by Steve Healey

Created on: May 28, 2008

"Travel Beyond This point, Not Recommended". "If You Must Use This Road"
Expect extreme cold / heavy snow.
Carry cold weather survival gear.
Tell someone where you are going. So the sign read about 5 miles down route 8 south of Danali National park. It is a shorter drive during the summer months to get to Juneau, Alaska. It is the twelfth of June and the days are getting longer. Spring has come a little earlier this year for buds are flowering now; butter flies are flittering around the blossomed flowers. A few herds of Caribou have made their presents known, along with a few close encounters with moose! I park along the roadside to check my fuel; the needle was still past the full mark. Shutting off the motor I checked the fluids, my food and drinks. All is in order. It is now 5 PM but the sun is still high in the sky as if it where noon!

I had spent half the day hiking in the park finding a trail that eventually brought me around to the tracks of the Alaskan Rail Road. High on the steep cliffs above movement caught my eyes and with the help of a telephoto lens, I captured a small herd of Danali sheep grazing. Their nibble legs on these shear rock walls left me in awe!
The drive from the park to here was the rest and cure I needed. The adrenalin rush I got reading the sign gave my brain and body the motivation to explore further. The rented land rover took the dirt road easily. The topography toyed with my senses. It seemed like a roller coaster ride, up then down with curves thrown in. And around each bend the spectacular Alaskan mountain range reared along the horizon!
Driving slowly for unexpected photo opportunities one finally manifested. I eased the rover slowly to a stop, cut the engine and waited for about 3 minutes. As the stillness became an embodiment of my soul I caught the slight movement off in the brush which was still snow covered. As gentle as a surgeon opening the door with a sledge hammer I emerge into the frozen landscape and humble myself to the elements. Dressed in military camouflage I lie on my belly and slowly make my way closer to my objective. Although it is 28 degrees it is a dry cold. There is no humidity so the cold is not affecting me immediately. My ungloved hands keep the cameras mechanism from freezing. My ears peaked for the slightest sound, finally catches a movement in the brush ahead. Peering through the lens of the 500mm lens I catch sight of my quarry.
I now had crawled about 300 feet away from the rover. Unaware, snow

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