Trip report - all days posted sequencially
Sep 16th, 2006, 08:49 AM
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Trip report - all days posted sequencially
Sorry for the confusion - here in one post is my trip report.
Sat. Sept 2nd –
We left Chicago on an evening flight and the adventure almost began on a bad note. Since the plane was late we spent the time watching Notre Dame vs. GA Tech and almost got left behind while we wait for the Irish to score before halftime. After being almost the last folks on the plane we settled in to a non-eventful 6-hour non-stop flight to Anchorage. We arrived at 1AM local time and spent the night at the Marriott Courtyard one mile from the airport. A nice place, clean, and priced at $135/nt.
Sun. Sept 3rd –
We awoke and had breakfast at the Village Inn on Diamond St in Anchorage. From there it was off to the Seward Hwy and Potter’s Marsh. We got out and walked the boardwalk, but didn’t see much. The rest of the day was spent driving to Homer. Although the weather had been extremely rainy the previous week, we got lucky and the sun shone most of the way. Along the way we stopped at various points along the Hwy to take pictures and enjoy the scenery of Turnagain Arm. The MilePost really came in handy and we used it to find our way to 2 side trips. First we took the spur road to the Aleyska Resort and then we took the road to Portage Glacier. Now you really can’t get a good look at Portage glacier without taking the boat ride, but we instead found a trail leading to Byron Glacier and we took it. It was a nice break from the car ride, but we didn’t linger since we still had several hours to go before getting to Homer.
Along the way to Homer we were lucky enough to see a Moose in a roadside marsh and we stopped to snap a few photos. We finally got to Homer around 3PM and went straight to the Spit. What a neat place. We checked in with Emerald Air for our Monday bear-viewing trip and then did a little sightseeing along the Spit and the shops. For dinner we ate at the Sourdough Express. The atmosphere was homey and causal, although the burgers were a bit dry. We then headed to our accommodations for the next 2 nights – Island Watch B&B.
The B&B is located about 3 miles north of “downtown” Homer and is very nice with individual cabins and a main house for meals. Eileen, the owner, is extremely nice. We had fresh blueberry pancakes, fresh fruit, fresh muffins, and fresh omelets. Now that think about it – everything was FRESH!!
Sat. Sept 2nd –
We left Chicago on an evening flight and the adventure almost began on a bad note. Since the plane was late we spent the time watching Notre Dame vs. GA Tech and almost got left behind while we wait for the Irish to score before halftime. After being almost the last folks on the plane we settled in to a non-eventful 6-hour non-stop flight to Anchorage. We arrived at 1AM local time and spent the night at the Marriott Courtyard one mile from the airport. A nice place, clean, and priced at $135/nt.
Sun. Sept 3rd –
We awoke and had breakfast at the Village Inn on Diamond St in Anchorage. From there it was off to the Seward Hwy and Potter’s Marsh. We got out and walked the boardwalk, but didn’t see much. The rest of the day was spent driving to Homer. Although the weather had been extremely rainy the previous week, we got lucky and the sun shone most of the way. Along the way we stopped at various points along the Hwy to take pictures and enjoy the scenery of Turnagain Arm. The MilePost really came in handy and we used it to find our way to 2 side trips. First we took the spur road to the Aleyska Resort and then we took the road to Portage Glacier. Now you really can’t get a good look at Portage glacier without taking the boat ride, but we instead found a trail leading to Byron Glacier and we took it. It was a nice break from the car ride, but we didn’t linger since we still had several hours to go before getting to Homer.
Along the way to Homer we were lucky enough to see a Moose in a roadside marsh and we stopped to snap a few photos. We finally got to Homer around 3PM and went straight to the Spit. What a neat place. We checked in with Emerald Air for our Monday bear-viewing trip and then did a little sightseeing along the Spit and the shops. For dinner we ate at the Sourdough Express. The atmosphere was homey and causal, although the burgers were a bit dry. We then headed to our accommodations for the next 2 nights – Island Watch B&B.
The B&B is located about 3 miles north of “downtown” Homer and is very nice with individual cabins and a main house for meals. Eileen, the owner, is extremely nice. We had fresh blueberry pancakes, fresh fruit, fresh muffins, and fresh omelets. Now that think about it – everything was FRESH!!
