Alaska Hotels
The Alaska Peninsula extends 400 miles (880 km)
into the Pacific Ocean, jutting toward the Aleutian
island chain. At the head of the peninsula is Lake Clark
National Park and Preserve, a spectacular setting of
mountains, high glaciers and an extremely rugged sea
coast.
The communities of Dillingham, King Salmon, and
Iliamma are serviced by airlines from Anchorage. The
three villages are in the midst of great fishing steams
and lakes, and there are a number of fly-in fishing
lodges in the area.
King Salmon is the headquarters for and the
nearest community to the splendid Katmai National Park
and Preserve, a wild, primitive landscape. Here one
of the most violent volcanic eruptions took place -- in
1912 -- with serious effects for Mt. Katmai. The eruption
began on June 5 of that year, with shuddering and black
ash rising from the 9,0000 foot peak, and then the
volcanic vent called Novarupta blew open the next day
with a blast which was heard in Juneau -- 750 miles away.
The ash traveled so far that some fell in Vancouver, B.C.
All of North America was affected by the clouds of ash
which cooled temperatures considerably that summer. Mt.
Katmai had collapsed into itself, and 2,000 feet of
mountain had disappeared. Ash devastated the area in
every direction, and thousands of fumaroles vented
sulfurous steam.
This is an elemental landscape, where thousands of
fumaroles belched steam and smoke (now just steam) -- the
remnants of the Novarupta explosion. The fumerole valley,
a prime place to visit and to hike, is named the Valley
of the Ten Thousand Smokes. Other features of the park
include hundreds of glaciers, snow fields clinging to the
many mountain peaks, and lakes (Lake Nanek, the
fourth-largest lake in Alaska has been called an "inland
sea"). You can walk through birch groves at the lower
levels of the park, and up to alpine tundra and to the
edge of ice fields. There are many species of birds in
the park, and campers get very excited when hearing the
fervent calls that Alaskan birds seem to give.
The Park Service visitor center in the area organizes
guided walks of the "Valley of the Ten Thousand Smokes,"
or you can take a hiking tour on your own with guidance
from the staff of the visitor center.
Brooks Camp is the famed place to watch brown bears
catching salmon in the rushing stream and waterfall.
Brooks Lodge, with overnight accommodation and food
service, plus a campground are located at Brooks Camp
(see special note below). Two bear viewing platforms less
than a half mile from the park visitors center. The park
also offers daily guided walks and evening lectures and
slide shows. You may also wish to fly to other lodges in
the interior of the park. Some of the best sockeye salmon
fishing in the world is experienced at Brooks Camp and on
interior streams of Katmai National Park
The park also offers daily guided walks and evening
lectures and slide shows.
Camping costs $5 a night at the national park
campground, which is surrounded by an electric fence to
discourage bears. It has showers and bathroom.
Reservations are necessary; (907) 246-3305..
How to Get There
Visitors to the park usually fly by scheduled aircraft
to King Salmon, and then take an air taxi operated by
Peninsula Airways to Brooks River, where there is a
National Park ranger station. Some people charter their
own planes to get into Katmai. For information on the
park, write the National Parks Service, P.O. Box 7, King
Salmon, AK 99613, or phone (907) 246-3305.
Katmai National Park and Preserve,
(907) 246-3305, is about 300 miles southwest of
Anchorage. Reservations for Brooks Lodge, inside the
park, should be booked as far ahead as possible
especially for July and September, the choice
bear-watching months. The daily park user fee is $10 a
person. For more information on the park, go to www.nps.gov/katm.
Alaska
Airlines, (800) 426-0333,
and PenAir,
(800) 448-4226, operate several flights a day in the
summer from Anchorage to King Salmon, about 30 miles from
the park. C-Air, (907) 246-6318, is one of several
charter companies that operate float planes between King
Salmon and the park. The park is inaccessible by road.
Things to Do
Camping costs $5 a night at the national park
campground, which is surrounded by an electric fence to
discourage bears. It has showers and bathroom.
Reservations are necessary; (907) 246-3305.
Fishing guides operating out of Brooks Lodge charge
$200 a person, including a boat but no gear; call (907)
243-5448 or (800) 544-0551.
A van transports visitors from Brooks Camp to the
Valley of 10,000 Smokes. The 23-mile guided trip leaves
daily at 9 a.m. and returns at 4:30 p.m. Reservations are
a must; (907) 243-5448 or (800) 544-0551. The cost is $72
a person; a boxed lunch (also a must since there is
nowhere to buy food there) is $7 extra.
Brooks Lodge
Mailing Address: 4700 Airport Drive, Anchorage AK
99501, (907) 243-5448 or 800-544-0551
Katmailand Inc. operates Brooks Lodge,
Grosvenor Camp, and Kulic Lodge. All are
summer operations, accessible by air -- normally from the
town of King Salmon, a 280-mile flight from Anchorage.
Bush planes will take you into the park and Brooks Camp.
Brooks Lodge is famous for its bear-watching and fishing.
People usually take the two-night, three-day package,
which includes air transportation from Anchorage.
Grosvenor Camp and Kulic Lodge are the places for really
dedicated anglers to stay, located next to some of the
best salmon fishing streams in the world.
in King Salmon:
Quinnat Landing Hotel is a modern
two-story building with 48 rooms with baths, comparable
to moderately priced motel chains. Nightly summer rates
are $257.40 with tax for single, $284.80 for a double,
$312.40 for three, and $339.90 for four. For information,
call (800) 770-3474, or fax (907) 246-6200
Where to Stay
