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Alaska North to South
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| Brown Bears in Katmai National Park |
Cost: $8500. Review cost details.
Leaders: Exceptional resident naturalist and wonderful personality, Hugh Rose will guide throughout. Hugh has led Alaska trips since 1991 receiving unending praise for his amazing knowledge, attention to details and everyone's needs. He has a grasp on all aspects of Alaskan natural history from in-depth bird behavior to geology. He is a professional photographer and also on our Antarctica staff. Dean Rand is captain of the Discovery and knows Prince William Sound and all its special places probably better than anyone else after more than twenty years of experience on Alaska's waters.
Transport: Travel in a 15-seater van, by plane, and aboard the 12-passenger ship, Discovery.
Size: 7, not including Hugh Rose.
Conditions: A non-smoking tour.
Update: This itinerary was updated in July 2008. View the plain text version, great for printing!
Synopsis:
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June 13, Saturday Arrival
Choose the best route for Anchorage, Alaska, to arrive for overnight on June 13 if your flight does not arrive in time on June 14 to connect with the 2:09 pm flight to Prudhoe Bay. This flight time could change to a morning flight, so it is wise to have one night in Anchorage at the beginning. If you plan to arrive a day earlier on June 12 for a two night stay, we recommend the Copper Whale Inn (www.copperwhale.com) for a very pleasant stay in downtown Anchorage, where we will be staying the last night of the trip on July 1. Otherwise for one night we recommend a lodge near the airport with free airport shuttle, such as the Marriott. A taxi to the Copper Whale is approximately $15. Hugh Rose will be happy to book extra nights for you if you would like to contact him (hrose@alaska.net) or 907-388-2554 or you may book directly through the Copper Whale website. Arriving early will allow time to explore downtown Anchorage and its fine museums, especially the Alaska Public Lands Information Center, which contains excellent exhibits of Alaskan history, culture, geology, flora and fauna. Various references on these subjects can be examined or purchased at the Center. For a city its size, Anchorage has an amazing diversity of wildlife. Loons, ducks and Red-necked Grebes are frequently observed on lagoons in parks within the city limits, such as at Westchester Lagoon, a 20-minute walk from the inn. Anchorage is the largest community in North America with a population of breeding loons. The loud resonant yodeling call of a loon late in the evening across a still lake is an unforgettable experience, especially in an urban setting. Wolves and Brown Bears occasionally venture inside city environs from their more permanent habitats in the adjacent Chugach Mountains. Moose are considered pests by many local gardeners and are involved in many traffic accidents during winter periods of heavy snowfall and icy roads. Other avifauna found in the local area include Hudsonian Godwits, Alder Flycatchers, Common Redpolls, Rusty Blackbirds, Boreal and Black-capped chickadees, and several species of warblers.
Lodging: on your own
June 14, Sunday Travel to Prudhoe Bay
The daily Alaska Air flight from Anchorate to Prudhoe Bay (SCC), also known as Deadhorse, costs close to $400 if purchased separately, a non-stop flight, so it's best to include it with your ticket from the lower "48". Hugh will drive the previous day from Fairbanks to Prudhoe to be there to meet you on your arrival today. We begin the Arctic part of this amazing Alaskan adventure here. Check in at the lodge before heading out into the field to seek the mammals and birds that make their home on the Arctic coastal plain during the brief summer season. Weather permitting this afternoon or tomorrow, you may choose to do an optional "flight-seeing" trip over the Arctic coastal plain ($100 extra). During the flight there may be opportunities to see Muskoxen, Caribou, Grizzly Bears, Gray Wolves and other wildlife, as well as the Arctic Ocean, pack ice, and the magnificent coastal plain. Flying over Prudhoe will allow you to see the extent of oil development in this fragile ecosystem. After a welcome dinner we will either drive to a location to walk amongst Arctic birds or walk directly from the hotel and watch the midnight sun dip towards the horizon, but never set.
