Hello, Dan Michels here. It's been said that after 27 seasons at Crystal Creek Lodge I am the only constant. Yet, that being said, it's not about me. It's about our guests, and the staff, of Crystal Creek Lodge. Our guests dedicate their free time to experience what we do and our staff dedicate their careers to serving our guests. This blog series is about snippets of insight as to what we do, and how our guests experience Crystal Creek Lodge. Enjoy.
It’s been one of those drizzly summers. This year, we’ve experienced a handful of “no-fly” weather days, where we won’t fly due to extreme wind, low ceiling, poor visibility or all of the above. This has inspired me to write a little bit about flying, weather, safety, and the unpredictability of our wild Alaskan environment….
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Becharof National Wildlife Refuge embraces the largest lake in the National Wildlife Refuge System. Becharof Lake nurtures one of Bristol Bay’s largest sockeye salmon runs, part of the foundation for the regional economy. The Refuge, protecting 1,157,000 acres, also includes an active volcano, unusual geological features, historically significant landmarks, and a federally designated Wilderness. …
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Wondering what else there is to do at Crystal Creek Lodge outside of fishing? Well here’s the short list. The long list? Your imagination is the only limitation. Design an Alaska adventure itinerary based at Crystal Creek Lodge to trek across the sky of Southwest Alaska. See a region that is wild, dramatic and incredibly…
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We’ve crafted amazing and inspiring adventures highlighting the best of what Southwest Alaska has to offer. Rivers, Glaciers, National Parks, mountains, and abundant wildlife fill the ever-changing panorama making for an adventurous way to experience the unfolding scenery. Design an adventure itinerary based at Crystal Creek Lodge to trek across the sky of Southwest Alaska….
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In an stunning spectacle of nature, this video shows a very large herd of walruses in Alaska. Arctic ice is receding at an alarming rate and the waters of the North Pacific Ocean are the warmest on record. Tens of thousands of walruses have been affected and are “hauling out” on Alaskan beaches in numbers never…
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The Valley of 10,000 Smokes In the year 1912 on June 6th, the Katmai Eruption (also known as the Novarupta Volcano eruption) occured, sending nearly 30 cubic kilometers of ash and debris into the atmosphere. The Katmai eruption was the largest of the 20th century. This cataclysmic event created a barren and Martian-like landscape in the…
Read more »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.
Read more »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 over…
Read more »A Crystal Creek Lodge first was landing upon Aniakchak National Monument. 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 ago…
Read more »Heather Oberholtzer accompanied a party of guests for a tour of the Alaska Peninsula, a tour that included a stop at the walrus cape, a spin around the inside of the Aniakchak National Monument and a brief stop at a beach on Bristol Bay wherein we found several antique glass fishing floats. Here are three…
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