RUDY MANCKE: NEXT ON NATURE SCENE: WE VISIT DENALI NATURAL PARK AND PRESERVE IN ALASKA.

WE RIDE THE DENALI ROAD AND SEE A GREAT VARIETY OF LARGE MAMMALS AND GET A GLIMPSE OF MOUNT McKINLEY THE TALLEST MOUNTAIN IN NORTH AMERICA.

A PRODUCTION OF: NATURE SCENE IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY A GRANT FROM SANTEE COOPER WHERE PROTECTION AND IMPROVEMENT OF OUR ENVIRONMENT ARE EQUAL IN IMPORTANCE TO PROVIDING ELECTRIC ENERGY.

ADDITIONAL FUNDING IS PROVIDED BY THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING AND BY VIEWERS LIKE YOU MEMBERS OF THE ETV ENDOWMENT OF SOUTH CAROLINA.

[Captioning sponsored by THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION] HELLO, AND WELCOME TO NATURE SCENE AT DENALI NATIONAL PARK AND PRESERVE.

SIX MILLION ACRES STRADDLING THE ALASKAN RANGE 250 MILES SOUTH OF THE ARCTIC CIRCLE.

I'M JIM WELCH WITH NATURALIST RUDY MANCKE AND, RUDY, WE'RE AT THE PARK IN THE SECOND-WETTEST MONTH OF THE YEAR, LATE AUGUST.

THE WEATHER'S GOING TO BE A BIT RAINY, I'M SURE.

I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE IN AND OUT WEATHER-WISE.

WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF SUN.

I HOPE FOR THAT.

WE'LL HAVE A LOT OF CLOUDS.

THIS IS ONE OF THE WETTER MONTHS OF THE YEAR HERE.

BUT IT'S AN INTERESTING PLACE TO COME BECAUSE OF THE VARIETY OF HABITATS THAT YOU C-SEE RIGHT FROM THE ROAD AND ALSO, REALLY, THE GEOLOGICAL STORY HERE IS VERY EXCITING.

AND, OF COURSE, THIS IS HOME TO MOUNT McKINLEY WHICH IS THE LARGEST MOUNTAIN IN NORTH AMERICA AND THAT'S, OF COURSE, SPECTACULAR WHEN YOU GET TO SEE IT.

AND THAT'S RARE, BUT WE DID GET THAT ONE GLIMPSE OF THE MOUNTAIN AS WE DROVE UP FROM ANCHORAGE AND IT WAS BEAUTIFUL ON A BLUE-SKY DAY.

AND THE SNOW AND ICE ON TOP.

IT WAS ABSOLUTELY SPECTACULAR.

A FEW CLOUDS HANGING AROUND, BUT AGAIN WE GOT A GLIMPSE THEN AND HOPEFULLY, AT THE END OF THIS LONG ROAD WE'LL BE ABLE TO SEE IT ONE MORE TIME.

WE'RE GOING TO START OUT IN WHAT USUALLY IS REFERRED TO AS A TAIGA FOREST.

RUSSIAN WORD TRANSLATED MAINLY MEANING "LAND OF LITTLE STICKS" AND THE LITTLE STICKS HERE THE LITTLE TREES THAT ARE DOMINATING ARE CONIFERS.

THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT.

SPRUCES.

SPRUCE, MOSTLY, I SUPPOSE, BLACK SPRUCE.

SOME WHITE SPRUCE THROWN IN.

A MIX OF BLACK SPRUCE AND WHITE SPRUCE THAT THE WETTER IT IS THE MORE BLACK SPRUCES YOU'LL SEE A LITTLE DRIER SITES, THEN THE WHITE SPRUCES COME IN.

CONIFERS DOMINATE IN THIS FOREST BUT ALSO NOW YOU SEE SOME BROADLEAF TREES HERE, TOO AND THAT ONE IS VERY OBVIOUS, QUAKING ASPEN.

REALLY, SOME GREEN, A LITTLE BIT OF YELLOW COMING IN THERE.

THIS IS THE TIME OF YEAR WHEN COLORS CHANGE.

FALL IS APPROACHING HERE AT DENALI.

THAT'S A TREE THAT'S TYPICAL OF THIS PART OF THE WORLD.

AND THEN REALLY SCATTERED AROUND EVERYWHERE AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO SEE MORE AND MORE OF THIS AS WE GO-- LITTLE BLUEBERRIES.

YOU CAN SEE FRUIT ON.

THERE GOING TO BE LOTS OF ANIMALS THAT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE THOSE INTO ANIMAL.

AND THIS, OF COURSE, IS A GREAT PLACE TO SEE LARGE MAMMALS.

AND SCATTERED AROUND, TOO, WE'RE GOING TO SEE MORE OF THIS: WILLOWS, WILLOWS, WILLOWS.

