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On the next NatureScene, 
we visit

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Denali National Park 
and Preserve in Alaska.

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Sampling the variety 
of habitats there.

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Taking a close look at large 
mammals along the way

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and seeing Mount McKinley, 
the highest point

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in North America.

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(ocean waves)

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Naturescene is made possible 
in part by a grant

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from Santee Cooper: 
committed to protecting

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and enhancing the environment 
by introducing green power,

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electricity produced 
from renewable sources,

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and by the Corporation 
for Public Broadcasting

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and by viewers like you,

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members of the ETV Endowment 
of South Carolina.

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♪

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[cardinal chirping] 
♪

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♪

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[rattlesnake rattling] 
♪

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♪

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[prairie dog yipping] 
♪

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♪

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Hello and welcome 
to NatureScene

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at Denali National 
Park and Preserve

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in the Alaskan wilderness 
between Anchorage and Fairbanks.

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I'm Jim Welch with 
naturalist Rudy Mancke.

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We're beginning our visit 
on Stony Hill Overlook

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in one of the last great 
wildernesses in the world.

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It feels good to get away 
from what man's doing,

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see what nature 
is all about...

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the wilderness is 
the perfect place!

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The road gives 
you access,

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so we're going to see 
a great variety of plant 
and animal communities,

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but it's the geology that 
brings lots of people here.

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Young mountains...that's what 
makes it so spectacular!

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The one they want to see-- 
usually it's not so clear--

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is Mount McKinley.

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There it is rising 
in the distance...

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20,320 feet 
above sea level.

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The only word that comes 
to mind is spectacular!

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The Athabaskans called it 
Denali, the "High One . "

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That mountain is the mountain 
in all of North America

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and one of the 
greatest in the world!

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It's an interesting 
part of the Alaskan 
range of mountains

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that were uplifted beginning, 
maybe, 60 million years ago

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because rock was being 
added to what is now Alaska.

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That's been going on 
for millions of years.

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There's a fault zone that allows 
the rock to be shoved up.

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Once it came up, glacial 
ice began to work with it...

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not just in Ice Age 
times but even today.

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You can see the snow 
cover and ice fields

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and get a feeling 
for glacial activity

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carving the mountain 
away slowly

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and leaving signs of 
glacial activity down here

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where larger glaciers 
used to be.

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We'll look 
at that later.

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20,320 feet 
above sea level

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and covered with ice 
and snow all the year!

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It's over a granite 
base, I guess.

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It's basically granite rock 
that's been shoved up.

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It's interesting how 
plants and animals

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have come into this situation 
and made adjustments.

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I think this will be 
a wonderful visit!

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♪

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Most of the park 
is very wild,

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but around headquarters, there 
are a few interpretive trails.

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This is Savage 
Cabin Trail,

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close to the beginning 
of the park road.

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You can look at 
boreal forest,

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or taiga forest 
sometimes this is called,

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dominated in 
here by spruces.

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A white and black spruce 
mixing and matching in here.

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They are the dominant 
coniferous trees.

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Then willows 
everywhere you look!

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There are 28 or more species 
of willows in Alaska.

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When you think of willows, 
you think of a tree coming up.

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There's one 
with fruit.

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Male flowers on one tree... 
female flowers on another.

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That had female flowers 
earlier in the year.

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There are shrubby 
and small species here

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that, hopefully, 
we'll look at.

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Another plant... 
looks like birch leaf.

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One of the 
dwarf birches.

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Resin birch is one 
of the common names.

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Doesn't get much larger... 
always a shrubby plant.

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Eventually when 
the trees die out--

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that's the dominant 
woody species

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in some of 
the tundra here.

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I also see 
interesting leaves...

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compound leaves 
on lupine.

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It flowered earlier 
in the year.

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There's a bit 
of fruit on there.

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Then one flower left on 
a plant that's widespread...

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shrubby cinquefoil 
is the common name.

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Interesting leaves... 
and then yellow flower.

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One of them 
left in place!

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How do they make it through 
just a few months growing

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and then prepare 
for winter?

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You've got to form 
fruit very quickly.

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Look at this arctic 
ground squirrel!

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You hope the ground squirrel 
doesn't take fruit

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that you've laid up 
for next year.

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That's the common 
ground squirrel.

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That's the only one 
digging burrows

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and finding food 
this time of year.

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In a hurry because 
winter is on the way!

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There's a bird that fits 
perfectly into this habitat.

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It has to have trees, 
and people are helpful.

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Gray jay is one 
common name.

