Arctic Wild: Trip Itineraries
Savonoski Loop Canoe Trip
Download a copy of the Savonoski Loop Canoe Trip Itinerary (PDF, 36 KB)
• Dates: September 3rd through September 12th. Pretrip meeting will be held in Anchorage on the afternoon of September 2nd.
• Region: Katmai National Park. Katmai is on the Alaska Peninsula, in sub-arctic, southwest Alaska.
• Cost: $3,100 per person, from Anchorage. Affordable rental camping gear is available.
Sketch of the trip…
Katmai National Park is among the richest ecosystems on earth. The park is on the Alaska Peninsula, a long, volcano-studded finger pointing to a 2,000-mile archipelago arcing across the north Pacific to Siberia. Constant tectonic activity, volcanism, and retreating glaciers have left behind deep jagged peaks, rounded hills, and deep blue lakes. We’ll paddle among them-- roughly 80 miles-- on the Savonoski loop Canoe trip. Fifty of our miles will be on lakes; thirty miles on rivers.
Jutting as it does into the cold ocean, the Alaska Peninsula has a maritime climate and lush vegetation. The Peninsula is a storm catcher. Great winds buffet the land. Trees are gnarled but happy at lakesides, yet they cannot grow on the exposed hill and mountain slopes. Here, alpine conditions prevail, and we can enjoy great hiking and blueberries as we cast our eyes over the vast, lake-bejeweled landscape.
Fall on the Alaska Peninsula means cool weather, ripening blueberries, bright colors, and a chance to see the Aurora Borealis. Fall also means fattening-up time for the huge brown bears that live in Katmai National Park. We may see moose, black bears, wolves, and caribou in Katmai, but we will certainly see great big brown bears, passing their time eating salmon. Though they treat humans as something to walk around, they are themselves formidable creatures. We will have close, but safe, encounters with them. There are unparalleled opportunities for observing and photographing bears at play, while feeding, and just being bears. We will also see bald eagles and a variety of waterfowl. Fishing for rainbow trout is very good.
This trip is a moderately difficult route. Experience with canoe travel is a must. The lake paddling is not difficult, but because the lakes are susceptible to big winds, we will often paddle in light chop. We will paddle close to shore, and while we need not undertake open-water crossings, there is one such crossing we can elect to do, if conditions permit. The river paddling is all Class I with broad, swift, braided channels.
What follows is a forecast of the trip, a general idea of the flow of events.
As a forecast, it may be amended to meet conditions and opportunities in the field.
We will assemble in Anchorage and meet the evening of the 29th for a Pre-Trip Meeting. Time and location for this meeting to be announced.
Day 1: This is a long day. We fly from Anchorage to King Salmon. Here we embark on a ferry for Brooks Camp. At Brooks Camp, we will assemble the canoes and paddle several miles to make a nice, secluded camp on a pebbly beach. We’ll spend the rest of the evening settling into our surroundings.
Days 2 - 8: We have 80 miles to go and time to enjoy it. We’ll be paddling up to six hours a day, stopping several times to stretch, snack, hike, and explore. We’ll paddle across Grosvenor, a long finger of a lake curving beneath tall mountains, a hidden jewel with secret creeks full of salmon. Snowcapped volcanoes loom in the distance. At the very tip of the lake, we will descend a creek that empties into the Savonoski River. From here, we’re paddling swift water in a vast open plain of river gravels. The views are stunning as we enter Naknek Lake, then paddle to Brooks Camp, a world renowned bear viewing area.
Day 9: Another long day. From Brooks Camp, we take the ferry back to King Salmon, then a jet back to Anchorage.
Included in the price of the trip:
Transportation beyond Anchorage.
Outstanding guide service.
Wholesome, delicious, and mostly-organic food while in the wilderness.
Stoves, cooking & eating utensils.
Repair and safety equipment and one bear spray per guest.
All boating gear, including boats and paddles.
The use of one life jacket and one medium-sized dry bag per guest.
Not included in the price of the trip:
Non-camp lodging.
Non-camp meals.
Personal clothing, backpack (if applicable), and footwear.
Sleeping bag & sleeping pad.
Three-season tent.
Large waterproof dry bag (one with shoulder straps works best)
Waterproof camera case.
Fishing gear and fishing license.
Gratuity for guide(s).
Arctic Wild rents high quality gear at affordable rates. Rental gear includes:
Three-season tents
Sleeping bags
Sleeping pads
Rubber raingear bibs
Rubber raingear jackets
Rubber boots
Large dry bag
A River Trip Equipment List is provided upon registration or request.
Weather & Bugs: Temperatures vary from the 70's to below freezing. Snow is possible; rain is likely. We should be well past the peak of bugs, but some gnats may persist. For this reason, you may want to pack a headnet and DEET bug repellent.
Suggested Reading: The Grizzly Maze , Nick Jans The Bears of Katmai, Matthais Breiter