Sep 16th, 2006, 08:50 AM
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Tues. Sept 5th –
We had another fine breakfast at Island Watch B&B with another couple staying there. They were heading out on a 3-day guide kayaking trip and she was nervous about the potential wildlife “encounters” We related our experiences with the bears and she was awestruck. We told her not to worry about the animals and enjoy the kayaking.
We headed towards Cooper Landing for the next 2 nights at the Princess Kenai Lodge. This was a very nice place and we stayed in a 2 room bungalow complete with our own wood burning stove and wood supply. The lodge seems to cater to a mixed crowd of families with older kids, singles, and older cruise line passengers. We enjoyed a relaxing raft trip on the Kenai River with Chad, a guide from Alaska Wildland Adventures. We were the only people on the raft and it was nice to have his undivided attention. He told us about the river’s geology, the salmon’s life cycle, and many other things about the area. He even let us know about some Pacific loons that were hanging out at a pond along a gravel road, the Skilak Lake Loop, just west of town. We took the opportunity to go see these loons since I have only seen Common loons in the Northwoods of MN, WI, and Canada. Afterwards, since we’d had a late lunch at the Kenai Princess, we dined on pie and coffee for dinner at Gwins. That place has character and is not to be missed if you are in Cooper Landing. The fresh blueberry pie ain’t too shabby either.
Wed. Sept 6th –
Today was to be our glacier / wildlife day out of Seward. Unfortunately the seas weren’t going to cooperate so we lingered at the SeaLife Center, browsed and bought in the shops on the main street – I bought a very neat carved soap stone bear, hiked around Exit Glacier, and had dinner at Ray’s before heading back to the lodge. Exit Glacier is cool, no pun intended. The ability to walk right up to a glacier is unique. The blue tint of the ice made it feel even colder than it probably was. We took many pictures and walked all of the trails except for the 3 ˝ hr round trip up to the Harding Ice Field. The visitor’s center had a very nice selection of books and a 3D model of the glaciers in the area. Dinner at Ray’s was good, albeit pricey – a trend we would see throughout our travels. On the drive back we saw 2 moose cows in a marsh. We were also advised by the staff of the Kenai Lodge to be careful with our speed through Moose Pass since it tended to be a speed trap. Word to the wise.
We had another fine breakfast at Island Watch B&B with another couple staying there. They were heading out on a 3-day guide kayaking trip and she was nervous about the potential wildlife “encounters” We related our experiences with the bears and she was awestruck. We told her not to worry about the animals and enjoy the kayaking.
We headed towards Cooper Landing for the next 2 nights at the Princess Kenai Lodge. This was a very nice place and we stayed in a 2 room bungalow complete with our own wood burning stove and wood supply. The lodge seems to cater to a mixed crowd of families with older kids, singles, and older cruise line passengers. We enjoyed a relaxing raft trip on the Kenai River with Chad, a guide from Alaska Wildland Adventures. We were the only people on the raft and it was nice to have his undivided attention. He told us about the river’s geology, the salmon’s life cycle, and many other things about the area. He even let us know about some Pacific loons that were hanging out at a pond along a gravel road, the Skilak Lake Loop, just west of town. We took the opportunity to go see these loons since I have only seen Common loons in the Northwoods of MN, WI, and Canada. Afterwards, since we’d had a late lunch at the Kenai Princess, we dined on pie and coffee for dinner at Gwins. That place has character and is not to be missed if you are in Cooper Landing. The fresh blueberry pie ain’t too shabby either.
Wed. Sept 6th –
Today was to be our glacier / wildlife day out of Seward. Unfortunately the seas weren’t going to cooperate so we lingered at the SeaLife Center, browsed and bought in the shops on the main street – I bought a very neat carved soap stone bear, hiked around Exit Glacier, and had dinner at Ray’s before heading back to the lodge. Exit Glacier is cool, no pun intended. The ability to walk right up to a glacier is unique. The blue tint of the ice made it feel even colder than it probably was. We took many pictures and walked all of the trails except for the 3 ˝ hr round trip up to the Harding Ice Field. The visitor’s center had a very nice selection of books and a 3D model of the glaciers in the area. Dinner at Ray’s was good, albeit pricey – a trend we would see throughout our travels. On the drive back we saw 2 moose cows in a marsh. We were also advised by the staff of the Kenai Lodge to be careful with our speed through Moose Pass since it tended to be a speed trap. Word to the wise.
