Grand Scenics of Alaska - Hidden Denali Mountains

When you visit Denali National Park, you are taking a gamble with the fickle weather and clouds. The majority of the time, the Denali peak and adjacent range are hidden from view. You travel all that way up there, endure a long, bumpy bus ride out to the end of the park road, and whether you get to see the elusive mountains is all up to lady luck. On any given day, the odds are against you. 

Thank goodness we stayed several nights in the park! Of the three days we were there, it was clear on only one day. When I took this photo at Wonder Lake, my hubby assured me that there was a mountain range beyond the tree line. Yeah, right. I had to conjure up a very wild imagination! And yes, I admit that I grumbled. 

But lady luck arrived the next day and the weather broke! Lo and behold, there WERE rocky peaks beyond that chorus line of dancing pines! My hubby wasn’t telling me a tale of whopper proportions! There are dramatic differences between what is hidden and visible in these photos, but also in the quality of light. 

With an overcast sky, light is diffused and colors are softened. Flat lighting like this is perfect for close-up photography, eliminating hot spots. But it is a tad boring for an overall scenic view.

But bring out the sun and paint a blue sky, and we now have shadows, texture, and crisp colors! The landscape takes on vibrancy. And we can actually see a mountain range! Well hello, Denali!