June 6 – Leaving Denali for Fairbanks


Leaving Denali for Fairbanks
Today was another beautiful day in Denali.  We caught the shuttle to the park visitor center and then the next shuttle to the dog kennels where we see the Alaskan Huskies that are used in the park during the winter.   
Denali uses no motorized vehicles during the winter months for park maintenance.  Rather, everything is done with dogs.  The park has a breeding program and has a couple dozen dogs.  Each dog is used for about 9 years of service before being retired and put up for adoption.  There was also a demonstration.

We then spent some time with the exhibits before heading back to the lodge complex to relax before catching the Alaska Railroad train to Fairbanks for our last two nights of the trip.  

The train covered the 120-mile trip in about 4 hours and took us from the mountainous Denali area out through a gorge 



and then into the heavily forested boreal (taiga) land in north central Alaska that is primarily spruce, birch, and aspen trees.  We were gold star passengers and had a domed car with an exterior platform that were great for viewing, 


The car also had a dining area on the first level.  Dinner consisted of Caesar salad, baked Alaskan cod, succotash, rice, and a lemon-raspberry parfait.  We arrived in Fairbanks at 8 pm.  Tomorrow is our last day of a fabulous trip.

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