Brown Bears of Silver Salmon Creek

Less than 100 miles southwest of Anchorage lies over four million acres of wild Alaska—Lake Clark National Park and Preserve. The park was established in 1980 to protect the region’s spectacular scenic beauty, steaming volcanoes, dynamic glaciers, wild rivers and abundant wildlife. Within its borders dwell nearly 250 of those iconic denizens of tide flat, taiga and tundra—the mighty coastal brown bears.

Lake Clark has been called the “Essence of Alaska” as it combines an awesome array of landforms and habitats not found together in any other Alaskan park—three mountain ranges, two active volcanoes, fertile coastline, rain forest and tundra. This rugged and isolated park is only accessible by small aircraft or boat. One of the least-visited of all US national parks, Lake Clark presents its few visitors a wonderful opportunity to experience true northern wilderness.

Starting from our strategically-located, exclusive, spacious and comfortable lodge, we begin each day riding on ATV-drawn carts through pristine landscapes to photograph this animal icon that represents the essence of the Alaskan wilderness. With highly-experienced guides, locating bears is easy. In fact, brown bears are commonly seen from the lodge’s decks and windows. Dramatic full-frame images of mothers with cubs, and of bears foraging, feeding and interacting, are all readily captured with 300mm, 400mm or 500mm lenses.

Standing at close range to a 1,200-pound male brown bear on ground level is an experience that always delivers a real adrenaline rush! As with other Alaskan bear populations which have plenty of salmon to eat, these bears are essentially “people neutral”—they are fully aware we are there, but, fortunately, they don’t view us as part of their diet. Each day we can enjoy multiple photo shoots—and we set our own group schedule—with no time limits, no crowds. Bears feeding on fish and razor clams, males fighting over territory, and bears charging through the surf are special treats to be experienced during our trip’s prime-time dates. But also in early July, females begin bringing their tiny “spring cubs” out of hiding and onto the tidal flats for the first time. This is one of the prime images sought by nature photographers—and we are there to enjoy and photograph the endearing event!

Though bears are definitely our “focus,” other photogenic wildlife abounds, including bald eagles and other birds of prey, shorebirds, songbirds—and wolves. We should hear their mournful howls reverberating from the nearby forest. Wild, vast landscapes, with distant but well-placed bears in the frame, also ranks high among our photographic goals.

Fly with us to Lake Clark National Park in July! Enjoy the homespun hospitality, delicious homemade comfort food and cheery camaraderie of a marvelous backwoods lodge, and create breathtaking images of bears in this vast and varied wilderness—the epitome of Alaska!