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Overall gray color, 
bit of dark on the head.

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Camp robber is 
a good name also.

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It comes around people, 
takes food whenever it can.

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I'm sure it's waiting 
for us to drop something.

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♪

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This was originally 
Mount McKinley National 
Park, opened in 1917.

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Then in 1980, they tripled 
the size to 6 million acres

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and named it Denali.

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This is the first time 
we've seen something 
common here...tundra.

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Usually this is 
called moist tundra.

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The dwarf birches 
are also here,

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but there aren't any 
trees to speak of.

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Few individuals 
but not many!

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Tundra, by definition, is 
plants growing above tree line.

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Tree line here is 
about 2700 feet.

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There are all sorts of 
interesting things here.

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Crowberry is one of 
them, hugging the ground.

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Black fruit on it,

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and that fruit provides 
food for lots of animals.

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You see it's 
dominant.

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Also blueberry 
close by!

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Those would be tasty 
right now for humans,

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as well as other 
creatures.

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One of the decomposers... 
the mushrooms are coming in.

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Most of the body underground-- 
there's the reproducing body.

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Animals take 
advantage of that too.

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Of course, 
the lichens...

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combination of an alga 
and a fungus.

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Sometimes that variety is 
referred to as reindeer lichen

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because it does serve as 
food for reindeer or caribou,

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especially in 
the winter months.

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Look out here... 
on the hillside!

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There's an animal that's 
going to take the berries

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and change them 
into grizzly bear!

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Unbelievable animal!!

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The hump on the back... 
it's very easy to identify.

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Big, broad face 
on that thing,

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and facedown taking fruit and 
changing it into grizzly bear.

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This time of year, that's 
what it's hitting hard.

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It's not taking 
many animals.

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They come in 
all colors too!

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That one blonde 
and light-colored.

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They can weigh 600, 650 
pounds...the biggest ones!

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You can see the long winter 
hair coming into the coat.

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That'll keep it warm for 
a bit into the colder months,

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which are 
on the way.

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You can see him 
working now.

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Interesting side 
view as he walks.

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Look at him 
moving along!

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Plantigrade movement, 
walking on the heels,

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the bottoms of the 
feet, like we do.

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One of the omnivores...it does 
take plant and animal material.

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This time of year feasting 
on blueberries and crowberries.

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Magnificent creature!

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Where else are you 
going to see this?

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This is a place where 
you can get close enough,

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yet we're giving it 
a good bit of distance.

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The other animal you'd 
expect, though...

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a moose, a cow, 
and a calf!

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Down in the willows... 
little lower, wetter area.

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Willows...the main 
food for the moose?

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That's one of the 
things they feed on.

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They'll get out 
in water sometimes

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and take softer, 
gooey plant material.

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Willow this time 
of year is fine.

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Look on the slope... 
a couple of male caribou!

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The size of the racks... 
really impressive!

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They look like 
they're out of velvet.

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Those racks could weigh 
as much as 25 pounds.

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Those are 
healthy animals

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and considered nomads 
in the animal world

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because they travel so 
much in search of food.

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They're taking plant material 
and changing it into caribou.

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Those are large 
individuals!

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♪

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There are 6 million acres 
in Denali National Park.

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All of it is 
subarctic region.

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This is really 
interesting!

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Dry tundra is 
a good name for it.

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This time of 
year it's chilly,

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but really it's chilly 
any time of the year.

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The red is nice!

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Arctic bearberry is 
the common name for that.

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A brilliant red this time 
of the year...scarlet red.

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00:10:09,766 --> 00:10:13,366
This seems to be one area 
where it really dominates.

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00:10:13,366 --> 00:10:16,500
Mountain harebell is 
so typical of this area.

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Hugging 
the ground!

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Doesn't get 
up very high.

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Leaves low 
to the ground

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and a big, blue 
bell-shaped flower,

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although it's 
turned up.

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00:10:27,433 --> 00:10:30,933
Most harebells tilt 
down but not that one.

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What's the plant 
that has fruit?

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00:10:33,566 --> 00:10:35,566
Well, fuzzy 
fruit on it.

203
00:10:35,566 --> 00:10:38,833
The woody plant there 
is one of the willows.

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00:10:38,833 --> 00:10:42,333
We've already talked about how 
diverse willows are in Alaska.

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00:10:42,333 --> 00:10:44,533
That's one of 
the dwarf willows.

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00:10:44,533 --> 00:10:46,533
Those are catkins 
sticking up

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00:10:46,533 --> 00:10:49,533
that used to be female 
flowers, now fuzzy fruit.

