Alaska Bear Viewing Trips

[johnwalkerpa1]

Any suggestions on a good bear viewing trip (location and outfit)in the late-June time frame?

We'll be fishing near Cooper Landing for a week then have another week to play with (4th week of June) in the general area before heading farther north.

We are staying at the Kenai Princess RV Park for the fishing week but then are flexible after that. So, fly outs anywhere from Homer to Anchorage would work.

We had planned to take one of the day trips to Brooks Falls, but some have suggested we may not see a lot of bears on the river there in June..sounds like prime time there is more in July..

[quoyfab]

Ahh, the DW, bless her heart told me to check our trip journal. The outfitter was Talon Air out of Soldotna. Talonair.com The current advertised price is #350, with the possibility of a fuel surcharge. Their website indicates the catch to be Sockeye, Salmon, not pink.

[quoyfab]

In July of '05 I took a fishing/bear watching excursion out of Soldotna that was fabulous. I have the business card in the fiver, but slides closed, snow covered and battery out, so I can't get to it for the name. The plane was a deHavilland Otter retrofitted with turbo-prop on floats, 30 minute flight, then 15 minute boat ride to a creek where salmon were on the move, and numerous bears coming to lake's edge. I saw a sow with 2 cubs that she kept 40-50' from lake's edge, and a few young boars, with well scarred snouts that were likely taught manners by the sow. All in our party limited out on ? pinks?,I believe. Fish and Game were in a boat 100" from the creek's head, and the rule was, lines OUT when bear came to fish. I recall paying under $300, but that was early July of 2005. I don't believe the outfitter was Natron, but not sure.

A few weeks later, we were in Hyder, Many others have suggested and recommend it, and I do as well. If you get there, you'll love the viewing platform, it was awesome, and I understand it's even bigger now. Saw bear on the way up to the platform, and several while on it. Beyond the platform, the road leads to prospecting paths and Salmon Glacier, the view of which was awesome.

Lord willing, we'll be returning in 2015. There's nothing like it...

[Kidoo]

AprilWhine wrote:
We saw the most bears at the city dump in Hyder, AK. :B

Where is the city dump?

[AprilWhine]

We saw the most bears at the city dump in Hyder, AK. :B

[Kidoo]

hokeypokey wrote:
We saw about 15 bears in Denali. We stopped in Stewart/Hyder on our way home which was almost end of July and visited the "Bear Walk". There I took a picture of a grizzly with a salmon in his mouth and people who have seen it tell me it belongs on a calendar, it's that good.

When did you go to Denali?

I was also reading about Valdez, apparantly middle of July is a very good time to see Bears when the salmom get up the rivers. I was there on 4 July but I did not see any, the Salmon where in the Bay but not many, fisherman where waiting anchered along the bay.

I am planing end of July / begining of August for Hyder, so it should be a good time.

[hokeypokey]

We saw about 15 bears in Denali. We stopped in Stewart/Hyder on our way home which was almost end of July and visited the "Bear Walk". There I took a picture of a grizzly with a salmon in his mouth and people who have seen it tell me it belongs on a calendar, it's that good.

[Kidoo]

Just found a site, looks good.
http://www.philarmitage.net/bear_viewing_alaska.php

[Kidoo]

I wonder what is the best time to see bears. We saw many in May on our way up and we saw many in early June in Denali.

I think that Hyder is suppose to be good at the end of July, August. I wonder if Denali is as good in July as it is in June?

[dahkota]

We were in Cooper Landing a few years ago the last week in June. We took a drive down Skilak Lake Road. We saw more than a dozen, blacks and browns. In one spot, where we pulled over for a view, DH nearly stepped on a black cub hiding behind an overlook sign. I've never seen him move so fast...

[Kidoo]

Hyder is suppose to be a great place to see Grizzly, there is a boardwalk just above the river and you can watch bear feedind on Salmon, but you have to be there when the salmon goes up the river. I was there in middle july in 2012 and only saw one black bear in the river, one in town and many on the road going to Hyder. I also saw many many bears on the road between Fort Nelson and Watson in middle May, especialy in the BC portion of the road. We saw many bears in Denali Park, mostly Grizzly on the bus tour as you get in the open area, watch for them on side of the hills.

I heard a cob bear when I was at Russian River, but did not see it.

If someone know the dates that bears are around Hyder, just let me know.

[jdocter7]

I'm not looking at a map of Alaska, so not sure how close this is. We went with Sasquatch Adventure Alaska Co out of Homer and they were fabulous--first rate all the way. Do an internet search and you'll find their website and all the stellar reviews. We flew to Kenai National Park and saw many, many bears. It was a day we'll never forget and well worth the money.

[IA_boy]

We made a "bucket list" trip to Katmai National Park this past July. Counted 28 bears from one viewing location one evening. Met a 1,000 brown bear on one of the trails and he just ignored us (we were within 20' of him).

Bears and the salmon run go hand-in-hand.

[Tee_Jay]

While you are in Cooper Landing spend some time downriver from the Russian, especially around the Guardrail Hole (It will be obvious). Anywhere on the Kenai from the Russian to Jim's Landing just onto the Skilak road will work. Talk to the guides about any sightings. Check the fishing section of Alaska Outdoors Supersite forum pages. Walk the Russian to the falls and back on the trail.

The issue will be timing. You are barely going to hit the first run of reds, so there is little reason for the bears to congregate for fishing.

Talk to the folks you have arrangements with. You may want to reverse your trip and do the Kenai and bears thing later in the year, like late July when the fish are there. Timing is everything.

The Cassiar Hwy is usually good for bears. We see quite a few along the road in late April and early May on the Alaska Hwy. Denali is usually good for bears on the bus trips.
Terry

[joe_b_]

http://www.alaska.org/things-to-do/bear-viewing

Here is a site that lists a number of bear tours in Alaska. Rust's Flying Service, located on Lake Hood is the only one I have dealt with in the past, but not for bear viewing.