Hiking in Denali

After leaving Healy this morning we went into Denali National Park as far as private vehicles can go (15 miles) and hiked up Savage River. There's a foot bridge about one mile in, then we carried on for another mile or two after that on unmaintained trail, then back out, looping around to the other side of the river once back at the bridge.

It was gorgeous and scenic, sunny and windy, big blue sky and giant black/white striated mountains in the distance. I was hyper-conscious that I was ON planet earth. There is something anxious but also assuring when one can see miles and miles of landscape unadorned by humans - like knowing there's this true beauty in the world that no matter how much concerted effort I put into trying to create my perfect life, I'll never even get close to this magnificence made slowly, naturally, violently, arbitrarily but with purpose over quiet time. Anxious. Assuring. See?