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00:10:49,533 --> 00:10:52,566
In a breeze like this, 
fuzzy fruit gets blown.

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00:10:52,566 --> 00:10:54,566
That's the way 
it gets spread.

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00:10:54,566 --> 00:10:56,700
That's a 
dominant plant.

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00:10:56,700 --> 00:10:59,700
Another one with 
a few fuzz tops...

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00:10:59,700 --> 00:11:02,033
common name, 
mountain avens.

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00:11:02,033 --> 00:11:04,033
Dryas is 
the genus name.

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00:11:04,033 --> 00:11:06,100
It's in 
the rose family.

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00:11:06,100 --> 00:11:08,433
The fuzz on 
the top here

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00:11:08,433 --> 00:11:11,100
gets blown around 
by the wind.

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00:11:11,100 --> 00:11:14,433
One other plant... 
wormwood is the common name.

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00:11:14,433 --> 00:11:17,233
If you crush those 
leaves, very aromatic!

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00:11:17,233 --> 00:11:19,566
Early humans here 
must have enjoyed that

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00:11:19,566 --> 00:11:21,566
and used it 
medicinally.

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00:11:21,566 --> 00:11:23,766
You can see 
the old flower,

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00:11:23,766 --> 00:11:27,333
really early 
fruit on the top.

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Look right here!

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00:11:29,000 --> 00:11:34,333
I can't believe that red fox 
coming out of the willows 
as if we're not here!!

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00:11:34,333 --> 00:11:37,633
I guess fox are used 
to people going by.

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00:11:37,633 --> 00:11:40,300
You can see dark 
booties on it,

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00:11:40,300 --> 00:11:42,633
white on the tail, 
slender body.

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00:11:42,633 --> 00:11:45,633
One of the carnivores 
that seems to do nicely.

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00:11:45,633 --> 00:11:48,566
Takes arctic ground 
squirrel and recycles it,

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00:11:48,566 --> 00:11:51,233
even picking up dead 
ones along the road.

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00:11:51,233 --> 00:11:54,366
That one looks in good 
shape...small, though.

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00:11:54,366 --> 00:11:56,366
Nice animal!

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00:11:56,366 --> 00:12:00,100
Beautiful red color and 
getting ready for winter.

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00:12:00,100 --> 00:12:02,100
I suppose so.

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00:12:02,100 --> 00:12:03,733
[no audio]

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00:12:03,733 --> 00:12:05,733
Way up on 
the hill, Rudy,

237
00:12:05,733 --> 00:12:08,066
tiny specks of white 
most visitors see...

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00:12:08,066 --> 00:12:10,066
Dall sheep.

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00:12:10,066 --> 00:12:12,100
That's the inspiration 
for this park!

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00:12:12,100 --> 00:12:14,433
Charles Sheldon came 
here to study them...

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00:12:14,433 --> 00:12:16,433
only white sheep 
in the wild.

242
00:12:16,433 --> 00:12:17,766
Isn't that nice?

243
00:12:17,766 --> 00:12:21,500
Used to be called white 
sheep but now Dall sheep.

244
00:12:21,500 --> 00:12:25,433
Those are ewes and lambs, 
females and young ones.

245
00:12:25,433 --> 00:12:27,433
Females have horns.

246
00:12:27,433 --> 00:12:31,266
Horns are on both sexes 
in sheep and goats.

247
00:12:31,266 --> 00:12:34,200
One's rubbing its chest 
against the green.

248
00:12:34,200 --> 00:12:36,200
Look at that...

249
00:12:36,200 --> 00:12:39,033
sort of with her 
front legs under.

250
00:12:39,033 --> 00:12:41,033
There are groups 
of them there!

251
00:12:41,033 --> 00:12:43,033
They're probably 
taking the greenery

252
00:12:43,033 --> 00:12:45,966
and making 
sheep out of it.

253
00:12:45,966 --> 00:12:48,566
A few resting right 
on the ridgeline.

254
00:12:48,566 --> 00:12:50,766
That must be 
a nice view!

255
00:12:50,766 --> 00:12:54,833
They're protected... 
I guess the habitat 
is how they live.

256
00:12:54,833 --> 00:12:56,833
Yeah... 
spectacular animal!

257
00:12:56,833 --> 00:12:59,033
Not bothering 
the slippery rocks!

258
00:12:59,033 --> 00:13:01,966
Rocks that would easily 
go under our feet,

259
00:13:01,966 --> 00:13:03,966
they have no problems 
with them...