Sep 16th, 2006, 08:51 AM
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Thurs. Sept 7th – To Denali
Today would be a long travel day. We were heading to Denali NP. We got an early start with breakfast at the Sunrise Café on the Sterling Hwy just before it merges with the Seward Hwy. They had a great reindeer sausage omelet. The trip back to Anchorage was uneventful until we hit the “traffic” in town. After missing the turn to the Glenn Hwy and back tracking a bit we headed north out of town. We got about 10 miles down the road and suffered a flat tire. Luckily we were still close enough to return to the National Car rental at the airport to switch out cars. Back on the road north we stopped at a roadside viewpoint in Denali State Park to see if we could get a glimpse of Denali, but to no avail. The mountain was not “out”. We continued north and after about 4 hours got to Denali NP. The views of the autumn splashed tundra and mountain sides were beautiful and I’m sure the stops for photography were part of the reason it took us 4 hours. We promptly went to the visitor’s center and then the Wilderness Access Center where we made reservations for the next day’s shuttle bus trip.
From there we headed into the park. You are able to drive the first 15 miles on a paved road in your own car. Too bad we weren’t there a week later when the lottery system was going to allow 400 cars a day for 4 days all the way into the park. We drove the 15 miles slowly looking for wildlife and taking more pictures. By week’s end I ended up taking over 900 pictures. Thank goodness for digital cameras. There were signs indicating a 5 mile area where moose were known to be rutting and we could not leave the road to hike. We hoped to see moose here, but did not. At one point we came up behind a stopped shuttle bus and several cars. We thought, “great, a moose at last”, but no. Just as I was getting ready to go around the stopped vehicles we saw why they were stopped. A wolf was standing in the middle of the road!! Better than a moose. We got two pictures before it stepped off the road and into the brush. WOW, what a way to start the Denali part of our trip. After that excitement we headed to the Princess Denali Lodge. This was the one low point of our trip. Although the lodge and grounds were very nice, the room did not rival a Motel 6. For $179/night I expected more. That withstanding, we made the best of it and enjoyed the surroundings. Dinner that night was at Lynx Creek Pizza next to the lodge and then browsing and buying at “Glitter Gulch” – the area of shops across the street from the Princess Lodge. The pizza was good and the pricing not too bad. Some of the shops had some nice things crafted in Alaska and some very nice clothing with Denali or Alaska themed graphics.
Today would be a long travel day. We were heading to Denali NP. We got an early start with breakfast at the Sunrise Café on the Sterling Hwy just before it merges with the Seward Hwy. They had a great reindeer sausage omelet. The trip back to Anchorage was uneventful until we hit the “traffic” in town. After missing the turn to the Glenn Hwy and back tracking a bit we headed north out of town. We got about 10 miles down the road and suffered a flat tire. Luckily we were still close enough to return to the National Car rental at the airport to switch out cars. Back on the road north we stopped at a roadside viewpoint in Denali State Park to see if we could get a glimpse of Denali, but to no avail. The mountain was not “out”. We continued north and after about 4 hours got to Denali NP. The views of the autumn splashed tundra and mountain sides were beautiful and I’m sure the stops for photography were part of the reason it took us 4 hours. We promptly went to the visitor’s center and then the Wilderness Access Center where we made reservations for the next day’s shuttle bus trip.
From there we headed into the park. You are able to drive the first 15 miles on a paved road in your own car. Too bad we weren’t there a week later when the lottery system was going to allow 400 cars a day for 4 days all the way into the park. We drove the 15 miles slowly looking for wildlife and taking more pictures. By week’s end I ended up taking over 900 pictures. Thank goodness for digital cameras. There were signs indicating a 5 mile area where moose were known to be rutting and we could not leave the road to hike. We hoped to see moose here, but did not. At one point we came up behind a stopped shuttle bus and several cars. We thought, “great, a moose at last”, but no. Just as I was getting ready to go around the stopped vehicles we saw why they were stopped. A wolf was standing in the middle of the road!! Better than a moose. We got two pictures before it stepped off the road and into the brush. WOW, what a way to start the Denali part of our trip. After that excitement we headed to the Princess Denali Lodge. This was the one low point of our trip. Although the lodge and grounds were very nice, the room did not rival a Motel 6. For $179/night I expected more. That withstanding, we made the best of it and enjoyed the surroundings. Dinner that night was at Lynx Creek Pizza next to the lodge and then browsing and buying at “Glitter Gulch” – the area of shops across the street from the Princess Lodge. The pizza was good and the pricing not too bad. Some of the shops had some nice things crafted in Alaska and some very nice clothing with Denali or Alaska themed graphics.