THAT'S ONE GROUP THAT REALLY DOMINATES IN THIS TAIGA FOREST.

LOOK, RUDY, TOP OF THAT SPRUCE.

THAT IS A STRANGE- LOOKING OWL.

LOOK HOW LONG THE BODY IS ON THAT THING.

NORTHERN HAWK OWL IS THE COMMON NAME FOR IT AND REALLY, THE WAY IT'S SITTING UP THERE IT LOOKS A LITTLE LIKE A HAWK BUT LOOK AT THE WAY IT SWIVELS HIS HEAD AROUND.

THERE'S NO QUESTION IT'S AN OWL.

AND WHEN HE TURNS AROUND, YOU GET A LOOK AT THAT FACE.

LOOK AT THOSE YELLOW EYES ON THAT BIRD.

AND THIS IS DEFINITELY THE PROPER HABITAT.

THAT IS A SPECTACULAR ANIMAL.

ALWAYS ALERT AND THE HEAD JUST TWISTING AROUND.

ALMOST ALL THE WAY AROUND.

OF COURSE, HE CAN'T QUITE DO THAT BUT BIG EYES AND AGAIN, LISTENING VERY CAREFULLY.

FEEDING ON RODENTS HERE.

TYPICAL NOW OF THE TAIGA FOREST AT THE PARK HERE.

BUT THAT'S A BIRD YOU WOULDN'T ALWAYS EXPECT TO SEE.

THAT'S A NICE ONE.

I'M SURE THERE'LL BE PLENTY MORE TO SEE.

LET'S GET STARTED.

Jim: EVEN THOUGH WE'RE IN A RATHER DIFFICULT ENVIRONMENT THERE'S STILL 430 PLANT SPECIES RECORDED HERE IN THE PARK.

A LOT OF PLANTS MAKE ADJUSTMENTS AND REALLY, NOW WE'RE MOVING INTO A DIFFERENT TYPE OF HABITAT.

LOOK ALL AROUND US HERE AND THE SPRUCE TREES ARE BEGINNING TO GO.

I MEAN, THEY'RE NOT MANY AT THIS LEVEL.

WE'RE KIND OF BETWEEN TAIGA AND THE TUNDRA.

YEAH, REALLY.

THIS IS MOIST TUNDRA, WOULD BE A GOOD WAY TO DESCRIBE THIS AND THE TREES BEGIN TO RUN OUT ABOUT 2,000 FEET OR UP TO 3,800 FEET HERE IN THE PARK AND LOOKS WHAT COMES IN AND DOMINATES... A DWARFED BIRCH.

A NUMBER OF NAMES FOR IT: "GLANDULAR BIRCH" IS ONE NAME FOR IT OR "RESIN BIRCH" BUT NEVER GETTING MUCH TALLER THAN THIS.

LOOK AT THOSE TINY LITTLE LEAVES.

AND AGAIN, MAYBE THAT'S ONE OF THOSE ADJUSTMENTS TO A VERY, VERY HARSH ENVIRONMENT.

YOU KNOW, COLD AND A LOT OF SNOW.

MOIST TUNDRA NOW YOU WOULD ALSO EXPECT AND YOU SEE IT IN FRONT OF US HERE.

CROWBERRY ALL OVER THE PLACE WITH THAT VERY DARK FRUIT ON IT.

THE BLACK FRUIT IS TYPICAL THIS TIME OF YEAR.

LICHENS ALL ABOUT US.

YEAH, AND THEY REALLY DO DOMINATE HERE AND THAT'S FOOD FOR, REALLY, ONE ANIMAL THAT, HOPEFULLY, WE'RE GOING TO SEE A LOT OF, CARIBOU, HERE.

THAT'S THE WINTER CROP-- FORAGE CROP, SO TO SPEAK-- FOR CARIBOU.

AND LICHEN IS TWO THINGS THAT COME TOGETHER.

RIGHT.

IT'S AN ALGAE AND A FUNGUS THAT LIVE TOGETHER.

I ALSO SEE STICKING UP IN AMONG THOSE LICHENS OR CLOSE TO THEM, THAT'S A TRUE FUNGUS NOW.

DEAD MAN'S FINGERS IS ONE OF THE COMMON NAMES FOR THAT THING THAT STICKS UP LIKE THAT.

LOOKS LIKE DEAD MAN'S FINGERS COMING UP OUT OF THE TUNDRA.

NOW THERE'S ANOTHER LITTLE PLANT COMING UP.

HERE'S ONE OF THE POPLARS.

BALSAM POPLAR IS A COMMON NAME FOR IT.

THE ONE THING I NOTICE ABOUT IT IS p IT'S MISSING SOME LEAVES.

SOMETHING'S BEEN NIBBLING BUT NOW THAT'S NOT CARIBOU EATING OR MOOSE OR SOMETHING.

