Bearing It

Feb 28, 2009

The best time to see brown bears in Alaska is July through August, during salmon season.

When it comes to daytripping in Alaska, bear viewing is among the most popular, and Alaska’s bears seldom disappoint during the state’s July-through-August salmon season.

Bear camps are spread throughout the state. Lodges usually operate their own viewing programs, and air-charter operators also have viewing programs which can be separate or in conjunction with the lodges. Here are a few of the better ones to consider for clients who want an authentic bear encounter.

Steve Ranney, with Orca Adventure Lodge out of Cordova, offers fly-out or boat-out bear viewing as the bears graze on strawberries found on the tidal flats of the Lost Coast. July is the best time to take this trip because bears can be seen throughout the day. Ranney also knows a superb area in Prince William Sound where the bears chase pink and chum salmon across flat sections of streams. Clients take a stand in the nearby trees and wait for the activity to begin. Usually, the wait is no more than 20 to 30 minutes. The cost is about $400 per person.

Rust’s Flying Service offers fly-out bear viewing that is a big hit with tourists. Redoubt Bay, located in the scenic Lake Clark Wilderness Preserve, is a half-day trip with morning and afternoon floatplane departures from Anchorage that cover the 70 miles in a snap. Most viewing is done from a covered boat and accompanied by a naturalist guide. A snack is included in the price. Rust also offers a similar tour to a bear-viewing lodge at Crescent Lake.

For $485, the excursion includes flyout, lunch and all lodge services once there.

Katmai National Park is another of Rust’s options that offers viewing along the world-famous Brooks River, known for bears catching salmon in midair as they attempt to clear the falls. Most viewing is done from elevated platforms, although it’s possible to see bears on the trail or from the main lodge. All viewing is self-guided, with park rangers available for indoctrination and questions throughout the day. The peak of the sockeye run in July and August is a good time to book a trip here, with a run also taking place in June. The 12-hour roundtrip consists of a three-hour flight each way, and a box lunch included. The cost is about $800 per person.

At Stephan Lake Lodge, located just north of Anchorage in the Talkeetna Mountains, July is again the best time for viewing since bears have left their mountain areas and are on streams looking for king salmon. From my recent experience, the sight of an eight-foot brown bear catching a 30-pound king salmon is a sight I will not soon forget. According to lodge owner Jim Bailey, while numerous bear sightings can occur at anytime, the largest bears typically prowl the streams later in the day, which is no problem with nearly 19 hours of Alaska daylight.

The cost of about $500 per person, per day, includes accommodations and meals.

Spirit of Alaska offers good bear viewing on Kodiak Island. While waiting for bears to appear, visitors can enjoy paddling the calm backwater bays and taking in whales, immigrating salmon, sea otters and jellyfish floating along in the current. Viewing can also be enjoyed from the comfort of a larger outboard-powered boat.

The price is $300 per person, per day with discounts for groups and families. Cost for fly-out to the camp is $450 per person, two-person minimum.

Keep in mind that many areas have more black bears than brown bears so be sure to ask the tour operator what to expect if you have a preference.