Sep 16th, 2006, 08:51 AM
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Sat. Sept 9th – Wolves, Sled Dogs and Talkeetna
This would in essence be our last day in the “country”. We decided to try one more shot at seeing a large bull moose in the “rutting” area and we headed back into the park to drive the paved 15 miles. We drove back and forth stopping along the way at several pull-outs, but saw nothing. Nothing but the beautiful mountains and the snow that had fallen on their peaks overnight. Then, right there in front us, was a wolf standing in the road again. It just stood there and then raised its head and began to howl!! What a great sound. It would howl, stop, look at us, and then howl again. This went on for several minutes and then a second wolf joined in as it came out of the woods. Both wolves then disappeared back into the brush. I’ve heard wolves while canoeing the Minnesota Boundary waters and even caught a fleeting glimpse of one once in 10 trips. But watching a wolf just standing there and howl was a treat.
Next week took the tour of the National Park dog sled kennels where we got to pet the dogs, hold the puppies, ask questions, and see a dog sledding demonstration. After that we headed south to Talkeetna which we had been told was the inspiration for the since canceled TV series, Northern Exposure.
Now what happened next was weird. Keep in mind the size of the state and the number of places that tourists can choose to visit. As we are walking down the street in Talkeetna, the couple from Island Watch B&B walks up and says hello!! This was the couple that were going on a 3 day kayak trip and she was nervous. Turns out she had a great time. They suggested the West Rib Café for dinner so in we went. I had a Musk Ox burger and Kathy partook of Caribou Chile. The West Rib is a neat place with an extensive collection of mountaineering pictures and a unique 80 yr + history as everything from a café to a morgue. After dinner we headed back north to the last of the Princess Lodges we would stay at – the McKinley Lodge. They have an impressive main lodge with an expansive viewing deck out back to wait for the mountain. They even offer a “mountain call” - sort of like a wake up call that will alert guests when the mountain is “out”. Alas still no full view of Denali and tomorrow we go home. The rooms at this lodge are quite nice.
This would in essence be our last day in the “country”. We decided to try one more shot at seeing a large bull moose in the “rutting” area and we headed back into the park to drive the paved 15 miles. We drove back and forth stopping along the way at several pull-outs, but saw nothing. Nothing but the beautiful mountains and the snow that had fallen on their peaks overnight. Then, right there in front us, was a wolf standing in the road again. It just stood there and then raised its head and began to howl!! What a great sound. It would howl, stop, look at us, and then howl again. This went on for several minutes and then a second wolf joined in as it came out of the woods. Both wolves then disappeared back into the brush. I’ve heard wolves while canoeing the Minnesota Boundary waters and even caught a fleeting glimpse of one once in 10 trips. But watching a wolf just standing there and howl was a treat.
Next week took the tour of the National Park dog sled kennels where we got to pet the dogs, hold the puppies, ask questions, and see a dog sledding demonstration. After that we headed south to Talkeetna which we had been told was the inspiration for the since canceled TV series, Northern Exposure.
Now what happened next was weird. Keep in mind the size of the state and the number of places that tourists can choose to visit. As we are walking down the street in Talkeetna, the couple from Island Watch B&B walks up and says hello!! This was the couple that were going on a 3 day kayak trip and she was nervous. Turns out she had a great time. They suggested the West Rib Café for dinner so in we went. I had a Musk Ox burger and Kathy partook of Caribou Chile. The West Rib is a neat place with an extensive collection of mountaineering pictures and a unique 80 yr + history as everything from a café to a morgue. After dinner we headed back north to the last of the Princess Lodges we would stay at – the McKinley Lodge. They have an impressive main lodge with an expansive viewing deck out back to wait for the mountain. They even offer a “mountain call” - sort of like a wake up call that will alert guests when the mountain is “out”. Alas still no full view of Denali and tomorrow we go home. The rooms at this lodge are quite nice.
