Wednesday brought a cool steady rain to Denali so I spent most of the day inside cleaning gear and reading. By 5 pm, cabin fever had set in and Nancy decided a hike was the only cure. Leaving Champ in the cabin with a full dinner bowl, we drove south a few miles to the trail head for Triple Lakes.
Most people think of wide open alpine tundra views when they think of hiking Denali National Park. The Triple Lakes hike, like several other hikes near the park's entrance, gives the visitor a different taste of the outdoors. Due to its lower elevation, this area is still forested mainly spruce. So lots of squirrels and birds abound and there is abundant shade and protection from wind and rain. The trail is well maintained up to the third lake, although it does climb some 1100 feet in about 3 miles. We enjoyed stretching our legs and the rain let up to almost nothing. Nancy found several nice berry patches and I amused myself with a beaver and a busy treetop squirrel.
We were somewhat surprised to find it was after nine when we returned to the truck. After a quick trip to Prospector's Pizzeria and Ale House, we made it to the cabin by ten. No surprise, Champ's bowl was empty.
Definitely want to return to this trail later this fall before we leave the Park to view the changing colors and enjoy the early fall weather that Denali gets. Also want to maybe snowshoe the trail this winter. Champ would get to come on that one, rules or no rules.
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