Savage Alpine Trail in Denali

Matthew and I hiked the Savage Alpine Trail today--
The distance was only 4 miles, but the elevation change was 1,500 feet at a 25% grade...
The trail is considered strenuous.  HA!  I consider it damn difficult! (So did Matt!)

Matt at the beginning of the trail--note his whistle for making noise.
He also carries a bell.

flowers and lichen 

A tuckered boy close to the summit 

Almost..... 

And, we are at the top...FINALLY! 

Bluebells

Thought you might enjoy a video.  It is not very good quality, but it will give you a sense of Denali.
In the official newspaper of the park, Alpenglow, the size of Denali was described--
"The total of its park and preserve areas amounts to 6, 028,203 acres or 9,419 square miles.  So waling across all of Denali at a rate of one acre a minute (about 70 yards) for 24 hours a day, 365 days a year would take 11 years, 5 months, 3 weeks, 6 days, 10 hours, 34 minutes, and 28 seconds, approximately."
Yep, BIG, really BIG!