260
00:13:03,966 --> 00:13:05,966
perfectly adjusted 
to that.

261
00:13:05,966 --> 00:13:07,966
This place 
is exciting!

262
00:13:07,966 --> 00:13:09,966
Glaciers had 
a hand in things.

263
00:13:09,966 --> 00:13:12,300
Look at the kettle 
pond out there!

264
00:13:12,300 --> 00:13:14,633
We're going to 
see lots of those...

265
00:13:14,633 --> 00:13:18,300
a chunk of ice left behind 
when the glacier retreated,

266
00:13:18,300 --> 00:13:22,300
and then it melted, filled 
the space, and forms ponds.

267
00:13:22,300 --> 00:13:24,633
The views... 
oh, my goodness!!

268
00:13:24,633 --> 00:13:27,966
Way off in the distance, 
a bit of everything!

269
00:13:27,966 --> 00:13:36,766
♪

270
00:13:36,766 --> 00:13:40,766
Walking across tumbled 
rock now at 3,000 
feet above sea level.

271
00:13:40,766 --> 00:13:43,000
This valley floor 
is broad.

272
00:13:43,000 --> 00:13:45,666
It's home to a 
very young river

273
00:13:45,666 --> 00:13:48,000
making its way 
wherever it wants.

274
00:13:48,000 --> 00:13:50,333
Slowly rearranging 
the world.

275
00:13:50,333 --> 00:13:54,100
The water right now is 
very dirty-looking, silty,

276
00:13:54,100 --> 00:13:56,433
carrying bits 
and pieces of rock,

277
00:13:56,433 --> 00:13:58,766
eventually, 
I guess, to the sea.

278
00:13:58,766 --> 00:14:02,033
We're walking on 
a big, old gravel bar.

279
00:14:02,033 --> 00:14:05,633
What kinds of rock do 
you figure is in here?

280
00:14:05,633 --> 00:14:08,633
A mix... 
igneous, metamorphic, 
sedimentary rock.

281
00:14:08,633 --> 00:14:11,300
Rounded, a lot 
of it, by water.

282
00:14:11,300 --> 00:14:15,766
That's what has sculpted 
this part of the world, 
as it does everywhere...

283
00:14:15,766 --> 00:14:17,766
water, either 
as a liquid,

284
00:14:17,766 --> 00:14:20,433
like the water 
flowing by in the river,

285
00:14:20,433 --> 00:14:22,433
or as a solid, 
the ice,

286
00:14:22,433 --> 00:14:26,100
the glacial activity that 
has gone on in the past

287
00:14:26,100 --> 00:14:29,100
and made quite a 
difference in this place.

288
00:14:29,100 --> 00:14:33,100
I'll bet thousands of tons 
of crushed gravel and sand

289
00:14:33,100 --> 00:14:35,466
go down this 
river every year.

290
00:14:35,466 --> 00:14:37,800
Nature is never 
in a hurry.

291
00:14:37,800 --> 00:14:41,566
As Lauren Isley used to say, 
"There's power in raindrops."

292
00:14:41,566 --> 00:14:44,900
It's fun to watch 
the cloudy water go by

293
00:14:44,900 --> 00:14:49,633
and turn around and see the 
mountains from whence it came.

294
00:14:49,633 --> 00:14:56,633
♪

295
00:14:56,633 --> 00:15:00,100
Denali has about 350,000 
visitors every year,

296
00:15:00,100 --> 00:15:04,433
but I doubt many make their 
way down to the edge of this.

297
00:15:04,433 --> 00:15:06,500
What a scene 
this is!!

298
00:15:06,500 --> 00:15:08,500
This is so nice!

299
00:15:08,500 --> 00:15:12,033
It gives a change of perspective 
on that braided river.

300
00:15:12,033 --> 00:15:14,700
You can see the 
braid look to that.

301
00:15:14,700 --> 00:15:17,366
Look at 
the caribou!

302
00:15:17,366 --> 00:15:20,033
Half a dozen or 
so...small herd.

303
00:15:20,033 --> 00:15:22,033
Those are 
all males.

304
00:15:22,033 --> 00:15:25,466
This time of year males are 
segregated from females.

305
00:15:25,466 --> 00:15:28,433
The antlers are 
pretty nice-sized.

306
00:15:28,433 --> 00:15:30,600
One of them, 
scratching around...

307
00:15:30,600 --> 00:15:34,066
maybe trying to clear off 
a place and lie down

308
00:15:34,066 --> 00:15:37,033
where there's more moisture 
and it'll be cooler.