Lodging: Arctic Caribou Inn
June 15, Monday Prudhoe Bay
After an early breakfast at the Inn we will head out for another adventure. We will spend our day searching for birds in the unlikely environment of the Prudhoe Bay oilfields. Birding and bird photography are spectacular here with Pacific Loons, Common Loons and Red-throated loons all in breeding plumage and regularly seen in this area. Other species, such as Common Eiders, Baird Sandpipers and 125 other species of birds are seen in this birding paradise. Arctic Fox and the native Red Fox are common visitors. A short drive down the Dalton Highway (Haul Road) in the afternoon may afford us looks at Long-tailed Jaeger, Arctic Warbler, Muskoxen, Grizzly Bear, Caribou, possible Bluethroat and maybe wolves.
Lodging: Arctic Caribou Inn
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| Moose |
June 16, Tuesday Dalton Highway - the stunning Haul Road!
After breakfast in Prudhoe Bay, drive south down the Dalton Highway (Haul Road), the 500-mile long road that stretches from Fairbanks to Deadhorse. Travel half way, to arrive at Wiseman for a two-night stay. We drive south across the Arctic coastal plain to the distant foothills of the Brooks Range. This first 130 miles is wildlife rich, taking us through an alien landscape of flats and low rolling hills devoid of any trees, but covered with a brilliant green carpet of tundra vegetation. Wildlife flocks to the coastal plain in the summer to partake of the brief, but intense bloom of life that feeds on the tundra vegetation. Caribou, Moose and Muskoxen are seen browsing on willows and sedges, while predators, such as wolves, fox, bear, Golden Eagle, Snowy Owl, and Gyrfalcon, we hope to see cruising over the tundra searching for a meal.
Next we ascend the foothills of the Brooks Range with the climb culminating in the highest mountain pass that any road crosses in Alaska, Atigun Pass. The Haul Road climbs to 5,000 feet over this stunning mountain pass and we stop for a small hike and picnic lunch. Wildflowers carpet the tundra in this area at this time of year, and it is not uncommon to count as many as fifty species of wildflowers along the road in the high alpine of the Brooks Range. As we descend from Atigun Pass onto the south side of the Brooks Range, enter the scenic Koyukuk River Valley and the northern edge of the boreal forest. The next seventy-five miles is a spectacular drive down the Koyukuk Valley through craggy peaks of 400 million year old limestone and dense spruce forest. Here we may see Grizzlies, Grey (Timber) Wolves, Moose and even Lynx. At the end of an unforgettable 250-mile drive, arrive in the historic gold mining town of Wiseman to stay overnight at the "Arctic Get-away B&B" or "Igloo #8". The Igloo Club, a group like Elks Club originally built this historic bed and breakfast lodge. It is a real log cabin where you can feel the true Alaskan wilderness off the beaten track. Many of the historic log cabins still stand today, housing residents or small businesses such as Arctic Get-away B&B and the Wiseman Museum.
Lodging: Igloo #8
June 17, Wednesday Wiseman
After breakfast in the comfortable kitchen of Igloo #8, set out for a day of exploring and photography on the south side of the Brooks Range. Take a picnic lunch and stop to eat on a carpet of wildflowers that we hope will be stretching in all directions. This will be an excellent opportunity to explore the town of Wiseman. Settled in 1903, most of the buildings in this town are older than the oldest surviving buildings in Fairbanks. Several old log cabins, a general store, and lots of historic gold mining artifacts can be found within a short walk of Igloo #8.
Lodging: Igloo #8
June 18, Thursday Fairbanks
After an early breakfast we depart for Fairbanks, located 250 miles south of Wiseman. The drive traverses boreal forest and ascends mountain peaks of windswept tundra. A crossing of the Arctic Circle sixty miles south of Wiseman will be celebrated with good cheer. Sixty miles further south we cross the mighty Yukon River and continue through the White Mountains to Fairbanks. An afternoon arrival in Fairbanks allows us a chance to relax and enjoy Fairbanks in the summer. Well known for warm summers and cold winters, high temperatures can be in the 90s this time of year, but average 65 to 70 degrees F. Dinner on our own this evening. A choice of dining in Fairbanks allows you to try the cuisine that appeals most to you. Finish this exciting day with the night at Grandview Bed and Breakfast.
