After a night (our first of four) just outside the park, we jumped on the earliest shuttle bus for Eielson Visitor Center (above), a four hour ride along the park road (no cars allowed).  Mostly rainy and cloudy, with stops along the way for animal pictures and semi-scenic vistas. No sign of the mountain, still 32 miles away, which I guess is to be expected; only about a third of park visitors get to see it.  Eight hours on a bus may seem like a lot, but it was pleasant with plenty of (cloudy) scenery.