309
00:15:37,033 --> 00:15:40,533
Once there were 
herds of 30,000 or 
so within Denali...

310
00:15:40,533 --> 00:15:42,700
now just a few 
thousand animals.

311
00:15:42,700 --> 00:15:45,033
Those are great 
ones to see!

312
00:15:45,033 --> 00:15:49,933
Some pretty good-sized 
animals...older individuals.

313
00:15:49,933 --> 00:15:51,933
Look at the bear!

314
00:15:51,933 --> 00:15:56,433
Mama bear with a baby on 
the side, looking for food!

315
00:15:56,433 --> 00:16:00,966
Going from clump to clump 
trying to find fruit, probably,

316
00:16:00,966 --> 00:16:03,366
on some of 
the shrubs.

317
00:16:03,366 --> 00:16:06,033
What might they find 
on the river bottom?

318
00:16:06,033 --> 00:16:09,366
That would be a good 
place for soapberry.

319
00:16:09,366 --> 00:16:11,500
Then finding 
invertebrates

320
00:16:11,500 --> 00:16:14,033
and any animal material 
they can get.

321
00:16:14,033 --> 00:16:16,533
Since they're omnivores, 
they'll take everything.

322
00:16:16,533 --> 00:16:19,533
How long will the cub 
stay with the mother?

323
00:16:19,533 --> 00:16:21,533
Well, I guess 
it varies.

324
00:16:21,533 --> 00:16:24,466
A year or so would 
probably make sense.

325
00:16:24,466 --> 00:16:26,800
I'm not sure of 
the specifics,

326
00:16:26,800 --> 00:16:30,200
but once they're tough enough, 
they're on their own.

327
00:16:30,200 --> 00:16:32,866
That's a pretty 
good-sized cub!

328
00:16:32,866 --> 00:16:34,200
What a scene!

329
00:16:34,200 --> 00:16:37,333
It's always great to see 
the animals of Denali,

330
00:16:37,333 --> 00:16:39,666
and people do when 
they come here.

331
00:16:39,666 --> 00:16:43,000
The other thing is the 
geology that's so powerful!

332
00:16:43,000 --> 00:16:44,600
Look at it!

333
00:16:44,600 --> 00:16:49,000
All of the material in 
the lower valley area 
are glacial deposits,

334
00:16:49,000 --> 00:16:51,300
really, probably, 
an outwash plain.

335
00:16:51,300 --> 00:16:54,633
Glaciers used to come 
down and fill this area.

336
00:16:54,633 --> 00:16:59,300
One way we know that is that 
st 
uck in some of that material--

337
00:16:59,300 --> 00:17:01,633
look at the 
glacial erratics!

338
00:17:01,633 --> 00:17:03,800
Big rocks 
and boulders!

339
00:17:03,800 --> 00:17:06,600
How long ago would 
they have been dropped?

340
00:17:06,600 --> 00:17:09,933
Probably in the end 
of the Ice Age times

341
00:17:09,933 --> 00:17:13,166
when mountain glaciers 
were still coming down here,

342
00:17:13,166 --> 00:17:15,500
12,000 or so years ago.

343
00:17:15,500 --> 00:17:19,100
Bigger than a house, 
that one, and very angular!

344
00:17:19,100 --> 00:17:22,100
Left behind as 
glaciers went away.

345
00:17:22,100 --> 00:17:24,100
Look in the valleys.

346
00:17:24,100 --> 00:17:27,866
U-shaped valleys up on 
the mountains...typical 
of glacial activity!

347
00:17:27,866 --> 00:17:30,800
Glaciers perched 
up there now,

348
00:17:30,800 --> 00:17:32,800
but they're 
in retreat.

349
00:17:32,800 --> 00:17:36,800
You can see the U-shaped valley 
clearly, the ice at the top.

350
00:17:36,800 --> 00:17:40,800
Imagine when this whole valley 
was filled with glaciers

351
00:17:40,800 --> 00:17:43,866
coming down, meeting, 
and going down the river.

352
00:17:43,866 --> 00:17:46,866
New rivers, and they 
go where they want to!

353
00:17:46,866 --> 00:17:49,533
Braided river... 
a good common name.

354
00:17:49,533 --> 00:17:53,600
You really see it best 
from a higher elevation.

355
00:17:53,600 --> 00:17:55,600
Look right there!

356
00:17:55,600 --> 00:17:58,733
Gyrfalcon is the common 
name for that thing.

357
00:17:58,733 --> 00:18:01,400
Looks almost like 
a peregrine falcon.