Lodging: Grandview Bed and Breakfast
June 19, Friday To Denali
After a relaxing morning in Fairbanks with time to explore the "Golden Heart City of Interior Alaska", we'll drive south to the entrance at Denali National Park with time to enjoy the east side of the Park. Our night will be at the wonderful Earth Song Lodge on the edge of the park, arriving in time for dinner.
Lodging: Earth Song Lodge
June 20, Saturday Denali National Park to Kantishna
Depart at 6:00 a.m. to drive at our leisure through the best part of Denali National Park in our 15-seater van to mile 95 at the end of the road. Hugh has a vehicle permit, which is only possible because we will be staying at the small, private Skyline Lodge in Kantishna. There are only 100 miles of gravel road within the 9300 square mile park. In order to protect wildlife viewing opportunities, the use of non-permitted private vehicles is restricted to the first fifteen miles of road; only specially sanctioned park shuttle buses and ourselves, with special permits for private lodging, are allowed on the remaining road.
This is probably the best park in North America for viewing wildlife and wildflowers from early June through August. Moose, Grizzly Bear, Dall Sheep, Caribou, Red Fox, Arctic Ground Squirrel, Marmot, and Pika are all seen from this road. Even Wolverine and Wolves are occasionally seen from the road. A total of thirty-seven species of mammals have been documented in the Park. Interesting birds include Golden Eagles, Gyrfalcon, Rough-legged Hawks, Long-tailed Jaegers, Rock and Willow ptarmigan, Northern Wheatear, Arctic Warbler, American Golden Plover and over 100 other species. One area of interest is the Stony Creek area where 132 species of wildflowers occur, as well as wheatears, nesting shorebirds, Long-tailed Jaeger, and other birds. Hugh knows this area very well from his time as resident naturalist at Camp Denali. This is where we first met Hugh in 1994.
Denali National Park and Preserve (formally Mount McKinley National Park) lies 250 miles south of the Arctic Circle and 237 highway miles north of Anchorage. Spend all day traversing the gravel spur road through the center of the park. Stop to observe and photograph both large and small wildlife and incredible scenery. Large mammals may be encountered found feeding very close to the road, such as the Denali Grizzly Bears with their beautiful blond fur. Park the van to walk at some of the best locations to photograph the wildlife and wildflowers, which Hugh knows so very well. Enjoy a picnic lunch in the field and arrive at Skyline Lodge for dinner with an incredible view of Denali, weather permitting. "Denali" is a local Indian word meaning "Great One" referring to North America's highest mountain, still often called Mount McKinley due to resistance to change from the former President's supporters in Congress.
The lodge consists of three large, clean & comfortable cabins with two big sleeping rooms equipped with sleeping lofts above each of the two rooms affording some privacy, although not what we are normally used to. The bathroom and toilet facilities are in the adjacent dining area building. The privilege of exploring Denali National Park privately at our own pace make this rustic accommodation well worth our two night stay. The meals at Skyline Lodge are excellent. We have stayed at another lodge nearby with private baths, but found that the regimented activity schedule there did not fit with people who like to get going early in the morning and late afternoon for the best photographic light. Hugh, a professional photographer, can give you lots of pointers, and recommend the best compositions for excellent photographic results.
Lodging: Skyline Lodge at Kantishna
June 21, Sunday Flight-seeing, hiking and viewing at Wonder Lake
Our lodge owner offers "flight-seeing" excursions in a single engine aircraft operated from a small airstrip located at Kantishna. The flight is marvelous and is included in the cost of this trip. Denali's 20,320 foot summit is very close to Kantishna, only 20 miles from the North Face of the mountain. The vertical relief of this mountain as measured from its base to its summit is 18,000 feet and greater than that of Mt. Everest. Bring your wide angle lens; Denali more than fills a picture window at the lodge on a clear day! The mountain makes its own weather and can be cloud-hidden as much as sixty percent of the time. Winter temperatures on the mountain can dip to 85 degrees F below zero and winds can gust to more than 150 miles per hour. Even summer temperatures on its summit can be severe. Permanent snowfields cover more than fifty percent of the mountain and feed the many glaciers that surround its base. Over 1,000 people now attempt to climb the mountain each year by a multitude of routes. The most popular route is not technically difficult, but low temperatures and awesome winds in upper reaches make this environment one of the harshest on earth, usually claiming the lives of some climbers every year. The park exemplifies interior Alaska's character as one of the world's last great frontiers offering an opportunity for wilderness adventure. Most of Denali remains largely wild and unspoiled, but there are many development pressures, which require constant vigilance to preserve this wilderness. Today we'll walk in the Kantishna Hills to look for birds, mammals and wildflowers. We'll enjoy a picnic lunch amid the magnificent scenery that surrounds this area. Also spend time at Wonder Lake, one of the best places to photograph Moose if one comes to drink in the late afternoon. A delicious dinner awaits us at the lodge at the end of our day.
