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.
It is a deep love of the Alaska wilderness that drives us to keep exploring the remote and undeveloped areas that we call our backyard. The sky’s the limit, above Alaska. Fly out fishing and adventures are what we specialize in. Check out our Fishing page and our Adventure page to learn more about opportunities…
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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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Bush Flying in Alaska When you lift off and cruise through the air in remote Alaska, only a few words can capture the experience. The roar of the engine on takeoff is exhilarating, and as you lift up and cruise, a quick scan of the endless landscape fills you with awe. It’s exciting and overwhelming….
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Workhorse in the sky The De Havilland Beaver has a rich history around the world. Of course, now it is a great part of Alaska’s aviation heritage. The Beaver has been a cornerstone of the sport fishing community in Bristol Bay since the first lodges and fishing outfits began in the 1950s. We at Crystal Creek…
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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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The Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes is a prominent feature of Katmai National Park. It is a gigantic ash field about 10 miles long and three miles wide remaining from the eruption of the Katmai Volcano, shown in the background, in June 1912. The eruption was the most powerful of the 20th Century and was…
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Alaska Shore Lunch Paul and Jeff H., father and son from North Carolina and Pennsylvania respectively, are smacking their lips as they anticipate delivery of fresh Silver Salmon to their plates. Paul and Jeff have fished with us several times, but for the first time they did an overnight at Yantarni. We treated them to…
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Yesterday we put Beaver N602AK on wheels. Man! I love that plane on wheels! It is an incredible performer. After doing a few touch-and-goes last night that allowed me to pilot Steve to brush off the dust, we put it on the schedule today to go char fishing at Becharof Lake. The guests caught hundreds. While…
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