Sep 16th, 2006, 08:53 AM
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Sun. Sept 10th – The Mountain and a link to pictures
We decided to forgo breakfast at the Princess Lodge as their pricing is high. Instead we pull out the dog-eared MilePost and find that Mary’s McKinley View B&B just a mile up the road is open for breakfast. We sat down and after ordering coffee noticed that the view of the mountain would be great if the clouds would just lift. As breakfast progressed we noticed that the clouds were in fact moving. By the time we were done, the peak of the mountain was visible and our Alaskan Adventure seemed complete.
We headed back to Anchorage and enjoyed the Native Cultural Center, Saturday / Sunday market, Quivat Co-op, and dinner at Orso. The artichoke and garlic dip was very tasty as was the wild mushroom pasta with salmon. Much to our regret dinner ended and we could not stall any more and had to head to the airport.
Epilogue –
Alaska is one of those MUST DO trips if you have any love of the outdoors at all. The only problem is that once you go, you may never want to go anywhere but Alaska on future vacations. I am already trying to figure out how we are going to return with our daughters and their husbands and then hopefully with future grandkids as well. I hope you enjoyed this detailed, albeit long, trip report. I’d be happy to share any info you feel would help you with your planning as other people did for me when I started to plan.
The link to my webshots album. If it does not work, you can go to www.webshots.com and search for my albums under my user ID which is jfmkem1
Enjoy!
[URL=http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/554094161SKNtir]
We decided to forgo breakfast at the Princess Lodge as their pricing is high. Instead we pull out the dog-eared MilePost and find that Mary’s McKinley View B&B just a mile up the road is open for breakfast. We sat down and after ordering coffee noticed that the view of the mountain would be great if the clouds would just lift. As breakfast progressed we noticed that the clouds were in fact moving. By the time we were done, the peak of the mountain was visible and our Alaskan Adventure seemed complete.
We headed back to Anchorage and enjoyed the Native Cultural Center, Saturday / Sunday market, Quivat Co-op, and dinner at Orso. The artichoke and garlic dip was very tasty as was the wild mushroom pasta with salmon. Much to our regret dinner ended and we could not stall any more and had to head to the airport.
Epilogue –
Alaska is one of those MUST DO trips if you have any love of the outdoors at all. The only problem is that once you go, you may never want to go anywhere but Alaska on future vacations. I am already trying to figure out how we are going to return with our daughters and their husbands and then hopefully with future grandkids as well. I hope you enjoyed this detailed, albeit long, trip report. I’d be happy to share any info you feel would help you with your planning as other people did for me when I started to plan.
The link to my webshots album. If it does not work, you can go to www.webshots.com and search for my albums under my user ID which is jfmkem1
Enjoy!
[URL=http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/554094161SKNtir]
Sep 16th, 2006, 08:55 AM
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OOPS I FORGOT TO POST DAY #2 - HERE IT IS OUT OF ORDER.
Mon. Sept 4th –
This was going to be a great day! After much research we chose to use Emerald Air for our bear-viewing trip. Now I don’t know the other outfitters, but I can honestly say that Chris & Ken were two of the nicest folks we met during the entire trip. We went to the Safeway grocery and got some very good sandwiches for our lunch. For the price this may have been the best value we got for food the whole week.
Emerald Air's Otter Floatplane provided a very smooth and scenic flight to Katmai NP and Preserve. We even got to see the volcano Mt Augustine up close as we flew right by it. It has been active lately and was venting steam still in Sept after a mild eruption in Jan of this year!
The flight took about 75 minutes before we made a soft landing on a lake so small that I was surprised when we were able to take-off from it at the end of the day. I fly in a floatplane every summer, but Ken is the first pilot I’ve had that played music through the headphones. Even before we landed Chris was pointing out bears along the tundra. We spent the day walking in some of the most stunning landscape I ever seen. The tundra was beginning to get its autumn colors and the bears were fat with salmon.
We saw 17 different bears including 3 sows with 2, 3, and 4 cubs respectively. It was amazing as to how tolerant they were of us. One sow, Panda (the outfitters have named the bears), and her 3 cubs lazed by “their” pond as we settled in to have lunch about 30 yds from them. Suddenly she become aware of another bear approaching. She rose up and moved towards the intruder. Suddenly she began chasing the other bear and her cubs, sensing they were alone, began to try and follow her. She chased the intruder all over the tundra right in from of us. We felt we were watching an episode of National Geographic. She eventually quit the chase after feeling she had set the other bear straight. Next another sow, named Cara, with two cubs came walking over a hill right towards us. They were only 10 yds from us and just walked by and into the pond. We sat and watched them, Panda and her cubs, and the intruder who was sulking on a nearby hilltop for about an hour. Eventually Panda and her 3 cubs moved off as did Cara with her 2 cubs and the intruder entered the pond to do some fishing.