Lodging: Skyline Lodge at Kantishna
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June 22, Monday Denali National Park and Night in Anchorage
Take full advantage of the morning in the park wildlife-viewing, photographing and birding. After a hearty breakfast at Skyline Lodge, we have an early departure for more great wildlife experiences traversing slowly back across the national park. Arrive at the park entrance to explore this area and have lunch. Depart on the George Parks Highway south to Anchorage. The trip will take us through fertile Matanuska Valley farmlands, across high bridges spanning several Susitna River tributaries, and will provide spectacular views of Denali, weather permitting. Make a stop halfway at Denali State Park for a short hike and a chance to photograph and sightsee on the south side of the Alaska Range. We will arrive in Anchorage and drive directly to the Copper Whale Inn for the night. Dinner on your own.
Lodging: Copper Whale Inn
June 23, Tuesday Price William Sound
After breakfast at the Copper Whale, we depart for the dock in Whittier. Rendezvous with the MV Discovery. Meet the captain, Dean Rand, and crew at the harbor for a warm welcome aboard. It is owned and operated by Dean, a long-time Alaskan, who expertly pilots the Discovery through the Sound's narrow passages. The Discovery has six cabins with two baths and offers an adventurous, yet comfortable means to explore this astoundingly rich wilderness seacoast. Relax in the cozy lounge and enjoy a specially prepared lunch. Then depart for Prince William Sound, where breath-taking glacial scenery, blue icebergs, spectacular birdlife, Killer Whales and other marine mammals await.
Lodging: aboard the Discovery
June 24 - 26, Wednesday - Friday Price William Sound
Weather and wildlife will dictate our destinations, but we will strike out on a route around Prince William Sound to maximize our marine wildlife and bird viewing, and will visit some of the most spectacular glacial scenery in the Northern Hemisphere, such as Icy Bay and Harriman Fjord. Prince William Sound is also the northern-most temperate rainforest in the world. Each day will consist of excursions on shore to hike and view wildlife and scenery up close. The Discovery is equipped with Zodiacs, which make shore excursions easy. Humpback Whale viewing should be outstanding, weather permitting.
Lodging: aboard the Discovery
June 27, Saturday From Prince William Sound to Anchorage
Awake to some of the world's most spectacular scenery: corridors of breathtaking beauty, sprawling glaciers, and a panoramic skyline of mountain grandeur. Harbor Seals hauled out on the flotillas of icebergs watch closely as the Discovery navigates the icy, blue waters of Barry Arm. The enveloping mountains of this inlet stretch skyward to nearly 10,000 feet, with glacier after glacier descending the terraced mountain valleys. Alaska's lush rainforest vegetation drapes the hillsides in green as streaming waterfalls fall from the rocky cliffs. Listen to the cracks, pops and thunderous roars of the Cascade, Barry, and Coxe glaciers while the Discovery, dwarfed by blue and white walls, drifts silently by these actively calving rivers of ice. Enjoy a beautiful buffet lunch while the Discovery exits this magical place for the Whittier Harbor. On our return to Anchorage from Whittier, check in at the Copper Whale Inn. Dinner on our own this evening.
