On Wednesday, we went fly fishing in a crystal clear creek in a beautiful alpine valley with professional guides. Donning waders and our fly rods we broke into small groups beneath the Reindeer Hills just east of Cantwell. It would have been idyllic as it was, but we were lucky enough to experience our first sighting of Mt. Denali from the creek bed. The mountain was so enormous it was hard to distinguish it from the clouds, and within an hour it had disappeared again. The mountain is so large it creates its own weather patterns, so on a clear day from the outskirts of the park (90 miles away from the mountain itself), it is still not guaranteed that the peak will be visible.

With the help of our wonderful guides we each caught plenty of arctic grayling as we cast in the clear waters of the shallow creek. Tromping in our waders we spotted moose scat, a sign of recent visitors, and enjoyed the quiet calm.

— Anna & Kevin