Savage River at Denali National Park–2 Days

We drove up from Riley Creek Campground today. I drove to the turnaround at the Savage River Bridge, silly me, thinking that there would be a lot of room and space for me to park, walk around before going to the campground. NOT! It was jammed full with much illegal parking going on. I surely was glad that I had Suite Pea and not Bunkie to make that turn around at the bottom of the parking lot. Suite Pea will turn on a dime and though she has a long butt, it doesn’t swing as much as Bunkie did. There was a pickup with a little ATV trailer behind it that was parking in a parking spot at the corner that was marked for a car, yep he stuck out over the lines in front, back and right side (my side!). So it was a ‘OMG’ turn to get around him. Suite Pea, just smiled and went around like it was absolutely an every day thing! I went back to the campground and drove through and tried out a couple of spaces. Ended up coming back and getting the spot next to Nan. Not a great site, but an okay one. This was a loop for A rigs – those longer than 30’.

Nan had a campfire going when I got there. Got smoky clothes, again. At the end of the evening I just wrapped them tightly in a plastic sack that I could seal tightly so I didn’t end up smelling up the whole place. Washed my hair and got it out of their and then the bowl wash for the rest of the body. Remind me, don’t do a campfire unless you can shower and do laundry the next day!!

Liz and Tina were parked in the other loop which was assigned to B rigs – those less than 30’. They had trekked down to the river for sightseeing before we had dinner. They saw a moose on the river.

We grilled outside with pork chops, and added chicken, mac and cheese, steamed broccoli, and brown rice. Not one person around the table was hungry when it was all over.

The next day we made a trek down to the river, but no wildlife this time. We made a drive down to the Savage River bridge in Liz’s rig and found a nice place to park. We hiked the ‘River Loop’. About 1 mile round trip – you hike down about 1/2 mile, cross over the bridge and hike back on the other side. It was a nice hike.

We saw wildlife – Arctic Ground Squirrel. What a cutie. They appeared to be rushing around like crazy for to them I am sure that winter is coming too soon and lasts too long. They are quite human habituated in their environment. They are vegetarians and appear to gather lots of material in their little cheeks. I thought that it was possible that there were babes at home. They were all quite chunky. Bet that they have communal living quarters underground. They are ‘sometimes’ food for both the wolves and the lynx, and I’d bet the wolverines take their toll, also.

Tomorrow is off to Teklanika Campground at Mile 29 on the mountain.