MOST LIKELY A CATERPILLAR.

A CATERPILLAR.

NO QUESTION ABOUT IT.

LOOK AT IT.

IT'S A LITTLE WET.

WE'VE HAD SOME RAIN OFF AND ON.

A LITTLE MOIST DOWN THERE BUT I THINK THAT'S THE CATERPILLAR OF THE MORNING CLOAK BUTTERFLY AND A LOT OF TIMES YOU SEE LARGE NUMBERS OF THEM FEEDING ON THE SAME PLANT CHANGINGowALSAM POPLAR INTO A NEW BUTTERFLY.

THAT'S KIND OF INTERESTING.

LOOK UP IN THE AIR ABOVE US.

THAT LOOKS LIKE A FALCON.

IT'S A MERLIN.

IT IS A MERLIN!

LOOK AT IT HOVERING LIKE THAT.

IT HAS THE CHARACTERISTIC OF THE FALCON.

WELL, IT LOOKS LIKE A PEREGRINE FALCON.

A MINIATURE PEREGRINE FALCON, REALLY.

AND IT'S LOOKING FOR A MEAL IN THE OPEN TUNDRA AND HEADING ON.

THAT WILL MIGRATE AWAY FROM HERE FAIRLY SOON.

LOOKING UP AND LOOKING DOWN AGAIN THERE'S ONE OTHER PLANT RIGHT IN FRONT OF US THAT'S AMAZING TO ME.

NOW, WE SAW WILLOWS A MOMENT AGO.

THAT'S A WILLOW.

THAT TINY LITTLE THING IS A WILLOW.

IT'S ONE OF THE DWARF WILLOWS.

LEAVES LOW TO THE GROUND, FRUITING STALKS ON IT WITH FRUIT STICKING UP NICELY THERE.

AGAIN, LOTS AND LOTS OF ADJUSTMENTS HERE TO THE CLIMATE.

ALASKA IS A NATIVE WORD THAT MEANS "GREAT LAND" AND AS WE WALK HIGHER UP THROUGH DENALI WE'RE BEGINNING TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THESE GREAT RIVERBEDS AND MOUNTAINS AROUND US AND FORESTS.

THIS IS REALLY AN OVERWHELMING PLACE AS FAR AS THE SIZE AND THE SCOPE OF WHAT'S GONE ON HERE.

MANY RIVERS AND THIS ONE PROBABLY GLACIAL.

ABSOLUTELY.

LOOK AT THE WATER THERE.

IT'S MILKY-LOOKING AND IT'S GOT DEBRIS FROM GROUND-UP ROCK IN IT.

IT'S INTERESTING.

THIS IS SOMETHING USUALLY REFERRED TO AS A "BRAIDED" RIVER BECAUSE INSTEAD OF HAVING ONE MAJOR CHANNEL THERE'S LOT OF CHANNELS MOST OF THE YEAR.

MAYBE THEY'LL CONNECT IN THE SPRING FOR A WHILE WHEN THE WATER FLOW IS HIGHER BUT THIS IS A CLEAR SIGN OF BIGGER, LARGER, MORE ACTIVE GLACIERS IN THE PAST ww WHEN THERE WAS MUCH MORE FLOW FROM THOSE BIGGER GLACIERS AND THERE WAS A WIDER RIVER HERE.

NOW THE GLACIERS ARE RETREATING AND THE RIVER IS SMALLER THAN IT USED TO BE, BUT STILL, LOOK IT'S MOVING A LOT OF MATERIAL.

RUDY, OVER HERE ON THE SIDE FEEDING ONE OF THE BIG BEARS.

GRIZZLY BEAR, NO DOUBT.

LOOK AT HIM STAND UP AND LOOK AROUND.

I GUESS HE HEARD SOME MOVEMENT OVER HERE, SOME NOISES.

RIGHT BACK DOWN.

YOU CAN SEE THE HUMP ON THE BACK THERE AND THE GRIZZLED LOOK WHICH GIVES IT THE NAME "GRIZZLY BEAR."

FLECKED WITH GRAY.

AND NONCHALANT.

A BIG BEAR, RUDY BUT NOT AS BIG AS THOSE ALONG THE COAST BECAUSE OF THE DIET.

NO, THE VARIETY HERE REALLY IS A LITTLE BIT SMALLER AND MAINLY NOW, THIS THINGo IS EATING PLANT MATERIAL.

I'M SURE HE'S NIBBLING ON SOME FRUIT OVER THERE.

SOAPBERRY WOULD BE A GOOD GUESS AS THE TYPE OF FRUIT THAT WOULD BE AVAILABLE NOW AND BEARS SEEM TO LOVE IT.

THAT IS A NEAT ANIMAL.

I HOPE WE SEE MORE OF THOSE ON OUR TRIP.

