Denali Road Lottery
Photos and Story by Leanne
Note: Most of the year, private vehicles are not allowed to drive into Denali National Park and Preserve. For four days each fall, 400 lucky drivers per day are allowed to enter the park in their own vehicle. The Denali Road Lottery is the system by which the lucky winners are chosen.
The Beginning and Almost the End of Our Adventure
In mid-July I checked the online listing of road lottery winners with great anticipation, hoping to see our names among the lucky 1600. Not in day 1, not in day 2, not in day 3 and sadly not in day 4 either! I dejectedly relayed the bad news to my sweetie and we began the task of planning other ways to spend the “road lottery weekend” (Sept 18-21) that did not include Denali.
Our luck improves in the final hours
As “the” weekend approached we had yet to settle on an alternate plan when suddenly good fortune shined upon us and two wonderful ladies who had won but were unable to make the trip transferred their permits to us and away we went. We were giddy because we had been given a reprieve and we vowed to make the most of our second chance. Our permits were for Sunday and Monday, days 3 & 4, and we were able to get a campsite at Teklanika for Sunday night. (Swan picture taken near Cantwell located just outside the Denali National Park)
We got our cameras ready and we're looking for anything that moves
It was a beautiful Sunday morning with some fog hanging in the low lying areas and we came across our first bear along the Teklanika River. We encountered two Dall rams at the top of Polychrome Pass and a sow grizzly with two cubs digging for ground squirrels beyond the Toklat River. McKinley was partially visible when we reached Stony Hill.
A new day dawns amid the fog
We awoke in a fog bank that filled the Teklanika Valley and were relieved to drive out of it as the road climbed Sable Pass. 
Another grizzly sow with two cubs entertained us at length.
We noticed some movement on a gravel bar along the Toklat River and a fellow with a camera heading toward the area. Soon we were playing peekaboo with a cute porcupine nestled among the willows and fireweed that had gone to seed. Of course we then attracted an endless parade of curious motorists who came over to enquire, “Whatcha lookin’ at?” and then gave a disinterested “Oh” when they finally saw the shy little guy hiding in the vegetation.
Capturing a fleeting moment and holding onto the thrill forever
We had had a fantastic second lottery day and were almost to the Teklanika bridge when a car stopped in front of us on the road and a man with a BIG telephoto lens headed into the bush. I knew there had been lynx spotted in the area in the previous days and my excitement at the prospect of seeing one grew. I walked down the road peering into the tangled vegetation until—there it was. Crouched in the bushes watching the road sat a beautiful lynx. I managed to get off two quick shots before it disappeared—I was elated!
