Searching for a Moose Shed

I went on a ranger-led Discovery Hike at Denali National Park while Bill hiked with our friend Dennis.  Bill decided that his back was not up for another bumpy ride on a pretty basic school bus.  The Discovery Hikes are wonderful and are really the way to see Denali.  Otherwise, all you can do is ride the bus out to the end of the 90 mile road and then back again.  The bus driver stops for picture taking along the way and people get very excited about photographing a wild animal.   They never step foot into the wilderness except for the stops at the bathrooms and the visitor's center.  On the Discovery Hike, you and 10 other people are taken out to a certain point on the road and dropped off with your ranger.  Our hike started at mile 49. 

My Discovery Hike with Ranger Jake included couples from Kansas, Ohio, Massachusetts, and Australia.  I was the only Southerner.  When we started out, Jake told us that we would be looking for a Moose Shed.  I was not sure what that was but was willing to look.  We hiked across the tundra for about 2 miles up to a ridge -- about a 600 foot elevation gain.   Here I am on the tundra. 

It is difficult to hike across tundra.  It is very spongy and full of holes.  We also went through willow forests and were on the lookout for moose.  We yelled as we walked through the willows to let any moose know we were coming.  Bull moose can be very dangerous and don't like to have their personal space invaded.  The ranger said that they can charge you.  Since they are huge (up to 8 feet tall at their shoulders), you have to be careful.  We did see one once we got up to the ridge, but he was far enough away that we did not have to worry. 

Anyway, we finally did find a Moose Shed.  Here is what it looks like:

It turns out that a Moose Shed is the place where a moose loses its antlers -- not a building (shed) for a moose!  A moose grows new antlers each year and loses them each winter after the annual mating season in the fall, called the Rut.  We found 2 Moose Sheds on the hike.  Here is a picture of me holding one.  They are huge and very heavy so I didn't hold it for long. 

We also saw a mother bear and her cub off in the distance.  The cub appeared to be frolicking while she foraged for food.  They were WAY away, so we didn't have to worry.

It was a great hike, on a beautiful day and in a beautiful national park.