The Crystal Creek Lodge Blog is a place of possibilities, where you can learn deeper insights into how to explore the tens of millions of acres of wild Alaska surrounding us. Whether you’re after fishing, wildlife, the perspective of history or simply feeling the awe of being in wide-open spaces, it’s all here. Enjoy the journey.
Our Backyard Wilderness at Crystal Creek Lodge Crystal Creek Lodge, located on the Naknek River in King Salmon, Alaska, was chosen with great intention. Notably, the lodge is only 5 miles downriver from the world-renowned Katmai National Park. While Katmai is famous worldwide for its brown bears, fishing, and wilderness, we also have another significant…
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A herd of Pacific Walrus has relocated themselves to the nearby Bristol Bay coast at Cape Grieg, about 60 miles south of Crystal Creek Lodge. We went for a quick scouting trip yesterday and saw 1500-2000 animals either beached or in the water. Shown is the herd after a rain squall came through and the…
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Miss Rosanna Trestman of Connecticut returned to Crystal Creek Lodge in search of a King Salmon to exceed her personal record of 42 inches, set in 2014, but, alas, she didn’t beat her record, yet she still caught some nice Kings and Sockeye Salmon. Here is Rosanna with her best King of the week, held…
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The bar at Crystal Creek Lodge has been rechristened as “The Beaver Bar”, a tribute to the hard-working DeHavilland Beaver aircraft that have served us and the north country since 1947. Have a sneak preview of the modifications at the album on our Facebook page, or, better yet, be our guest and enjoy a cold…
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As we are busy preparing the lodge for opening, a series of earthquakes has been shaking the Alaska Peninsula. We were woke last night to the lodge rolling and shaking to an earthquake of 6.7 magnitude, centered about 100 miles south of the lodge near the Yantarni Salmon Camp. The Peninsula is essentially a gigantic…
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The weather has been spectacular during the final week of our season. Realizing we had a rare opportunity at hand, we invited several guests to visit Aniakchak National Monument to witness the fall colors and light. A truly inspirational day. Check out our Fishing page and our Adventure page to learn more about opportunities to…
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On September 19 five Crystal Creek Lodge guests took a hike and enjoyed the incredible scenery of the Kanatak Trail in the Becharof National Wildlife Refuge. The Kanatak Trail rises 1000 ft into a pass within the Alaska Peninsula Mountains to connect the Gulf of Alaska and Bristol Bay. It has been used for thousands…
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A Crystal Creek Lodge Hat Trick is three fish in the net, and that’s about 20 lbs. of Rainbow Trout in the bag courtesy of (left to right) Dan Michels, Shannon Ward and Cole Marston. What a magnificent September day! Check out our Fishing page and our Adventure page to learn more about opportunities to…
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Katie E. of Kalispell, MT is holding one of the many Silver Salmon rushing into the streams at Yantarni this week. We expect the run to peak in the next 14 days. This year we have been blessed with spectacular weather and abundant runs of Silver Salmon. Be sure to visit Yantarni next year in September!…
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A Crystal Creek Lodge plane first landed at Aniakchak National Monument many years ago. Located 120 miles south of King Salmon on the west side of the Alaska Peninsula, Aniakchak is one of the most remote and infrequently visited National Monuments. The main feature of the Monument is a 6-mile wide caldera created 3,500 years…
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