358
00:18:01,400 --> 00:18:04,900
Diving down and zooming up 
over to the ridge beyond.

359
00:18:04,900 --> 00:18:07,233
Spectacular bird 
in flight!

360
00:18:07,233 --> 00:18:10,400
It feeds on other birds, 
mainly ptarmigan.

361
00:18:10,400 --> 00:18:13,400
They nest here, 
and believe it or not,

362
00:18:13,400 --> 00:18:16,333
actually a 
year-round residence.

363
00:18:16,333 --> 00:18:19,766
Here comes something 
that will hibernate here.

364
00:18:19,766 --> 00:18:22,600
A hoary marmot... 
look at that monster!

365
00:18:22,600 --> 00:18:24,600
A rodent?

366
00:18:24,600 --> 00:18:26,600
Oh, yeah, 
it's a rodent.

367
00:18:26,600 --> 00:18:29,900
Those big incisors are 
typical of the rodents.

368
00:18:29,900 --> 00:18:31,566
Just moving up.

369
00:18:31,566 --> 00:18:34,100
Hoary because 
of that whitish look,

370
00:18:34,100 --> 00:18:37,100
at least on the front 
part of the body.

371
00:18:37,100 --> 00:18:38,766
Grizzled look.

372
00:18:38,766 --> 00:18:42,766
That's the marmot, or 
the ground hog variety,

373
00:18:42,766 --> 00:18:44,866
that's doing 
nicely here.

374
00:18:44,866 --> 00:18:46,866
Vegetarian.

375
00:18:46,866 --> 00:18:51,100
There goes a gyrfalcon-- 
could be the same one!

376
00:18:51,100 --> 00:18:54,433
There are a number of them 
on this little outcrop.

377
00:18:54,433 --> 00:18:57,100
Very fast flyers!

378
00:18:57,100 --> 00:18:59,100
There goes the marmot!

379
00:18:59,100 --> 00:19:02,433
He hears talking, doesn't 
seem to mind moving up.

380
00:19:02,433 --> 00:19:06,766
The back of the animal is a 
good bit darker than the front

381
00:19:06,766 --> 00:19:09,433
and then that bushy tail.

382
00:19:09,433 --> 00:19:19,900
♪

383
00:19:19,900 --> 00:19:22,900
(Jim) 
We're just off 
the 90-mile park road

384
00:19:22,900 --> 00:19:25,500
that takes visitors 
up to Wonder Lake

385
00:19:25,500 --> 00:19:29,066
and gives you a look at 
many different habitats.

386
00:19:29,066 --> 00:19:31,766
This area 
is wetter.

387
00:19:31,766 --> 00:19:34,333
(Rudy) 
Kind of squishy 
as we're walking.

388
00:19:34,333 --> 00:19:37,600
Some little kettle ponds 
with water standing...

389
00:19:37,600 --> 00:19:39,600
and look what comes!

390
00:19:39,600 --> 00:19:42,366
Lesser scaup is the 
duck that's common...

391
00:19:42,366 --> 00:19:45,700
purplish-looking head, 
light-colored eye,

392
00:19:45,700 --> 00:19:48,733
a lot of white 
on the back.

393
00:19:48,733 --> 00:19:53,066
You can figure beavers 
have rearranged some 
of these kettle ponds.

394
00:19:53,066 --> 00:19:57,066
There's a beaver lodge on 
the back side of that one.

395
00:19:57,066 --> 00:19:59,066
Look at them working!

396
00:19:59,066 --> 00:20:01,066
So many migrate 
through here.

397
00:20:01,066 --> 00:20:03,266
They're only here 
for the summer?

398
00:20:03,266 --> 00:20:05,266
Yeah, and head 
away pretty soon.

399
00:20:05,266 --> 00:20:07,733
A duck out there 
called the oldsquaw...

400
00:20:07,733 --> 00:20:10,533
long-tailed duck now 
is the common name.

401
00:20:10,533 --> 00:20:13,200
In the male, there'd 
be a long tail.

402
00:20:13,200 --> 00:20:15,866
See how much white 
is on that bird?

403
00:20:15,866 --> 00:20:20,533
Dark on the head, gray on the 
throat, and black on the back.

404
00:20:20,533 --> 00:20:23,533
Pretty good divers, using 
situations like this...

405
00:20:23,533 --> 00:20:26,000
kettle ponds that 
have been modified

406
00:20:26,000 --> 00:20:28,200
by the work 
of beavers.

407
00:20:28,200 --> 00:20:30,866
Kettle ponds came from 
glaciers originally.

