I am planning my trip to Alaska in 2011. I will be in Camp Denali for a week so I hope to get some nice images there. I'm looking for a one day bear photography tour out of Anchorage in late July. There appears to be multiple one day tours and locations available. I found:
Redoubt Bay viewing from a boat.
Big River Lakes
Brooks Falls with bears and waterfalls. Is this Katmai ??
Please share your knowledge and experience so I can make an educated choice. All look good from their websites. Some have guides while others just turn you loose. Boat versus shore viewing ???
Halo Bay is also a good choice. They are all in Katmai, but Brooks Falls is the classic, crowded spot that is often referred to as Katmai. Dave Taylor has the most experience with the one day fly ins, though I think his favorite flight service quit doing them. Lake Clark also has some nice spots. I wouldn't think from a boat near the Katmai coast would be very good, its hard to get close to shore (boats work great for bears in the southeast).
I'd contact Dave Taylor later in the year about one day tours for bears. Dave has much experience, but is out in the country May-early September. Find a message from him on this forum and email him, but don't be surprised if he takes a few weeks to get back to you.
Camp Denali is very good. The bus ride - done with very knowledgeable drivers, and at your own speed, not on a schedule - is nearly as good. Enjoy.
David did attend a day bear tour last summer, he writes about it on his blog - I think he might have gone a couple of times, but unfortunately those long time operators closed down their business. I believe David is around, he works in Anchorage, so you might try to email him to be sure. But that was out of Homer - it would be tough driving to Homer and back in a day, never mind trying to do bear viewing.
If you only have one day, you might be asking a lot to try to fit in Brooks Falls from Anchorage - not to mention, that isn't a very good time there. There are some good spots along the Katmai and Lake Clark coast, but again, this it tough to do from Anchorage in a single day. There are some flight-seeing operators in Anchorage that do one day trips to other locations - lessor know places they have sort of cultivated. I haven't done any of these, but it might be worth calling around. Really to do bears properly, you need at least two or three days.
You should see lots of bears in Denali.
Good luck!
Posted by David Taylor on July 16, 2010 at 12:28 AM
Hey Andrew (Carl, Jim, Ron - thanks very much for the mention... now I gotta buy all you guys more drinks! )
It really is a shame that Emerald Air Service is no more... well, it's not shut down (at least that's my understanding). Ken and Chris Day (the long time owners) have sold the business. I have not heard what the new company is calling themselves, they may be keeping the name. Just checked, the website is there and the owner names have been changed. However, I have NO info on the new owners and as such can not make a recommendation. Apparently, Chris was going to be training them - but... honestly, there is "training" and there is "boots on the ground" experience (as we used to say in da mil a tar ee ). I would say your best bet for a HIGH quality day trip, let by the most knowledgable bear guide on the planet, would be with Beluga Air Service if Derek Stonorov is guiding with them still... he was last year from time to time. Derek is the one who trained Ken & Chris, and I've spoken with him several times - great guy, and HIGHLY knowledgable. Another option would be a day trip with Silver Salmon Creek Lodge - if they are still offering them. I know Ron has been out with them on a multi-day trip and had great success. David Coray (the owner) is a great guy and has very good guides, by all accounts. Even better if you could swing a two day+ trip with them, it's actually cheaper than a day trip (per day) and you get lodging + meals. It would give you more flexibility and time with the bears.
Brooks Falls is a guaranteed bear zone, however... there is a lot of traffic there and the "intimacy" is not the same as a day trip out to Hallo Bay, or onto the tundra in Katmai, or McNeil (lottery only). For boat based tours, trips on the M/V Waters are very popular - John Rogers is the owner and I know several that do those kinds of tours. Basically, you live aboard a small boat and take daily skiff runs onto the beach in Hallo Bay or Geographic Harbor (and other places). It's a great way to visit Katmai, but is pretty expensive and I believe there is a minimum stay of 3 days.
All the best, I hope your trip goes great.
Discussion
4 repliesRedoubt Bay viewing from a boat.
Big River Lakes
Brooks Falls with bears and waterfalls. Is this Katmai ??
Please share your knowledge and experience so I can make an educated choice. All look good from their websites. Some have guides while others just turn you loose. Boat versus shore viewing ???
Thanks
Andrew
Camp Denali is very good. The bus ride - done with very knowledgeable drivers, and at your own speed, not on a schedule - is nearly as good. Enjoy.
If you only have one day, you might be asking a lot to try to fit in Brooks Falls from Anchorage - not to mention, that isn't a very good time there. There are some good spots along the Katmai and Lake Clark coast, but again, this it tough to do from Anchorage in a single day. There are some flight-seeing operators in Anchorage that do one day trips to other locations - lessor know places they have sort of cultivated. I haven't done any of these, but it might be worth calling around. Really to do bears properly, you need at least two or three days.
You should see lots of bears in Denali.
Good luck!
It really is a shame that Emerald Air Service is no more... well, it's not shut down (at least that's my understanding). Ken and Chris Day (the long time owners) have sold the business. I have not heard what the new company is calling themselves, they may be keeping the name. Just checked, the website is there and the owner names have been changed. However, I have NO info on the new owners and as such can not make a recommendation. Apparently, Chris was going to be training them - but... honestly, there is "training" and there is "boots on the ground" experience (as we used to say in da mil a tar ee
Brooks Falls is a guaranteed bear zone, however... there is a lot of traffic there and the "intimacy" is not the same as a day trip out to Hallo Bay, or onto the tundra in Katmai, or McNeil (lottery only). For boat based tours, trips on the M/V Waters are very popular - John Rogers is the owner and I know several that do those kinds of tours. Basically, you live aboard a small boat and take daily skiff runs onto the beach in Hallo Bay or Geographic Harbor (and other places). It's a great way to visit Katmai, but is pretty expensive and I believe there is a minimum stay of 3 days.
All the best, I hope your trip goes great.