When we last left our Alaska adventurers, we were in Seward and watching wildfire smoke blow back in to the city. Fortunately, we were on our way north to Denali, with the hope of seeing more wildlife (which up to this point, we had hardly seen any!). In this episode, we head to Denali and wrap up our Alaska adventure.

Coming home and reflecting on the trip, Alaska left a mixed impression on me. On one hand, it is an amazing place, and the wildlife experiences I had there (especially in Denali) are unforgettable, and I don’t know if I’d have the same experiences in the lower 48. The biggest highlight were the grizzly bears (AKA: Danger Floofs) that we saw just acting like silly bears out on the tundra. On the other hand, climate change is impacting the poles a lot more and a lot faster than other places. Because of that, Alaska was constantly reminding me that the world was on fire and things were rapidly changing. It was a gut check for me of how severe the situation really is.

Honestly, I think that’s something we all have to prepare ourselves for when we go travel to see the amazing sights of the world. And especially if you’re visiting natural wonders, you’ve got to be ready to see something that is a ghost of what it once was. While we can’t turn back the clock, seeing this type of change motivates me to ensure that we are not only minimizing the impacts of climate change as much as possible, but that we’re also investing in the big changes needed to adapt to these changes (for both people and wildlife).