Autumn Flight 40x60 Framed Print

Denali National Park, Alaska
                                     
Sandhill cranes arrive in Alaska in late spring and start their amazing journey back to the southern United States in early September. The Denali tundra and rivers where the cranes spend their summer are only 2000-3000 feet in elevation while Mount Denali is the pinnacle of the Alaska Range, standing 20,310 feet above sea level. For the cranes to fly over Mt. Denali and the Alaska Range they require ideal flight conditions. One of my favorite things about visiting Denali in the fall is hearing the familiar sound of the cranes taking off from the river beds to circle and gain elevation as they start their southward migration. In this image, a small flock aligns themselves perfectly with a small peak on the West Buttress of Mt. Denali. Morning clouds are clearing to reveal the scale and beauty of this magnificent peak, and give these beautiful cranes an opportunity to begin their journey south.