DO YOU SUPPOSE HE'S EATING THIS SAME KIND OF BUSH ON THIS SIDE?

ABSOLUTELY.

SEE IT?

IT'S COMMON ON BOTH SIDES OF THE RIVER HERE.

RED FRUIT ON IT THIS TIME OF YEAR AND THAT'S WHAT THE BEARS SEEM TO ENJOY THAT PLANT HAS OPPOSITE LEAVES, BUT INTERESTING: MALE FLOWERS ARE ON ONE PLANT FEMALE FLOWERS ARE ON ANOTHER PLANT SO WHEN YOU SEE FRUIT, OF COURSE THERE USED TO BE FEMALE FLOWERS THERE.

SHEPHERDIA IS THE GENUS NAME.

SPECIES NAME, CANADENSIS, MAKES SENSE.

IT'S THE ONE THAT YOU FIND TYPICALLY IN THE NORTH.

AND WE'VE GOT SOME FRUIT LEFT HERE.

LOOK AT THE BEAR OVER THERE.

HE'S TAKING ALL OF IT ON THE OTHER SIDE.

HE MUST LIKE THE TASTE OF IT.

THEY ARE 90% VEGETARIAN IN TERMS OF DIET HERE AT DENALI.

é VERY SHORT SUMMERS HERE IN THE INTERIOR OF ALASKA AND EVEN THOUGH IT'S THE END OF AUGUST THESE TREES ARE SINGING SEPTEMBER'S SONG.

BALSAM POPLARS.

LOOK AT THE BRIGHT YELLOW THERE AND A COUPLE OF WHITE SPRUCES BESIDE THEM.

GORGEOUS THIS TIME OF YEAR AND THEN WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL VIEWS.

ROCK UPLIFTED 60 MILLION YEARS AGO OR SO.

WAY, WAY UP THERE, RUDY, THOSE ARE THE SHEEP THAT THEY TALK SO MUCH ABOUT.

DALL SHEEP, FOUR OF THEM GRAZING.

LOOK AT THAT IN THAT GREEN AREA ON THE SIDE EATING GRASSES AND SAGES AND SUCH.

EWE AND LAMBS, MAYBE?

I CAN'T SEE CLEARLY ENOUGH.

TYPICALLY, THE EWES WOULD BE ABOUT 150 POUNDS.

THIS IS THE VIEW MOST FOLKS WOULD GET OF THEM WAY UP HIGH.

THIS IS, REALLY, IN A SENSE THAT SPECIES IS A NORTHERN VERSION OF THE BIGHORN SHEEP FARTHER TO THE SOUTH AND THE RAMS REALLY HAVE BIG HORNS EVENTUALLY.

THEY'RE BEAUTIFUL UP THERE.

THEY'RE WHITE, ALMOST SNOW WHITE UP THERE ON THE SIDE.

ONE OF THE ANIMALS THAT CHARLES SHELDON FROM VERMONT-- WHO'S HELPED SAVE DENALI-- WANTED TO PROTECT, THEY'RE VERY UNUSUAL, DALL SHEEP.

THAT'S INTERESTING UP THERE.

BEAUTIFUL ANIMALS FEEDING.

AGAIN, THEY'RE HERBIVORES.

LOOK RIGHT ON THE SIDE OVER HERE.

LOOK AT THE WOLF GOING UP THE SIDE.

COLLAR ON IT, I THINK.

NOW, IN THE WINTER THAT WOULD PREY, I SUPPOSE ON ANY OF THE SHEEP IT COULD GET.

THAT'S A PREDATOR ON DALL SHEEP IF IT CAN GET TO THEM.

LOOK AT THE WAY THAT THING MOVES ALONG.

LONG LEGS, AND THAT'S AN ANIMAL MAKING A COMEBACK HERE AND BEING STUDIED.

I GUESS THAT'S A RADIO COLLAR THAT IT'S GOT ON.

GOSH, THAT'S A NEAT ANIMAL.

IT DOESN'T SEEM SO FEROCIOUS FROM THIS ANGLE.

NO, IT DOESN'T.

BUT AGAIN, WE'RE GIVING PLENTY OF LEEWAY TO IT.

@ IT'S GOOD NOT TO APPROACH THEM.

THIS AREA OF THE ROAD IS VERY CLOSE TO THE SPOT WHERE ADOLPH MURIE HAD HIS CABIN IN 1939 WHEN HE DID HIS RESEARCH AND STUDY AND THE BOOK THE WOLVES OF MOUNT McKINLEY.

AND THE ROAD TODAY GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO STUDY LOTS OF ANIMALS UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL AND AS WE WALKED UP, I JUST NOTICED THIS THING RIGHT IN THE ROAD.

IT'S THE PTARMIGAN.

THE PTARMIGAN.

THE WILLOW PTARMIGAN.