As we started heading back to the plane we came upon Cara again. Acting like we weren’t even there she laid back and let her cubs nurse. We watched them until they moved off. The flight back was just as breath taking. I can’t say enough about the experience. It wasn’t cheap, but if you are going to go to Homer and you can start setting money aside now, its well worth it.
Mon. Sept 4th –
This was going to be a great day! After much research we chose to use Emerald Air for our bear-viewing trip. Now I don’t know the other outfitters, but I can honestly say that Chris & Ken were two of the nicest folks we met during the entire trip. We went to the Safeway grocery and got some very good sandwiches for our lunch. For the price this may have been the best value we got for food the whole week.
Emerald Air's Otter Floatplane provided a very smooth and scenic flight to Katmai NP and Preserve. We even got to see the volcano Mt Augustine up close as we flew right by it. It has been active lately and was venting steam still in Sept after a mild eruption in Jan of this year!
The flight took about 75 minutes before we made a soft landing on a lake so small that I was surprised when we were able to take-off from it at the end of the day. I fly in a floatplane every summer, but Ken is the first pilot I’ve had that played music through the headphones. Even before we landed Chris was pointing out bears along the tundra. We spent the day walking in some of the most stunning landscape I ever seen. The tundra was beginning to get its autumn colors and the bears were fat with salmon.
We saw 17 different bears including 3 sows with 2, 3, and 4 cubs respectively. It was amazing as to how tolerant they were of us. One sow, Panda (the outfitters have named the bears), and her 3 cubs lazed by “their” pond as we settled in to have lunch about 30 yds from them. Suddenly she become aware of another bear approaching. She rose up and moved towards the intruder. Suddenly she began chasing the other bear and her cubs, sensing they were alone, began to try and follow her. She chased the intruder all over the tundra right in from of us. We felt we were watching an episode of National Geographic. She eventually quit the chase after feeling she had set the other bear straight. Next another sow, named Cara, with two cubs came walking over a hill right towards us. They were only 10 yds from us and just walked by and into the pond. We sat and watched them, Panda and her cubs, and the intruder who was sulking on a nearby hilltop for about an hour. Eventually Panda and her 3 cubs moved off as did Cara with her 2 cubs and the intruder entered the pond to do some fishing.
As we started heading back to the plane we came upon Cara again. Acting like we weren’t even there she laid back and let her cubs nurse. We watched them until they moved off. The flight back was just as breath taking. I can’t say enough about the experience. It wasn’t cheap, but if you are going to go to Homer and you can start setting money aside now, its well worth it.
Oct 28th, 2006, 09:15 AM
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great photos. I never used to take the time to view photos from the trip reports. I do it now and am really enjoying people's photos. What camera did you use?
You are right about not wanting to go anywhere else after Alaska. That's all my wife can talk about now. We made a second trip for just 4 days to see the start of the Iditerod one year and she is planning another trip for next year.
You are right about not wanting to go anywhere else after Alaska. That's all my wife can talk about now. We made a second trip for just 4 days to see the start of the Iditerod one year and she is planning another trip for next year.
Oct 29th, 2006, 05:34 AM
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Thanks for the excellent, detailed report. I came close to missing a plane on my last trip too for just stupid lack of attentiveness. At least you have a sporting event excuse.
Marriott Courtyard is a good hint for overnighting near Anchorage.
You are a wolf magnet--sights and sounds--how wonderful!
The bear pics were great. The chase scenes were better than Starsky and Hutch. You're another Emerald Air Happy Camper and from your pics and description I can see why.
Birder, there are interesting birding ops along with the bears, especially the bald eagle action.
Congrats on a most succesful excursion, Jfmkem, and happy future travels.
Marriott Courtyard is a good hint for overnighting near Anchorage.
You are a wolf magnet--sights and sounds--how wonderful!
The bear pics were great. The chase scenes were better than Starsky and Hutch. You're another Emerald Air Happy Camper and from your pics and description I can see why.
Birder, there are interesting birding ops along with the bears, especially the bald eagle action.
Congrats on a most succesful excursion, Jfmkem, and happy future travels.
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