Lodging: Copper Whale Inn
June 28, Sunday From Anchorage to Katmai National Park
After breakfast at the Copper Whale, depart for the Anchorage Airport and the one hour flight, (included in the trip cost), to King Salmon, located in Bristol Bay. Many government resource agency offices (Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game, National Park Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service) are located here along with several sport fishing lodges. From King Salmon take the 20 minute flight across the 33 air miles to Brooks Lodge in Katmai National Park by a single engine airplane equipped with pontoons. The scenic, low-level flight and smooth water takeoff and landing will be a unique, exhilarating and safe experience. Brooks Lodge is situated on a peninsula at the mouth of Brooks River, which flows from Brooks Lake one and one-half miles before emptying into Naknek Lake. Naknek is the largest freshwater lake in the National Park system and is the fourth largest lake in Alaska. The lodge complex, operated by a concessionaire under Park service permit, consists of 8 cabins, a main lodge-dining room and a small trading post. Adjacent Park Service facilities include a small campground and a visitors' center. Good family style meals are served.
With only 8 cabins at Brooks Lodge and the huge demand for booking them, the owners will allow us 2 cabins only, each with one bathroom. We make reservations over a year in advance. With four people per cabin, each of 2 bunk beds in each cabin is used. With wildlife this spectacular, we easily make do without a huge amount of privacy, taking turns dressing if necessary, here at the end of the trip when we know each other quite well. The porch outside each cabin is great for sitting and bears might even walk by, not to mention moose and Bald Eagles, etc. We find that to have the incredible experience of staying at Brooks, it is well worth sharing the cabin. There is also a set of bathrooms very close to the cabins.
The opportunity to observe concentrations of Brown Bears fishing for salmon is the primary attraction of this area. Alaska Brown and Grizzly Bears are considered one species (Ursus arctos), but the coastal Browns are larger due to their high protein salmon diet for a portion of the year. Mature males may weigh in excess of 1,000 pounds. Mating occurs from May to mid July, with cubs born in the dens in mid-winter. Up to 4 cubs are born weighing a mere one pound each. Cubs stay with their mother for two or three years during which time she does not reproduce. Brown Bears dig a new den each year entering in November and emerging in April. About half of their life is spent in their dens.
Upon arrival at the Lodge we will receive orientation from Park Rangers about bear behavior. Hugh will provide additional information on safety precautions when in bear country. In late June as many as 30 bears may be present in the vicinity of Brooks Falls (located mid-way down the river), which acts as a partial migration barrier to salmon. Bears normally begin arriving by the third week of June, but begin departing in August to feed on more accessible salmon in adjacent smaller streams. Special observation platforms are available for observing and photographing fishing bears at the river's mouth and the upstream falls, easily accessible from well-maintained trails. Lunch will be served at the lodge when we arrive and the rest of the day will be spent bear viewing and becoming familiar with the surroundings.
Lodging: Brooks Lodge
June 29 - 30, Monday - Tuesday Katmai Bear Viewing
We'll spend time observing and photographing the phenomenal bears. It is also possible to see a wolf in the vicinity of the falls, as they have been seen scavenging for fish remains. The young bears who are not yet competing with the adults for the live salmon also scavenge downriver for floating fish carcasses.
Or you might choose to travel today by bus on a 23 mile gravel road to the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes (additional cost of $100). This trip offers a view of wilderness sculptured by glaciers, stream erosion and volcanism. After a picnic lunch at road's end, descend to the valley floor on a steep, but well maintained trail. This is the site of one of the most violent volcanic eruptions in recorded history. Novarupta Volcano, located near Mt. Katmai, exploded in June,1912, with blasts of hot, glowing pumice and ash destroying all living things over a large area and covering 40 square miles of lush valley to a depth of 700 feet. The valley floor is composed of a myriad of subtle colors of pumice and ash.
Return to the lodge for dinner and a short evening hike to observe bears and/or attend the visitor center program. Utilizing the trail to the falls and other river trails, we will continue to observe and photograph bears and migrating salmon.
Lodging: Brooks Lodge
July 1, Wednesday Katmai and back to Anchorage
Enjoy the last day bear viewing and depart mid-afternoon from King Salmon via floatplane to Anchorage. From the airport we will transfer to the Copper Whale Inn. A final dinner and going away party at a local fine restaurant will be planned.