AND IT LOOKS LIKE HE DOESN'T THINK WE SEE HIM.

LOOK AT THAT THING.

SO SLOW AND DELIBERATE IN ITS MOVEMENT.

A LITTLE EYE RING AROUND THE EYE KIND OF BROWNISH ON THE FRONT AND THEN MOTTLED EVERYWHERE ELSE.

THAT'S A BEAUTIFUL BIRD.

SO SLOWLY WALKING ACROSS THE WAY.

AND YOU CAN SEE.

LOOK AT ALL THE FEATHERS DOWN THE LEGS THERE TO PROTECT IT A LITTLE BIT FROM COLDER WEATHER.

AND THE PTARMIGAN, RUDY, IS THE STATE BIRD OF ALASKA.

IT REALLY IS A NEAT ANIMAL.

PRETTY GOOD-SIZED BIRD AND RIGHT OUT IN THE OPEN.

LOOK AT THIS, TOO.

RIGHT OUT IN THE OPEN.

y@ A CARIBOU RIGHT BELOW US JUST ON THE HILL.

DOWN THE HILL A LITTLE.

EXPECT THE CARIBOU TO BE HERE.

OH, MY GOODNESS.

AND LOOK AT HIM WORKING THERE EATING A LITTLE BIT, BUT MAINLY = IT LOOKS LIKE HE'S RUBBING WITH THE ANTLER.

BACK LEG AND THE ANTLER.

LOOK AT THE HOOF ON THAT THING.

HUGE HOOF.

OH, YEAH, YEAH.

$DE SPREAD.

IT CAN REALLY WALK IN SOME PRETTY WET SITUATIONS VERY COMMON IN THE MOIST TUNDRA AND ALSO THE ALPINE TUNDRA HERE.

THAT HOOF HELPS HIM UNCOVER LICHENS DURING THE WINTER.

YEAH.

THAT'S ONE OF THE STAPLES OF THE DIET.

BUT LOOK AT THE RACK ON THAT ANIMAL AND WHEN HE TURNS HIS HEAD LIKE THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE UNDERNEATH THE THROAT.

THE WHITE ON THE FRONT THERE IS VERY TYPICAL THIS TIME OF YEAR.

STILL IN VELVET.

BUT THAT IS AN INTERESTING RACK ON THAT CARIBOU.

AND THAT'S THE TYPICAL SPECIES HERE.

SOMETIMES CALLED A REINDEER.

I GUESS IF WE WERE IN RUSSIA, "REINDEER" WOULD BE THE TERM.

BUT "CARIBOU" IS JUST A MORE GENERAL NAME FOR THE ANIMAL.

PRETTY GOOD SIZE.

AND SPEAKING OF GOOD SIZE JUST TAKE A LOOK ON BEYOND US HERE.

YOU CAN'T HELP BUT BE ABSOLUTELY AMAZED BY THE MOUNTAINS HERE.

WELL, THE ALASKA RANGE, OVER 600 MILES AND RUNS ALL THE WAY DOWN TO KENAI PENINSULA.

YEAH.

IT IS SPECTACULAR.

HIGH ENOUGH NOW TO HAVE ICE AND SNOW ON IT AS YOU SEE THERE, YEAR AROUND.

SHOVED UP, AS WE MENTIONED, 16 MILLION YEARS AGO.

THERE'S A FAULT THERE, 600 MILES LONG(1 THE DENALI FAULT-- AND A LOT OF SUBDIVISIONS OF IT.

THAT UPLIFT CAUSED BY PLATE TECTONICS-- ROCK THAT WAS PROBABLY UNDER OCEAN SHOVED UP.

LOOK AT THAT.

SHOVED UP AND THEN ERODED DOWN.

V-SHAPED VALLEYS OUT THERE.

P RIVERS ARE DOING THE WORK.

THE U-SHAPED VALLEYS, THE WORK OF GLACIERS.

AND THEN AGAIN, THIS IS A GREAT VIEW.

ALMOST AN AREA OF VIEW SO WIDE OF THE BRAIDED RIVER DOWN THERE.

LOOK AT THAT.

USED TO BE FLOWING SIDE TO SIDE WITH WATER.

NOW THE GLACIERS HAVE RETREATED, AND YOU SEE THE BRAIDED RIVER.

ç?

LET'S JUST BE CAREFUL WHERE WE STEP HERE, JIM.

THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST FRAGILE ENVIRONMENT WE'RE GOING TO WALK THROUGH.

WELL, IN THE ALPINE TUNDRA IT'S SAID, "PLANTS GROW BY THE INCH AND DIE BY THE FOOT."

( chuckles ) WELL, THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD WAY TO DESCRIBE IT.

w AND THIS IS THE ALPINE TUNDRA AND "DRY TUNDRA" MIGHT BE ANOTHER NAME FOR IT.

