Best Vacation Ever: Day 3 Alaska

Best Vacation Ever: Alaska Day 3

Woke up at Bear Camp - slept decently considering still adjusting to time change and the constant light. Our tent hut super cozy, beds comfy, perfect for people (like us) who aren't really campers. After breakfast, headed back out to viewing sites 2 and 3 in the national park. Met the ranger as she checked on the viewing sites. Saw bears, bears and more bears. I should have split up the bear info between Day 2 and 3 descriptions!

Here's a few photos. Start with an adolescent male bear who lumbered up the beach behind us. He was so lanky (still 200-300 pounds). I loved watching the sibling bears cuddle and wrestle. Saw bears sleeping on rocky cliffs.

It was mating season, so we witnessed the amorous adventures of two different couples. Turns out, bears have delayed implantation. When the female bear goes into hibernation, her body fat determines how many baby bears implant...between 1 and 4 depending on how well nourished she is. The cubs are born during hibernation! The guide was a little vague on how aware the mom was of the birth...the cubs somehow get into place to nurse, and in the spring...surprise! Baby bears! We only saw one mom with a cub, and she was moving fast and I didn't get a photo. The guide explained she keeps moving because the cub is vulnerable to predators, even older male bears.

Tides put us on a late afternoon flight back to the lodge, where we enjoyed happy hour. Guests meet their guide for the next day. Dinner is social - we sat with Lisa and another couple from Bear Camp. Food is a single entree; all entrees through vacation were excellent. Exhausted, we fell into bed - scheduled wake up was 4:30 a.m. for FISHING!

Best Vacation Ever: Alaska Day 2

Best Vacation Ever - Day 2

Alaska!

While researching Alaskan trips for our 35th anniversary, I booked this particular vacation after hearing an author, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, speak about her experience at Bear Camp. I already received the catalog from Great Alaska Adventure Lodge, and her descriptions sealed the deal. However, I was very nervous about the small plane ride. In all I'd read, I learned small planes were the key to touring Alaska. Only 20% of Alaska is accessible by car. So, nerves or no, I was committed to getting to Bear Camp.

Brian from Great Alaska picked up Lisa (my new friend!) and us promptly at 7:30. On our drive to the Lodge in Sterling, AK, we were impressed with the beauty of the valleys, rivers, and mountains. The lodge is on the edge of Sterling...off the main road and into another world. It sits on the confluence of the Moose and Kenai rivers. So beautiful! After a short tour, we found out our departure to bear camp was delayed. Since the planes land on the beach (gulp), we needed to wait for low tide. We ate lunch (elk burgers!) then Sherry, coordinator of activities and guides, sent AJ, a lovely young woman from Michigan, to lead us on a kayak ride down the Moose River.

The flight to bear camp was JUST FINE. We needed two planes for our group; Lisa was on the other plane. Totally smooth, no bumps, great scenery, super smooth beach landing.  We flew into Bear Camp, received an orientation, and immediately went out with one of the bear guides, Steve. The bears dig for clams (an early source of protein) on the mud flats right in front of the camp. 15 years ago, only 1 out of 50 bears did this. Now nearly all the bears do. Recently, a bear discovered the flounder in the shallow water, and caught one (by slapping down, I think!)...a second and third bear have already adopted this fishing behavior. Smart bears!  We were watching this beautiful female bear feed, then walked to the camp's personal viewing platform, inland "behind" the camp, on a large meadow...two minutes later, down our trail, she came, walking next to the platform and then out to rinse off in the meadow lake.

Dinner was steak - delicious - after a "happy half hour" of wine/beer and appetizers. Then back out again, this time with guide Clinton. Off of the beach are three viewing areas set up by the national park. They are a simple log for sitting and looking over the meadow, and the bears are used to seeing humans there.

Suddenly, Clinton calmly announced everyone should get behind him - he squatted, facing the beach, arms slightly outspread. And we all twirled and crouched and faced a beautiful female brown bear. Clinton saw her exiting the meadow next to us.

She walked RIGHT in front of us, then to our side, then decided the view was nice and sat next to the log we vacated. Exhausted, she lay down and relaxed...and I thought "we are going to be here a very long time". However, still hungry from a long winter of hibernation, she sighed and rambled back to the meadow to munch grass.

Hard to pick only a couple photos to share! What a day! Into our tent-hut for a much needed rest...

Best Vacation Ever: Alaska Day 1

Best Vacation Ever: Alaska Day 1

Writing these post-vacation, hope my recall is good!

We started the travel day getting up at 5, taxi at 7:30, flight at 10. Barry and I planned to use one day passes at the O'Hare United Lounge, but no go...busy Monday morning so restricted access to only real members. Barry then dropped his insulated cup/vacuum lid (not Yeti..Menard's version) and it immediately cracked. We soon discovered mine leaked like a sieve when tilted, so will shop in Anchorage. Water bottles were required at our Lodge. This incident is important...stay tuned.

The majority of our plans were made through the Great Alaska Adventure Lodge. More on this AMAZING location and people in upcoming days. One of their preferred Anchorage hotels was the Lakefront. This hotel sits on Lake Spenard/Lake Hood, the largest float plane harbor in the world. Only 20% of Alaska is accessible by road; many people have personal airstrips and planes to reach their homes. Float planes flew overhead continually.

We took the gratis hotel shuttle downtown Anchorage to eat and buy water bottles. Had an early dinner at The Glacier Brewhouse, then off to an outfitter store. Managed to do all before the return shuttle scheduled. When we arrived, the shuttle was loading, clearly more people waiting than seats. Several irritated couples spoke up saying they waited an additional hour due to previous shuttle crowd, so we backed away. When it left, we started chatting with a woman unable to get a seat, and offered to share an uber.

This was my biggest God-incidence of the trip (I don't believe in coincidence!). Lisa was about our age, first time to Alaska. It turned out she was with Great Alaska as well, and would be traveling with us in the morning. And she was from Indiana. And, sadly, she revealed that this was to have been her 30th anniversary trip with her husband, who died in November after late stage cancer diagnosis. She courageously decided to come alone. We shared much of our trip, and it was a joy to get to know and spend time with Lisa.

Early night due to time change and 7:30 a.m. morning pickup. So much more to tell you! Stay tuned. Third picture is the tease...