Shawn's Big 5

The Big 5 being the set of large mammals that are often on the checklist of Denali Park visitors. We spent two days in the park and had impressive encounters with all of them, under great weather and with a backdrop of booming fall colors. We camped out a night, hiked up a few mountains, rode the bumpy school busses, and stared down an intrepid wolf. He did pretty good for a city boy.

Caribou in various stages of antler.

We were chased back onto the bus by this family.

Sheep.

Fluffy.

Coming to sniff us out while we waited for the last bus of the day.

Bull moose sparring.

Standing proudly in the evening light after chasing away the wolf.