IT IS FAIRLY DRY.

IT'S VERY EXPOSED BUT THERE'S CERTAIN PLANTS THAT DOMINATE.

I LOVE THAT BRIGHT RED.

AND THERE IS NO QUESTION ABOUT WHAT THAT IS.

VERY CRIMSON COLOR.

IT'S ONE OF THE BEARBERRIES?

IT'S ALPINE BEARBERRY, YEAH.

BRILLIANT RED LEAVES, THIS TIME OF YEAR.

AND IT EVEN HAS SOME FRUIT DOWN THERE.

THE FRUIT ON MOST BEARBERRIES-- RED.

THIS IS VERY, VERY DARK, UN, BLACK COLOR.

A LITTLE BIT OF FRUIT LEFT AND AS THE NAME IMPLIES, BEARS DO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT.

RIGHT OVER THERE, TOO, A LITTLE BLUE FLOWER.

MOUNTAIN HAREBELL IS THE COMMON NAME FOR IT.

REALLY PRETTY BIG FLOWER FOR THE PLANT THE PLANT IS RELATIVELY SMALL.

STUNTED IN AN AREA LIKE THIS WHERE YOU DON'T WANT TO EXPOSE ANY MORE OF YOURSELF TO THE ELEMENTS THAN IS NECESSARY.

THESE STUNTED BUSHES COMING UP IN THE CREVASSES...

THERE'S THE WILLOW.

SEE?

THAT'S A LITTLE LOWER THAN EVERYTHING ELSE AND IT'S A LITTLE EXTRA MOIST JUST AS THE WILLOWS ARE COMING IN AND BEGINNING TO, YOU KNOW, DOMINATE REALLY, IN THAT SMALL SECTION.

AND THEN LICHENS ALL OVER THE PLACE ON THE ROCKS AND THEY'RE EVERYWHERE.

NOT THE BIG LICHENS THAT THE CARIBOU WOULD EAT BUT VERY SMALL CRUSTOSE LICHENS, THEY'RE CALLED BREAK THE ROCK DOWN TO FORM SOIL.

AND, OF COURSE, THE SOIL IS HERE THE PLANTS THEN COME GET A FOOTHOLD.

VERY FRAGILE AREA HERE ON THE, UH... ON THE DRY TUNDRA.

REALLY, THIS WINDBLOWN HILL GIVES US A GOOD VIEW ALL AROUND AND LOOK OVER HERE-- JUST COMING INTO VIEW.

A GRIZZLY.

NOW A GRIZZLY COMING UP, JUST FEEDING AGAIN, NOT EVEN CARING THAT WE'RE HERE.

GETTING FRUIT, I SUPPOSE, THIS TIME OF YEAR.

MOSTLY FRUIT.

AND AGAIN, THE HUMP IS OBVIOUS AND THE COLOR IS OBVIOUS.

I LOVE THE DARK ON THOSE LEGS.

SEE HOW DARK THAT IS COMPARED TO THE REST OF THE BODY.

IT'S A GOOD- SIZED ANIMAL.

NOW, THAT WILL GO INTO ITS SLEEP IN ABOUT SIX OR SEVEN WEEKS.

IT'S GETTING READY FOR THE LONG WINTER.

YEAH.

NOT A TRUE HIBERNATION, THOUGH.

WELL, FATTENING UP, AND OF COURSE THE FEMALE GIVES BIRTH TO YOUNG WHILE THEY'RE IN THAT DEN.

THAT'S A NEAT ANIMAL.

AND YOU TALKED ABOUT VIEWS.

THAT'S MOUNT McKINLEY.

FROM STONY HILL OVERLOOK.

THAT'S A LITTLE OVER 30 MILES AWAY FROM WHERE WE ARE AND YOU REALLY CAN'T SEE THE PEAKS TO A DEGREE.

ONE IS COVERED BY CLOUDS.

SO IT'S A GLIMPSE.

COVERED BY CLOUDS A LITTLE BIT BUT IT GIVES US A GLIMPSE OF IT.

THERE ARE SEVERAL PLACES ALONG THE PARK ROAD WHERE YOU CAN GET OFF IT AND TAKE A LOOK AT THE MOUNTAIN ITSELF.

AND THERE ARE 17 GLACIERS THAT COME OFF IT SO YOU CAN ON OCCASION SEE A FEW OF THEM.

YEAH, THIS IS, I THINK, A PRETTY GOOD PLACE TO STOP AND TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.

YOU CAN SEE THE BASE OF THE MOUNTAIN.

YOU CAN SEE THE ICE AND SNOW UP HIGH AND THEN, OF COURSE, WHERE YOU GOT SNOW THAT JUST NEVER EVER MELT AND CONTINUES TO BUILD UP AND REFREEZES, RECRYSTALLIZES, FORMS ICE AND THAT'S WHERE GLACIER GETS ITS BIRTH.

