I thought I'd try this instead of posting the pictures. This gives a bit more photo op's but I'd better get better at loading these things. Good grief. I'm way past my 8-year-old genius of computing. I need to befriend some high school kids, eh?!
Back to the point, we packed camp into Pat's high camp spot (a mere 5 mile journey through easy road, rough mucky horse trail, and our previously bushwacked/made trail straight up the slope) and set up for the evening on Friday. We saw about 11 bears that evening and felt good about the prospects. The first morning, we decided against the getting up before daylight thing and just slept in until 7:00AM, and had a quick snack for breakfast before heading out to scout for bears. We spotted one immediately on "Blisterfoot" and promptly went after him. (We christened the sloping mountain as such due to the severe blisters we both received from the side-hilling required to go anywhere.) I got within 150 yards or so of the bear, but he saw us and was a bit spooked. Pat squeaked him and made him stop for me to get a shot off, but I was high. Pat was able to make him pause a couple more times, but I haven't practiced enough to feel comfortable taking another shot. After that sound disappointment, we kept going around Blisterfoot, closer to Pat's spot from last year, since we'd seen another bear in the area earlier. By this point my knee was making me less mobile, so I rested while he looked over the ridge. More mountain. No bears over there, visible anyway, so it was time for us to go back to camp and eat.
We took the "shortcut" down the mountain, through the brush laden valley, and finally back up our slope to camp. That was a bushwack ordeal. I could not believe how Pat made it through there in the dark and fog alone last year. I guess he wasn't really alone. That was incredible.
Anyway, that afternoon was mostly spent napping. We held up and tried to set up on a close high spot for me to try again. No bears through there, but we did see more on Blisterfoot that evening.
There is no way for me to describe how juiced Pat was. A kid in a candy shop does no justice. We hit the sack at a decent time to get up early and hit it before dawn the next morning. I have to mention the camp Pat set up for us. It was a semi-level area with 2 levels of sleeping quarters for us. He actually slept above me, despite the pictures. He leveled his area with some flat rocks and covered them with moss and hemlock branches. My area just needed the hemlock cushion and especially that second night I had blissfully deep sleep. I was not remotely nervous about sleeping under "just a tarp." It served the exact purpose of a tent, just a little better ventilation. I was plenty warm and cozy. Not worried about bears, either. I've yet to loose sleep in fear of those skittish things. They have to wake me up to eat me, so I sleep soundly. Pat did just as well!
Sunday morning proved promising as we saw 2 bears just above camp. I was again within 200 yards or so and laid prone with the pack as a rest. I shot again, but apparently my perfect shot turned into pixie dust before it hit the bear as he remained unscathed. My confidence seemed the only thing that was shot. Bullseye. I left the .06 to Pat from then on. I was done, and none too happy about it either. After a walk about and testing the rifle to determine that it was indeed shooting 4" high at 100 yards, I spotted another bear on Blisterfoot and sent Pat after it. I told him I'd follow with the pack, but I'd be limping along and didn't want to ruin another opportunity. Long story short, Pat shot it soundly, we blood-trailed the sucker for a couple hundred yards through alders/hemlock/grass until we could no longer find any blood to trail and finally gave up again. We knew when we'd been beat. Oh, and we had no more ammo. That made the decision easier. Again we started for camp, but decided we'd sidehill and forgo the bushwacking.
We'd gone about 500-600 yards before looking back. We just about died. Here comes this beauty of a black blob coming right out from where we had just walked, eating his heart right out without a care. We weren't even quiet. I think a few choice words were let loose at that moment. With laughter. Sort-of.
To close, we left that night and made it out just fine with one lone bullet in the rifle, saved for any unsavory encounter that we hoped to avoid with a lighter colored bear. We saw much in the way of evidence of these larger brown bears in the area, and when we stopped to gorge on the raspberries, we knew why they were there. Yum.
Pat came out of the experience with a huge appreciation for the area and excitement to go again. I left with a huge amount of frustration and annoyance. I tried to let his optimism win and can now look back with some fondness, but man, that was tough.
Pat got to meet Joshua for the first time! I heard they had a good bonding time!
I was energized and convinced that it was worth it to make this trip again. This is perfect bear habitat! In fact, as we were hiking up, we watched a brown bear boar watch us, and we saw a black sow and two cubs go up the opposite ridge. Definitely bear territory. I was surprisingly not remotely fearful of the brownie. He was kinda funny; trying to hide behind a shrub that was clearly not hiding him while watching us! 