408
00:20:30,866 --> 00:20:34,666
Exactly... 
we're always getting back 
to the glacial story.

409
00:20:34,666 --> 00:20:38,333
We saw a moose earlier, 
but look at the moose there!

410
00:20:38,333 --> 00:20:42,000
Look at the bull moose... 
and look at the rack!

411
00:20:42,000 --> 00:20:44,000
Look at the antlers!!

412
00:20:44,000 --> 00:20:48,000
That's a 1500- to 1800-pound 
animal here at Denali!

413
00:20:48,000 --> 00:20:50,333
The largest 
mammal up here!

414
00:20:50,333 --> 00:20:53,000
An odd-looking antler 
on the left side.

415
00:20:53,000 --> 00:20:55,333
The antler is 
a palmate antler.

416
00:20:55,333 --> 00:20:57,800
The one on the right 
really spreads

417
00:20:57,800 --> 00:20:59,800
and has fingerlike 
projections.

418
00:20:59,800 --> 00:21:02,800
The one on the left is 
not developing properly.

419
00:21:02,800 --> 00:21:05,466
You can see a 
hump on the back.

420
00:21:05,466 --> 00:21:08,333
He's taking willow and 
changing them into moose.

421
00:21:08,333 --> 00:21:11,166
You get a feeling 
for that long face.

422
00:21:11,166 --> 00:21:14,066
Largest deer 
in the world!

423
00:21:14,066 --> 00:21:16,200
Then that little 
bell, that flap--

424
00:21:16,200 --> 00:21:18,400
dewlap sometimes 
it's called--

425
00:21:18,400 --> 00:21:20,466
hanging down 
from the throat.

426
00:21:20,466 --> 00:21:22,633
An animal that 
says North Country!

427
00:21:22,633 --> 00:21:23,733
Oh, yeah!

428
00:21:23,733 --> 00:21:26,733
Really long legs, although 
you can't notice that.

429
00:21:26,733 --> 00:21:29,733
The willows are thick 
where it's wetter.

430
00:21:29,733 --> 00:21:33,733
Another month or so, 
he'll be looking for 
a mate...rut season.

431
00:21:33,733 --> 00:21:37,400
Here's something you 
don't normally see in 
broad daylight...beaver!

432
00:21:37,400 --> 00:21:40,400
You can see the lodge 
in the middle,

433
00:21:40,400 --> 00:21:44,033
and the beaver working around, 
swimming, doing his thing.

434
00:21:44,033 --> 00:21:47,700
That's the largest rodent 
in the United States.

435
00:21:47,700 --> 00:21:49,966
They really have 
had an impact.

436
00:21:49,966 --> 00:21:52,700
Look at the dam... 
very nicely done!

437
00:21:52,700 --> 00:21:55,433
You figure he keeps 
working all the time

438
00:21:55,433 --> 00:21:58,200
to make sure that 
dam stays in place.

439
00:21:58,200 --> 00:22:00,200
Modified 
kettle pond.

440
00:22:00,200 --> 00:22:01,866
We've seen 
beaver dams,

441
00:22:01,866 --> 00:22:04,533
but it's rare to 
see a beaver midday.

442
00:22:04,533 --> 00:22:06,200
That's a 
nocturnal animal.

443
00:22:06,200 --> 00:22:09,566
There's that moose again... 
little different angle.

444
00:22:09,566 --> 00:22:11,633
Gosh, that 
thing is big!

445
00:22:11,633 --> 00:22:15,000
Imagine all the minerals it 
takes to make those antlers.

446
00:22:15,000 --> 00:22:18,666
Producing two a year in the 
males and then shedding them.

447
00:22:18,666 --> 00:22:22,933
The beaver is taking 
a log and moving across...

448
00:22:22,933 --> 00:22:26,300
I bet figuring he's got 
to shore up the dam.

449
00:22:26,300 --> 00:22:28,300
Oh, that's 
interesting!

450
00:22:28,300 --> 00:22:30,633
Folks come to see 
animals at Denali,

451
00:22:30,633 --> 00:22:33,366
and we're looking at 
beaver, a rare sight,

452
00:22:33,366 --> 00:22:35,700
and moose, 
another rare sight!

453
00:22:35,700 --> 00:22:38,633
And a wonderful 
Alaskan range!

454
00:22:38,633 --> 00:22:40,833
Six-hundred mile 
Alaska range!

455
00:22:40,833 --> 00:22:44,133
We're looking at some of 
the most beautiful scenery,

456
00:22:44,133 --> 00:22:46,133
perhaps in all 
of North America.