Lodging: Copper Whale Inn
July 2, Thursday Return home or continue on extension
After breakfast at the Copper Whale, depart for the trip home with transfers covered to the airport this morning. Alternatively, stay on for an extension to other parts of Alaska. You will have experienced Alaska from the High Arctic seacoast to the highest mountain, Denali, to the Southwest seacoast in Prince William Sound, a very wonderful itinerary indeed! Hugh Rose (please contact us if Hugh is away) will be handling extensions and he can be contacted at:
Hugh Rose
620 Yak Road
Fairbanks, AK 99709
(907) 479-8984 (home)
(907) 388-2554 (cell)
e-mail: hrose@alaska.net
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Payments and Cancellations: Upon receiving your deposit, we will send trip materials, including a travel guide with trip essentials, reading list, species lists, and maps. Deposits are refundable before the final payment date, except for $150. The $150 may go toward another tour if a reservation is made within six months of the departure date of this trip. There are no refunds given after the final payment. Trip cancellation insurance applications are available. Trip options, if any, and singles are extra.
| Cost | |
| Trip cost | $8500 |
| Payment Schedule | |
| Deposit - to reserve your space | $750 |
| October 1, 2008 - second payment | $750 |
| March 1, 2009 - second payment | remaining balance |
Included: Costs beginning in Prudhoe Bay, with all meals from dinner on June 14 to breakfast on July 2, except dinner on June 18 in Fairbanks and dinner on June 22 and 27 in Anchorage. Overnight(s) in Anchorage prior to flight to Prudhoe not included in land costs.
Not Included: Airfare, except for flight-seeing in Denali and round-trip from Anchorage to King Salmon. Gratuities. Dinner on June 18 in Fairbanks and dinners on June 22 and 27 in Anchorage. First overnight(s) in Anchorage prior to flight to Prudhoe Bay. Personal expenses such as laundry services (if available) and most beverages and alcoholic drinks. Excess baggage charges to Prudhoe Bay (limited to 44 pounds; extra luggage can be left at the Copper Whale Inn in Anchorage if you arrive early).
Airfare: Airfare is not included. Please let us know if you need help arranging your own air flights. Fly round trip from your airport to Prudhoe Bay via Anchorage to arrive in Anchorage by June 13 at the latest. If the flight to Prudhoe is in the morning on July 14, return from Anchorage July 2 or later.
Gratuities: We recommend budgeting $150 on this tour for tips to the Discovery crew and to remote lodge personnel. It is not necessary to tip our leader, Hugh Rose.
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Reservations: Please contact us to assure space availability and to let us answer your questions. Then, fill out our reservation form, and mail it to us with your deposit:
Cheesemans' Ecology Safaris
20800 Kittredge Road
Saratoga, CA 95070
Toll Free: (800) 527-5330
Local: (408) 741-5330
Fax: (408) 741-0358
Email: info@cheesemans.com
Travel Insurance: Unless you specifically decline travel insurance, Cheesemans' Ecology Safaris requires, at a minimum, insurance to cover emergency medical care and evacuation for the duration of the tour. We have had good experience with Access America. Visit their website for complete details and we will also send you their brochure with your trip materials. You can purchase a policy via their website, phone or by mail. Whatever insurance you purchase, be sure to review the terms of all available policies carefully in order to buy the policy that you need.
Mailing List: If you would like to be on our mailing list or request information, please use our online request form or send us your name, address, email address and phone number. Please note we will never share your personal information with anybody!
Responsibility: Cheesemans' Ecology Safaris, Saratoga, California, act only as agents and shall not be responsible or become liable for any delay incurred by any person in connection with any means of transportation, nor for the loss, damage, or injury to person or property by reason of any event beyond the control of the agency or default of such agency suppliers. We reserve the right to cancel the tour prior to departure in which case full refund will constitute full settlement to the passenger. No refund will be made for any unused portion of the tour unless arrangements are made at the time of booking. All rates are based on current tariffs, exchange rates and fuel prices and are subject to adjustment in the event of any change therein. By sending your initial deposit, you agree to accept our payment schedule as a contract. If payments are still outstanding two weeks after the due date, your space may be forfeited. Baggage is at the owner's risk.
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