As we turn the calendar page to September, we thought we’d take a moment to update you about what’s been happening out in the Kantishna.
 
Our staff continue to work hard and play hard. We held our annual triathlon, with a new staff member coming out on top with a time under one hour! The triathlon consists of biking up the Camp Denali driveway, running up and down Camp Ridge, then swimming across Nugget Pond. We’ve enjoyed some live square dancing music with local Fairbanks musicians, and we exchanged hand made gifts for our Fall Fest gift exchange.
 
Our Special Sightings notebook is filling nicely, as well. Lest we forget that berry season has arrived, a bear recently strolled through Camp Denali, sampling the local blueberries. We’ve also seen a beaver in Moose Creek, a lynx above tree line on the upper walkabout trail, fresh bear scat on Camp Ridge, least sandpiper nestlings by Ranger Pond, wolf pups very near the road, and a bald eagle by the outlet to Wonder Lake.
 
Our daylight is noticeably waning- it now gets dark around 10:00pm and gets light again around 6:45am. The stars have returned, and we’re keeping our eyes open for northern lights. The tundra’s fall colors have reached their peak, the cranberries are perfect, and crowberries are around for anyone who doesn’t mind the seeds. The moose are congregating in their favorite spots in preparation for the rut and their shining white antlers, having just lost their fuzzy velvet, are striking.

The other day I woke up at my cabin in a thick fog, but after climbing the hill to Camp, it slowly began to burn off.  Once at the Potlatch dining hall, we began to see a mauve-ish pink sunlight on a patch of the Wickersham wall, then a hint of Pioneer Ridge, next a glimmer of Mt. Brooks, and finally by breakfast time the entire range in its full glory.  This author just wanted to fall over and cry, the scene (and suddenness!) of it was so exquisite.  So as we meander off into the local swales to search for blueberries, tidy up our cabins in preparation for the winter, and gawk at the daily moods of the autumnal hues, we can breath the crisp autumn air, watch the clouds shift on the mountains, and smile in the simple beauty of being here.