This weekend we plan on returning now that we have a bit of a camp set up. Pat went up this last weekend and dropped off some supplies. We plan on spending some time up here, so it should be "fun." Did I mention we are traveling light and not taking a tent? A tarp is all we need, I've been told. Actually, I've already done the tentless camping and it went just fine, though it wasn't this cool at night, but I'm sure it will be just fine! We are planning to stay until Monday, but if we are fortunate, we will be back with a black bear before then. 
We cannot go without seeing bear poo. This pile was fascinating to us as it contained not only the typical berry mass, but also two different kinds of plastic bags! Hmmm...!
Even Rowdy was excited!
After spending the money to get into the park, we decided to walk the boardwalk to the confluence of the Russian River and Kenai River. On our walk down, we came upon a brown bear who was loving the carcasses and fish left on the bank by the fisherman. She was fascinating to watch!
I'm guessing she was about a 3-year-old. I also assumed she was a "she" and not a boar. I just didn't see the width on the head, but I have no confirmation of any of this information!!
It was a fun ending of the entire visit! Very Alaskan!
As was typical in their growing up years, this campsite also was near water, sort-of. It was a small hike down to the creek, but on the way back, the discovery of blueberries made it fabulous!
Breakfast had always been a specialty of Dad's, so it was still given to him to fix.
Back to the wildlife! We saw so many bears. There were sows with cubs several times, and a really pretty Toklat (blonde) boar. I took many buffalo pictures, but refrained from sharing. If you don't know what buffalo pictures are, ask me or any of my family!
My eyes, as usual, were glued to the binoculars. Dad followed suit, especially when we tried to see the Dall Sheep. I tried to take a picture, and though you can see the white blur, it just didn't do it for me. We did see many sheep on several occasions, and we had some close encounters with the caribou. A couple of them chose to walk the road in front of us. This one paused for a nice photo op. I think he was posing.
We capped our Denali trip off with a moose steak dinner cooked on charcoals. As much as this may amaze y'all, this was my first time cooking on charcoal. I did have a bit of help, and it turned out perfectly. My mouth is watering again. Apparently it is supper time again...
The weekend was deemed a success, as it didn't rain until the last night. Fortunately, the tarp kept the table dry for our breakfast. The trip finished with a visit to the kennels and then back home.
Recently, Pat got an uncontrollable urge to cut wood! Shocking, I know. He also gained permission to harvest wood in a nearby wooded property that really needed a cleaning of dead wood. Talk about fuel for the fire - pun intended! Pat loaded a couple full loads of birch and began to split it immediately to cure it better. It was gorgeous! We ended up with a cord and a half, conservatively, of birch for next winter (clarify - not this winter since birch has to dry out a year before it's good to burn).
Last Sunday we were invited to join some friends on their boat to try our hands at dipnetting! I'm sure you remember my last effort at dipnetting. They had a bit of a challenge to win me over, but I figured it couldn't be worse! We met with them and made it to the water by 8:30 or so. The weather was foggy and cooler, but since we were all garbed in our rubber rain gear, we were thankful. Millie was our mascot for the day and was ever alert on the gull spotting.
I'm sailing! Ah-hoy! Way far away from the dock, with the wind and the water and the wind and everything. I sail! Ah-hoy! (y'all know where that comes from, right?)
Pat did have a hand driving the boat. This was actually a much more difficult thing considering the tide changes, RPM issues, speed with the nets in the water at proper depths, and the many other boats! He did very well and did manage to pull in the most fish as well as the biggest, with this, his first King Salmon! Not one to add to the wall, but fun to eat!
To anyone who is unaware, dipnetting is the subsistence fishing method that the state allows to residents in order to garner freezer or canned winter food. One literally dips a large net into the water and pulls in the fish. Ideally, you would want to hit the big runs where there are stories of netting 50+ fish in single digit hours. We did not hit one of those particular runs, but we still enjoyed our day. The five of us brought in 22 salmon and we tried a couple sole (not really worth keeping, unless you are really hungry). In case you were wondering, our group potential haul limit would have been 100 reds total. As head of the household, Pat was allowed 25 and I was allotted an additional 10, giving us a potential total of 35. Way more than we would ever eat in a year.
And we don't particularly like to process fish. It was good that we didn't catch our limits! We all caught the rays and came out a bit burnt, but had a fabulous time with new friends. I have to be honest and say that dipnetting is still not my favorite way to fish, but I also discovered that it was more about the friends, so the experience was fantastic!
Hydration is very important.
The dogs loved, LOVED the hike! I think they went closer to 30 miles compared to our 12.5. They did seem to slow down a little by the time we got closer to the car.
Bella had no problem with the bridge, but Rowdy became quite low-centered when Pat shook it! He crept along like a cat. It was hysterical! We made him do it again! I'm reminded of my brother teasing his children!
I just enjoyed the view from the bridge! (and my smuggled goods)
