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.
Vastness of Alaska How big is Alaska? It’s easy to lose yourself in the vastness of Alaska. For the unprepared, it can be a shock and many times an overwhelming feeling. Whether you are with us and exploring it for the first time or you’ve been multiple times, it never gets old or smaller. This…
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Alaska’s Wild Moments with Crystal Creek Lodge Take a journey and discover many of Alaska’s wild moments that Crystal Creek Lodge has to offer. This is the sort of journey that cleanses your soul, where you can breathe in the fresh air while wandering the beach in search of lost treasures, hike trails that explore…
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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. 1….
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By Max Dorsi On top of some of the best coho salmon fishing you can find anywhere, the backdrop at Yantarni Salmon Camp is simply jaw-dropping. Don’t believe us? Check out this Panorama Gallery from our camp manager Max Dorsi. The Yantarni Salmon Camp is a private, wilderness tent camp. Crystal Creek Lodge guests fish…
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Come along and experience Alaska and the amazing changes that it goes through as the summer season progresses. It’s all about the return of the spawning salmon from the ocean to the rivers and lakes. This major event is to be witnessed and experienced in person, and it is for any wildlife or fishing enthusiast….
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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) occurred. It sent 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…
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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 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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