Travel Photographers Network

Text and images by Joe Liftik - All rights reserved.
             
Unless you consider yourself very lucky, don't even think about visiting Denali in less then four days, I usually spend a week or more. Two reasons, first, to see the park you have to BE there. The dramatic light changes in a twenty-four hours period are magnificent, the purple alpenglow cannot be see at noon. Wildlife sightings cannot be ordered, they occur by chance with an excellent likelihood of spotting various wildlife if you are there for a while. You must walk the tundra, climb a ridge in this mostly trail less terrain to experience Denali. Second, and a significant reason for a four day stay, is summertime weather. Cloudy and rainy weather is more likely then not. In such weather little is visible, knowing there is an enormous and beautiful mountain in front of you and not being able to see it, at all, is an exercise in frustration you will regret. However, in a four day stay a clear day or days is very likely. Although statistically the driest month is May, my favorite time in Denali is the autumn, late August to early September, nothing like the red tundra and yellow Aspens with the magnificent moose in rutting season.

Best way to get around the park is with the bus system on its ninety-mile road that goes from one end of Denali to the other. You can drive your vehicle for the first fifteen miles of the road; beyond this point, only the buses are allowed. Buses are scheduled to run frequently and you can get off and on the bus anywhere along the road. Of course, you can hike, but, it's a huge park with no established trails and hiking through the thick alders, brush and soggy tundra is slow, arduous and impossible at times. Short sojourns into the tundra, riverbeds, mountain passes and forests of a couple of miles are possible of course. However, I found that for photo purposes there is little reason for even such easier efforts, best photo ops are off the park's road.

Even with plenty of time in the park, the logistics required planning for photo locations and times. On my first day in Denali, I took my map and compass (for sun direction) hopped on the bus for the daylong educational and gorgeous roundtrip to Wonder Lake. Along the way, there are numerous photo ops as the bus stopped at rest spots and for wildlife viewing. As we rode along, I marked the map for my chosen drop off points and photo itinerary with comments such as subjects, lens choices, and how cloudy weather will affect the photo op. That evening I planned my photo itinerary for my stay. It worked out well; during the next seven days, I had the opportunity to photograph highlights from the entire length of the Denali park road.

The camp ground at Wonder Lake at the end of the park’s road, is a magnificent spot for viewing Denali and it’s foothills if the weather is good, otherwise it is a wet, mosquito infested affaire with no mountain views, but nevertheless, near Wonder Lake and the McKinley river’s wetlands for bird sighting. The Taklanika campground is a good choice for car camping or RVing. Only vehicles with camping reservations are allowed to travel to the campground. While camped at Taklanika the park’s bus will take you anywhere in the park. With clear skies you hop on the bus in early morning, ride out to Wonder Lake area, it takes a few hours to get there, but remember it stays light in the summer, and you can see Denali and the Alaska Range from Wonder Lake, magnificent!

Many photographers in Denali haul lots of gear, certainly possible given the convenience of bus transportation. I prefer to go light, be mobile, and hike to the subject if I wish to do so, e.g. Dall sheep are found in the upper reaches of rocky ridges. I generally use two DSLR cameras mounted with, 18-200 VR, and 80-400 VR lenses. Graduated density and polarizer filters are very useful. I seldom truly need another lens. However, my photo itinerary planning will inform me if I should take a macro or wider angle lens. When hiking I carry one camera with the selected lens in a holster strapped to my backpack chest harness with carabiners for quick access and protection form the elements i.e. rain. Wild life photos require at least the 400mm on a DSLR; a midrange zoom is the best focal length for the magnificent landscapes. Extra batteries are a must.

About the Author

Photography has always been part of Joe’s love for the outdoors and travel. His photographic vision is to capture what makes all that is around us unique, beautiful and cherished. Landscape and nature are his passions but any subject is fair game for his lens. More of his work is available on his website www.traveling-images.com 

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