The Long Road to Brooks Falls in Katmai NP and the BEARS!



Celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary

Planning for our Alaska trip started over 2 years ago.  Our 40^th Wedding Anniversary was in 2012 and we wanted a special trip to commemorate that milestone.  Alaska had been on our bucket list for years.  So with retirement on the horizon, we explored options for a trip in 2012.  We love hiking, exploring beautiful scenery, nature and wildlife, so our perfect trip needed to encompass all those things.  After some research, I found the perfect location for a side trip, Brooks Camp at Brooks Falls, in Katmai NP in Alaska.  It was perfect for us.  Up close and personal with bears (we love bears), fairly safe-no recorded fatalities, they had small cabins with electricity, 4 beds, a bath with a shower and they prepared meals, all my prerequisites of roughing it!  Katmailand runs the lodge and the National Park Service ran the campground.  There is a huge demand as there is limited housing in this remote location with limited seaplane flights. 

Unfortunately, peak bear season in July 2012 was booked when I called in 2011.  I wanted to see jumping salmon with bears at the falls, one or two idle bears at the park would not do.  Reservations for 2013 opened up January 2, 2012.  Calling on the 2^nd, the earliest reservation I could get was July 21-23, 2013, still in the ballpark for the salmon migration and the rest of our trip was planned from there.  Crissy at a later date decided she “had to come”, too.  No problem, we had 4 beds, bunk beds that is.

 

Mountain on the way to King Salmon.

Brooks Falls is not simple to get to; two hours , two airports and two planes- one prop and one float plane from Anchorage.  I heard flights were often delayed.  While the weather was perfect in Anchorage, King Salmon, our interim stop was fogged in.  After an initial 90 minute delay, we took off for King Salmon.  When we arrived, King Salmon was a zoo!  It was a small airport with a couple hundred people, lots of luggage and giant mosquitos everywhere. 

 

Mountains, glaciers and glacial melt areas as seen from the plane.

 

 Luckily, we were able to catch the shuttle for the float plane departure area. 

We knew something was amiss as soon as we arrived at the departure spot, getting there moments after the emergency equipment that passed us on the road.  (You always hope they are going someplace other than where you are going!)  The float plane staff seemed to be distressed and preoccupied.  When we saw a drenched man wrapped in a blanket walking with emergency personnel, Tony went off to investigate. 

Crissy had been worrying about the float plane portion of the trip for weeks, this didn’t help!  When Tony reported back, it appeared that a plane had hit a boat during takeoff, we assumed the wet people were knocked out of the boat.  Unbeknownst to us at the time, the plane had been affected too.  As the flights resumed, one family was crying and refused to get into the plane, a second group was bused to another carrier and then it was our turn.  Crissy had expressed some concerns during the wait, however, nothing was stopping us now,  “We are going!” I told her.  After all, I just redid all our wills before the trip, so we were good to go! 



Now boarding rows 1-3, please proceed to the floating dock.

Just snapping away.

Entering the plane, I did ask for an overview of emergency procedures for the Cessna, of which the pilot obliged.  I was sitting in the back with Crissy and we were taking pictures the entire flight.  A later review of my pictures revealed the accident scene, showing the pontoons of the float plane that had flipped upside down!   OMG!   Tony saw it from the front seat during takeoff, so glad we didn’t see it or know about it until later.    Investigation of Accident

Upon closer inspection, see the red float marking the location in the water of the ill-fated plane's pontoons

The plane ride, once we cleared all the boats, was actually great.   You fly much lower and the scenery was different than the rest of our trip.  Landing was great and we had a nice gang plank to get to the shore. 
great ride.



 

At Brooks Camp, there is no dock, however, they roll out the red carpet so you don't get wet and hold your hand so you don't fall in.  We arrived safe and sound and dry as a bone.



Leaving the plane, it almost looked like you were walking the plank!

 

All smiles, we made it!



and the weather couldn't be better!

Upon arrival, we first had to attend bear etiquette school provided by the National Park Service. 

As soon as we made our way to the registration desk, I immediately spotted my first bear across the river. 

My first bear sighting, 1000 yards from camp

“Bear!” I said shouted to Tony and Crissy.  When my excitement caught the attention of the ranger, he was anxiously looking around, thinking the bear was close.  There were bears everywhere.  I looked at him and sheepishly said, “Sorry, we just got here!” 

We checked in and were assigned the last cabin on our trail.  Any food was to be kept in a shed near the ranger’s station away from the lodging.  We grabbed our luggage, stuffed our packs with camera equipment and bug spray and we were off to see the bears.



Bear #2 at the beach where we had just landed. 

The trail is 1.2 miles from the camp to the deck viewing area.  Obstacle #1, You have to cross the river via float bridge.  If a bear is within 50 yards of the bridge, the rangers shut down the bridge and any pedestrian traffic until the bear moves on, which could be hours.  Luckily we didn’t have any bear jams. 

Float bridge with gates on both sides.  Not too long ago, this bridge was open
and bears crossed freely. 

However, never get too confident that you are completely safe, look at this photo from the NPS website. NPS website pics of Brooks Falls.
No wonder they tell you not to stop on the bridge!
 

Once you get to the turnoff to the viewing platform, about halfway through the hike, the trail

narrowed and as there were constant animal trails criss crossing it every 10 feet, it got a little scary.  The grass became higher and you had a hard time seeing if there were bears until you were upon them.  As part of the bear protocol, you are instructed to talk loud and make noise.  The most common thing you hear people say is “Hey Bear!”  I’m sure that the bears must wonder why everyone walks the trail saying “Hey Bear!”  Do you think they know we are talking about them? 

Crissy captured the gate with
evidence of bear presence along the way.

After about a mile, you reached a protected elevated boardwalk with a gate. 



This elevated boardwalk gave you some sense of safety.



I was waiting for John Hammond to say
 "Welcome to Jurassic Park!"
This is one gate the bears couldn't open, I bearly could!

 Once you enter the boardwalk you then approach a door straight out of Jurassic Park, I guess it gives you some comfort that no bears will follow behind you, but there are bears everywhere. 



  A ranger is stationed on the boardwalk and while he’s watching for errant bear activity, the main purpose is to monitor how many people are on the viewing platform.  A maximum of 40 people can be on the main platform at the falls.

We finally made it to the main platform and what to my wondering eyes should appear, eight huge bears spread out across the falls.  After 9 hours of traveling, the main event begins!