457
00:22:46,133 --> 00:22:49,966
Mount McKinley 
is still obvious, 
and that's amazing!

458
00:22:49,966 --> 00:22:52,366
Glaciers and signs 
of glacial activity...

459
00:22:52,366 --> 00:22:54,700
you can see the 
streaking down there,

460
00:22:54,700 --> 00:22:59,466
the ice and the glacier 
curving in the distance.

461
00:22:59,466 --> 00:23:02,933
Not all white now, covered 
with lots of rock debris!

462
00:23:02,933 --> 00:23:06,166
Physical and chemical 
weathering going on 
in the rocks.

463
00:23:06,166 --> 00:23:09,366
The glacier's doing physical 
weathering, rubbing them away.

464
00:23:09,366 --> 00:23:11,366
Then they 
collapse down.

465
00:23:11,366 --> 00:23:14,266
One of the larger 
glaciers...

466
00:23:14,266 --> 00:23:17,600
Muldrow Glacier that 
snakes its way out

467
00:23:17,600 --> 00:23:19,933
from beneath Mount 
McKinley on around.

468
00:23:19,933 --> 00:23:21,933
It's dark on 
the surface.

469
00:23:21,933 --> 00:23:24,266
The only way 
you see the ice

470
00:23:24,266 --> 00:23:26,933
is when there's 
an edge shoved up.

471
00:23:26,933 --> 00:23:28,933
See the ice... 
pretty clear.

472
00:23:28,933 --> 00:23:31,700
That glacier, 30 
to 35 miles long,

473
00:23:31,700 --> 00:23:34,333
winding through 
the mountains

474
00:23:34,333 --> 00:23:37,400
from the base, 16,000 
foot up at McKinley,

475
00:23:37,400 --> 00:23:39,966
but coming close 
to the park road.

476
00:23:39,966 --> 00:23:42,800
It's interesting... 
all these pretty colors!

477
00:23:42,800 --> 00:23:46,800
This is the time when colors 
are beginning to come in.

478
00:23:46,800 --> 00:23:49,800
The willows and other 
things are changing color.

479
00:23:49,800 --> 00:23:53,633
What spectacular 
scenery here!

480
00:23:53,633 --> 00:23:55,633
Most people 
visiting the park

481
00:23:55,633 --> 00:23:58,633
don't get to see that 
view of Mount McKinley.

482
00:23:58,633 --> 00:24:00,966
Perhaps the greatest 
mountain in the world

483
00:24:00,966 --> 00:24:03,333
when you consider 
the vertical rise

484
00:24:03,333 --> 00:24:06,466
from a few thousand 
feet up to 20,000.

485
00:24:06,466 --> 00:24:09,633
That's a 17-, 18,000- 
foot vertical rise.

486
00:24:09,633 --> 00:24:12,633
It's nice to see it 
with layers of clouds...

487
00:24:12,633 --> 00:24:15,300
see it sticking up 
above everything else.

488
00:24:15,300 --> 00:24:19,266
Those sharp edges speak 
of young mountains.

489
00:24:19,266 --> 00:24:22,566
(Jim) 
This has to be my 
favorite national park

490
00:24:22,566 --> 00:24:26,433
because of the last frontier... 
the wilderness, the animals.

491
00:24:26,433 --> 00:24:28,100
It's wondrous!

492
00:24:28,100 --> 00:24:30,533
It's a wilderness 
that allows you access.

493
00:24:30,533 --> 00:24:32,533
That's one of 
the nicest things!

494
00:24:32,533 --> 00:24:35,866
You can come in safely 
and look at the world...

495
00:24:35,866 --> 00:24:38,033
the plants are interesting, 
wonderful communities.

496
00:24:38,033 --> 00:24:40,700
Large mammals are close 
enough to see behaving,

497
00:24:40,700 --> 00:24:42,700
and they don't 
seem to mind.

498
00:24:42,700 --> 00:24:45,133
Literally above and 
beyond everything else!

499
00:24:45,133 --> 00:24:47,566
The powerful geology 
is unforgettable!

500
00:24:47,566 --> 00:24:51,266
Denali National Park 
and Preserve in Alaska!

501
00:24:51,266 --> 00:24:53,666
Thanks for watching 
and join us again

502
00:24:53,666 --> 00:24:56,133
on the next 
NatureScene.

503
00:24:56,133 --> 00:25:01,033
♪

504
00:25:01,033 --> 00:25:07,033
♪

505
00:25:07,033 --> 00:26:10,800
♪