Journey along the Denali Highway to Maclaren Lodge, Friday 24^th July

We left Denali National Park and first stop was to pick up supplies. Read the sign on the front of the shop which is for real as in winter people do run dog sleds and if you look carefully along the edge of many of the roads in the wilderness, there are off road sections running along side of the highway for ATVs and dogs in winter when there is snow on the ground.

We headed back along Parks Highway and turned off to head along Denali Highway. After just a few kilometres the tarmac ended and the next 160kms would be gravel track.

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A few of some of the group on the bridge, Sigi and Anya on the left, Zoe our patient guide plus David, Helen and Gaby with her back to the camera.

Sometimes you have to position yourself just right for that great shot. Seb our other guide and chief driver, Helen, David and Ziggy with her back to the camera.

The bridge across the Susitna River and just beyond the now non operational Valdez Creek Gold Mine where artisan mining still continues today but as I have just recently visited Dawson and its goldfields, I didn’t insist that we go and have a look.

No collection of holiday photos is ever complete without one of clouds and mountains reflected in lake water.

The aim for the day was for a trip up a glacial river for a bush camp and then a free fay to trek up to a glacier for those that want to or a lazy day in camp. We got into boats at Maclarens Lodge for the ride up. A speedboat would do three trips to get the whole group up river whilst Zoe and I sat on some of the luggage and went up in a slower skiff.