Alaskan Adventures Issue #10 Spring 2024

ALASKAN

ADVENTURES

WINTERS GRIP

This story is meant, in hopes, to paint a picture for you, what things look like in the off-season. And to show an appreciation and understanding of nature, in the midst of Winters Grip.

If you have had a chance to visit Alaskan Adventures lodge it was most likely pretty favorable weather with lush green bushes and trees about. From end of May till September that is pretty typical, however, the golden yellow of autumn comes quick at the end of the season and it you can watch the trees leaves change to yellow and be gone in almost a week. It is very soon after that everything turns cold and white with snow.

Often when I meet folks that have never been to the lodge and we talk about Alaska, the conversation often shifts to the question of, “I bet it is freezing cold at night in the summer” or “how much snow do you see in the summer”. And to be honest summers are typically quite warm. We never see snow and RARELY does it ever get below 40 degrees Fahrenheit unless it is late August or September. As a matter of fact, I have seen two weeks of 90 degrees and the rest of the summer it stayed in the 80’s. That’s right! -in Alaska! That was a bit much if you ask me. Typically, where we are I would expect an average of 70 degrees during the day and 50’s at night and that’s perfect, in my opinion!

Now, once September hits the temperature really starts to get cold and it does not surprise me to see frozen puddles in the later part of September. When this happens it is just a reminder as to what is to come. It is rare that we ever see snow in September, with that, we do sparsely but it does not make its presence known until further into October. Once October rolls around things usually turn white and stay that way until the thaw, sometimes not until May some years.

Winter Months can get extremely cold. So cold, that I have heard from old timers that negative 75 degrees has happened, and it has been common for negative 50 degrees to last for seven days straight. In Alaska it can get COLD and it is not a dry cold, as a matter of fact, it is a damp cold and, My oh my! That is cold! Cold enough that the river freezes solid with six feet of ice. Six feet of ice sounds like a lot and it is, however, when spring rolls around it melts rather quick. In May I have seen it take only one-two weeks for these big ice chunks to melt.

With the extreme cold it is amazing that wildlife can survive in conditions like this, but nature has ways of prevailing. Bears, for example, will sleep for four to six months… Must be nice! However, I think most of us have heard about the sleeping bear magic, but have you heard about the frog that lives in Alaska? Yes, amphibians in Alaska! To me, it is amazing to think this is even possible since it gets SO COLD in Alaska. What really amazes me is that the ground in Alaska stays frozen well into July. The wood frogs live in the ground and literally freeze with the ground. During this frozen time their heart slows to almost one beat a minute. Just barely enough to keep the frog alive until winters grip loses its strength.

In the heart of winter, the shortest days in Alaska do not allow for much light. Only five and a half hours of daylight during this time. If you are into watching stars or Northern lights, winter is the optimal time of the year for you. You had better bring your extra layers and down jacket because Winters Grip peaks at this time!

Spring in Alaska is short lived and usually lasts the end of April to the beginning of May as the river opens up and the ice break happens. During this time we have seen four to six feet of snow at the lodge that has accumulated all winter, and in a matter of two to three weeks, we watch it all disappear. We enjoy watching the change in seasons as Winters Grip gets warmed away, however, we also pray for a slow release. Because when nature slowly loosens her grip, the river has a chance to move all that water downstream. If the earth warms too quickly, the river will rise and rise and rise until EVERYTHING floods. The flush is a good because it moves all the remnants of winter downstream, however, a large flood is not a good thing for the salmon smolt. The pike and sheefish end up moving into the timbered areas of the flood and once the river recedes these fish become trapped and eventually die. This purge of the river could be nature’s way of creating an eb an flow.

It is amazing to me how nature thrives in the extreme temperatures that Alaska throws at all things living. From the extremely cold in the winter to some extreme cases of heat in the summer. The idea that this amount of life can thrive in these extremes from fish to frogs, to bugs, to birds. Alaska is a land of extremes that everyone should experience. So, when visiting the lodge be sure to ask about how things looked in the midst of Winters Grip.

GOOD GEAR FOR ALASKA

Traveling to remote far-off locations requires a specific type of mindset when packing. You want to travel as light as possible but still have the most comforts of home that we can. Not only that, but we also want to be prepared for almost any situation that can occur when in a far-off location. This article will talk about some things to think about when packing for a remote excursion.

LOCATION? WHERE ARE YOU GOING?

When traveling to Alaska for a remote adventure are you going to be staying at a lodge or are you going to be exploring on your own without a guide and staying in a tent somewhere in the backcountry? Both can be a blast but require a different set of packing. As offer both but require the same simple rule, to keep it simple.

REMOTE CAMP

An Alaskan remote camp experience can be an absolute blast but there are a few things to keep in mind when packing for this type of adventure. Most outfitters that will drop you off in the backcountry will provide some gear HOWEVER it’s a good idea to bring a few specific things to make sure you are comfortable and safe. Below is my list of the most important things. Although be sure to find out what may be provided for you.

