Brown Bears in Alaska!

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On Monday (August 28, 2006) I had the amazing opportunity to fly out to my lodge’s Bear Camp. It is situated at the edge of Lake Clark National Park (the least visited National Park in the US!), and is fly in only, as there are no roads for at least a hundred miles in any direction.

The camp is set up with Weather Port tents, which are large canvas tents built on a platform big enough for two twin beds in each. There is a small cabin-like building that serves as a kitchen, and an electric fence surrounds all of the tents. It’s all really quite comfortable and peaceful, although cold as my propane heater turned out to not have any propane!

I had to fly in on something similar to a bush plane (I was just as excited about the flight as I was the camp) over the Cook Inlet. Seeing a small piece of Alaska from the air was magnificent to say the least. I was a little nervous at take off as I had never actually been in a plane with only six seats, but once I was in the air my fears were all forgotten! I highly suggest it to anyone who travels this way!

While I was there (only one night), I was able to watch as many as thirteen Brown Bear fishing and playing in streams as well as the ocean at one time. It was truly breath taking. They all had their own, definitive personalities. There were protective sows, young, curious cubs, and even grouchy old men.

We stayed a safe distance away, (about 50 to 100 yards at all times if we weren’t on a viewing platform) but we were still close enough to observe them closely. Of course, we did have to stop for a couple of them as they came out of the bush and crossed directly in front of us! Amazing!

I was sad to leave Bear Camp, as it was the most peaceful and most “Alaskan” place I’ve been the entire summer. When I wasn’t watching the Bears, I was combing the beach for shells and reading by the ocean. I’m not sure if it’s possible to not enjoy yourself out there; Brown Bear fishing right in front of you, Bald Eagles and other Shore Birds soaring directly above you, a view of Mt. Iliamna, and volcanoes pluming nearby! I think that I could have stayed there for weeks!

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