped and ate out lunch and also decided that we did not need to go any farther. In the first two shots you can find Kazuya out in the distance. In the center shot the summit of Mt. Healy really shows well. It's still nearly 1,700 feet (518 m) above us though. At this point I was feeling quite unwell and sat and rested while Kazuya checked ahead. The third shot shows One-flower Cinquefoil (Potentilla uniflora).
June9_48_BisonGulch_Scenery_KazuyaRC
June9_48_Bison
Gulch_Scenery_KazuyaRC
June9_49_BisonGulch_Scenery_KazuyaRC
June9_49_Bison
Gulch_Scenery_KazuyaRC
June9th_132_BisonGulch_PotentillaUnifloraRC
June9th_132_Bison
Gulch_PotentillaUnifloraRC

  The first shot again shows the One-flower Cinquefoil (Potentilla uniflora). Starting with the center photo, we are now descending and we've stopped at the Arctic Lupine (Lupinus arcticus) patch you saw in Rows 19 and 20 to try and get a couple more photos of this amazing blue patch on the mountainside.
June9th_134_BisonGulch_PotentillaUnifloraRC
June9th_134_BisonGulch
_PotentillaUnifloraRC
June9_64_BisonGulch_LupineRC
June9_64_Bison
Gulch_LupineRC
June9th_150_BisonGulch_LupinusArcticusRC
June9th_150_Bison
Gulch_LupinusArcticusRC

  The small patch of Purple Saxifrage (Saxifraga oppositifolia) shown in the first photo is a plant we found here back in May and wondered what it would now look like. It looked better back in May. The second and third photos show Ciliate Saxifrage (Saxifraga eschscholtzii).
June9th_168_BisonGulch_SaxifragaOppositifoliaRC
June9th_168_BisonGulch
_SaxifragaOppositifoliaRC
June9th_171_BisonGulch_SaxifragaEschscholtziiRC
June9th_171_BisonGulch
_SaxifragaEschscholtziiRC
June9th_172_BisonGulch_SaxifragaEschscholtziiRC
June9th_172_BisonGulch
_SaxifragaEschscholtziiRC

End June 9th, End Page 2
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