AND I THINK I CAN SEE THAT OVER THERE-- MULDROW GLACIER.

LARGEST ONE ON THE NORTH SIDE WORKING ITS WAY DOWN SLOWLY, BUT SURELY.

AND YOU CAN SEE THE WAY IT'S PUSHING A LOT OF THE MATERIAL IN FRONT OF IT.

GROUND-UP ROCK, AND OF COURSE A LOT OF THE STUFF THAT WE SEE IN FRONT OF US HERE ARE DEPOSITS WHEN THE GLACIER WAS A LITTLE FARTHER DOWN.

wñ MOST GLACIERS NOW, UH, HERE ARE AT LEAST NOT MOVING DOWN ANYMORE.

SOME OF THEM ARE ACTUALLY RETREATING.

YOU CAN GET A FEELING FOR THAT ICE OUT THERE EVEN THOUGH IT'S COVERED NOW WITH A LOT OF ROCK AND MIST.

WELL, AS YOU SAID, THE LARGEST-- OVER 32 MILES LONG; IN SOME PLACES, THREE MILES WIDE.

AND THE MOUNTAIN SHOVED UP 60 MILLION YEARS AGO AND THEN REWORKED BY GLACIERS OVER THE PAST, UH, FEW HUNDRED THOUSAND YEARS.

WE'RE GETTING CLOSER TO THE END OF THE ROAD.

LET'S HEAD ON.

OKAY.

WELL, THE INTERESTING THING ABOUT THIS PLACE IS NOT ONLY DO YOU SEE A GLACIER AT WORK TODAY BUT YOU SEE SIGNS THAT GLACIERS WERE HERE IN THE PAST.

SOMETIMES YOU SEE LITTLE CATTLE PONDS, THEY'RE CALLED.

WHAT IN THE WORLD IS IN IT?

LARGEST DEER IN THE WORLD REALLY-- THE MOOSE.

( chuckling ) AND IN ALASKA.

ALASKA HAS THE LARGEST MOOSE.

LOOK HOW DEEP IT IS IN THE WATER.

I MEAN, THOSE LONG LEGS ARE ALL THE WAY DOWN IN THE WATER AND SHE'S JUST MUNCHING ON THE BOTTOM GETTING SOFT STUFF FROM THE BOTTOM OF THAT POND.

AND THAT CALF WOULD OHAVE BEEN BORN IN MY TYPICALLY EACH YEAR.

THEY HAVE ONE CHASING AWAY NEXT MAY AND HAVE ANOTHER... A LITTLE SHORTER ANIMAL, SEE, ALWAYS RIGHT ON THE EDGE STAYING CLOSE TO ITS MOTHER BUT STILL FEEDING KIND OF ON ITS OWN.

THIS IS THE TIME OF YEAR WHEN YOU CAN GET A LOT OF SOFT VEGETATION IN PONDS LIKE THIS.

RUDY, THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF THESE TYPES OF PONDS w5DOTTING THE DENALI LANDSCAPE.

CATTLE PONDS, I GUESS THEY'RE CALLED.

ñh YEAH, AND PROBABLY FORMED WHEN GLACIERS WERE HERE.

A LITTLE BLOCK OF GLACIAL ICE WAS LEFT STANDING.

hñ DUG OUT A DEEP AREA.

AND THEN AS THE oñE MELTED, IT FILLED THAT DEPRESSION AND BASICALLY THIS NOW IS RAINWATER.

I WOULDN'T THINK THERE WAS ANY SPRINGS.

JUST RUNOFF OR SNOWMELT, FILLING IT AND CREATING A NEW HABITAT FOR QUITE A FEW ANIMALS OUT THERE.

LOOK AT THE LITTLE RUDDY DUCK GOING BYÑSEE IT?

OH, SURE.

NOW, THE PONDS ATTRACT MANY WATERFOWLS IN THE SUMMER MONTHS.

YEAH.

I THINK EVEN THOUGH WITH THE DISTANCE SO YOU GOT YOUR BINOCULARS.

MAYBE THOSE ARE MERGANSERS OVER THERE?

MAYBE A MALE "SKELP" OR SCAUP?

OH, YEAH, BOTH-- MERGANSERS AND SCAUP.

AREN'T THEY TOGETHER?

ONE OVER THERE.

AND I SEE ALSO SIGN... LOOK AT THE BEAVER LODGE OVER THERE.

THE BEAVER DIDN'T BUILD THE POND BUT NOW HE'S COMING AND TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITY AND PROBABLY REARRANGING THE SHORELINE A LITTLE BIT.

YOU CAN SEE A LITTLE BIT OF A LODGE OVER THERE.

RUDY, LOOK, THE OTHER RAM.

MY FAVORITE-- THE GREAT NORTHERN DIVER, THE LOON.

YEAH, THE COMMON LOON.

AND DOES HE HAVE SOMETHING?

GOT A FISH.

SURE DOES.

OH, THAT'SóçBSOLUTELY NEAT.

( laughing ): AIN'T THAT AMAZING?

PROBABLY TRYING TO WORK IT AROUND.

IT LOOKS LIKE A PRETTY BIG FISH FOR THAT BIRD BUT I'M SURE HE'LL TAKE HIS TIME AND WORK IT DOWN EVENTUALLY.

SEE ONE OTHER ANIMAL DOWN HERE AND THERE'S THE FEMALE OR THE MALE "SKELP"... "SCAUP" RIGHT THERE.

IT'S FEMALE.

DIFFERENT MARKINGS, CLEARLY.

NOT AS MUCH WHITE ON IT.

A LITTLE BIT OF WHITE ON THE BASE OF THE BEAK THERE, THOUGH.

I MEAN, YOU CAN SEE THAT LITTLE CURVE OF WHITE THERE.

THAT'S TYPICAL.

AGAIN, A LOT OF THINGS WERE ATTRACTED TO STANDING WATER HERE, TAKING ADVANTAGE OF IT.

AND NOW LOOK AT THAT LOON, SLOWLY, BUT SURELY WORKING TO GET AROUND SO THAT HE CAN SWALLOW IT.

AND THERE HE GOES, RIGHT DOWN, SEE IT?

THAT'S A BIG FISH FOR THAT BIRD.

THE WIND HAS PICKED UP A BIT.

AND WHEN YOU COME TO DENALI YOU SHOULD PREPARE FOR THE WEATHER.

JACKETS OFTEN ARE VERY NEEDED.

OH, IT MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD, THERE'S NO DOUBT ESPECIALLY IN AN EXPOSED PLACE LIKE THIS.

I THINK IT'S NEAT TO LOOK AT THIS POND AND FIGURE THE GLACIERS HAD A HAND IN THIS.

IT'S SMALL, BUT GLACIERS ALSO SCOOPED OUT LARGE AREAS FILLED WITH WATER AND CREATED SOME INTERESTING LAKES.

WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT ONE NEXT.

THIS IS TRULY A VERY SPECIAL NATIONAL PARK, RUDY IN THE SENSE THAT MAN HAS NOT CHANGED IT OR DESTROYED IT THAT MUCH.

IT'S A WILDERNESS THE WAY IT WAS AT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY THANKS TO THE FOLKS THAT HAD PROTECTED IT.

YEAH, AND YOU REALLY GET PRETTY GOOD ACCESS BUT YOU LEAVE THE NATURAL WORLD BASICALLY INTACT.

WHAT A BEAUTIFUL VIEW OF WONDER LAKE HERE, GLACIALLY FORMED.

WONDER LAKE LEADING RIGHT UP TO THE EDGE THE BASE OF MOUNT McKINLEY TALLEST MOUNTAIN IN NORTH AMERICA.

YOU CAN JUST SEE THE BASE OF THE MOUNTAIN TODAY BUT WE'VE AT LEAST HAD A CHANCE TO GET A GLIMPSE OF IT ON OUR VISIT.

THE EARLY NATIVES CALLED IT DENALI, THE HIGH ONE.

OVER 20,000 FEET.

SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE DIED TRYING TO REACH THE SUMMIT.

BUT THOUSANDS HAVE MADE IT.

AND THE MOUNTAIN CERTAINLY IS ONE ATTRACTION-- THE DENALI-- BUT, REALLY, THERE'S SO MUCH MORE.

I MEAN, I LOVE THE LONG VIEWS THAT WE'VE SEEN AS WE MADE OUR TRIP DOWN THE ROAD AND THOSE LARGE MAMMALS, OF COURSE, ARE SPECIAL.

WELL, THE "BIG FOUR OF DENALI," THEY CALL THEM; WE SAW THEM: THE CARIBOU, MOOSE, THE SHEEP AND THE BEAR AND, OF COURSE, THE WOLF AS WELL.

YEAH, AND I LIKE THAT LOON, REALLY, YOU KNOW.

YOU SEE A LOT OF LOONS, BUT THAT ONE EATING THE FISH FEEDING ON THE FISH, AS WE WATCHED, WAS EXTRA-SPECIAL.

AND THE PLANTS WERE INTERESTING, TOO.

WONDERFUL COMBINATION HERE.

DENALI NATIONAL PARK AND PRESERVE-- SIX MILLION ACRES IN ALASKA, MOST OF IT WILDERNESS.

WE'VE ENJOYED OUR VISIT.

IT'S BEEN SPECIAL.

COME AND SEE IT FOR YOURSELF.

AND JOIN US AGAIN ON THE NEXT NATURE SCENE.

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