SLEEPING BAG

A lot of outfits will hook you up with a sleeping bag if requested and the upside to this is you don’t need to travel with one. HOWEVER, I’m kind of weird and don’t really like to share something so personal. I also know how I like to sleep and keep warm at night, and I trust my judgment when it comes to picking out a piece of gear that will keep me safe. Two factors I would consider when finding a sleeping bag would be the rating for below what the projected temperatures are and something super light. Remember your going to have to pack it with you everywhere you go.

DRY BAGS

Keeping your gear and personal clothing dry is a MUST! In a lot of cases, you’re going to be in and out of water often and it does rain a LOT in Alaska. Keeping your sleeping bag and personal cloths dry is a safety concern as well. If for some reason you fall into the water, you’ll need to get dry ASAP and a dry bag will keep everything safe and dry. Check out Toklat Gear for some great options!

RAIN GEAR

This is another safety issue. Keep in mind that you want something that is waterproof and light however it also MUST be durable as you’re going to, most likely, live in this gear daily. The old school rubber rain jacket probably isn’t your best option as it is heavy and it doesn’t breath. My favorite is anything GoreTex. Light and packable is key!

LAYERS

Remember this…. Cotton Kills! When thinking about what clothes to bring, don’t pack just cotton. Cotton has cooling properties rather than heat trapping properties. Always pack some sort of wool and in layers. Temperatures could be super cool in the morning and hot in the afternoon.

BOOTS OR SHOES?

In most cases you’re going to be in and around water so make sure you have water proof boots or possibly even waders. Keep in mind though, you’re going to want to eventually take those off. Camp shoes such as crocs or something similar are key. Trust me your feet will than you!

TARP

As mentioned a lot of places will provide you with a tent, however I have seen high winds come up and absolutely destroy tents leaving big holes ripped and exposing people and gear to the elements. A tarp is a good idea to keep you dry, just in case.

FIRST AID/EMERGENCY GEAR

A small first aid pouch carrying band aids and just in case gear is a MUST! Small safety and first aid gear can be found at any outdoor store. Over the years I have used items out of both on multiple occasions.

PERSONAL TOILETRIES/MEDICATION

KEEP it SIMPLE!

100% DEET

just trust me with this one, you’ll need it!

“Don’t forget your 100% DEET bug spray”

Listed above are some of my must haves when packing for a remote excursion adventure. Some other items might be your fishing gear and/or your hunting gear depending on your adventure but that’s another topic. Now let’s look at the catered lodge adventure. Many items to pack are similar, however many are often taken care of by the guides and lodge.

DRY BAGS

Probably the biggest and best item you’ll need is good dry bags. You’re probably not going to be putting your personal gear in the rain for long periods of time HOWEVER it could happen. I have seen where waiting for a plane it’s raining and even possibly a delayed plane caused you to travel by boat two hours to another village to catch a bigger plane and luggage could possibly be sitting in the rain on a boat. Dry bags will keep all your gear dry no matter what. Check out Toklat Gear for a great option!

RAIN GEAR

IS A MUST! Again, I recommend anything GoreTex. It’s waterproof, breathable and packable.

SLIPPERS

Most Lodges don’t really like muddy shoes and boots in the lodge so be sure to bring your slippers, crocs, or any type of house shoe.

LAYERS

Just as with the remote camp trip you’re defiantly going to want layers. Wool in some form is a must! It will keep you warm even when you experience some moisture like rain or even sweat.

PERSONAL TOILETRIES/MEDICATION

Most lodges provide soap, shampoo, and towels but it’s always safe to double check. Don’t forget your toothpaste and toothbrush.

Lastly, don’t forget your 100% DEET bug spray!

In both adventures these are my must haves for each style of trip. Before going on your adventure check with your lodge or outfitter and make sure you’re not missing anything. My biggest advice is to keep in simple, light and dry. Packing to much can be a burden. Packing the wrong gear can be a deal breaker. So check and double check and then have the adventure of a lifetime!

FLY CONVENTIONAL? OR

By Dan Paull

MWhen I was around twelve, I was invited to fish for trout in Pennsylvania in Potter County. If you know anything about the streams in Potter County you know how skinny they are with a LOT of overgrown bushes on the sides. This made casting rather difficult and at the time I “donated” many flies to the river in the process of learning how not to. Although I donated enough to stock a small fly box that weekend, I did manage to catch plenty of fish. I’d say, at that time, a fly fisher was born because I was hooked.

I got older and eventually got my driver’s license, this opened my possibilities for fishing. I spent many hours fishing for steelhead in the tributaries of Lake Erie typically with either a noodle rod or a fly rod. Now by the time I turned eighteen, I really enjoyed the challenge of attempting to catch fish with a fly rod. I knew the rivers in fall, winter, and spring would be full of steelhead, I took any and every chance I got to get out on the river. The moving water really grabbed my attention. It was a constant moving puzzle to get the perfect drift in front of fish for maximum success and this allure ate up lots of my time. Water level and clarity were two of the key factors that would determine maximum success on the tributaries. I learned at an early age that if the water was too dirty with maybe eight inches of clarity, fishing the fly would be really tough, so the next best option was to fish spawn under a float. On dirty water days this

I would consider myself an opportunist fisherman. I learned at an early age if you wanted to put a smile on your face you had to be versatile. Although I really enjoy the challenges of hooking fish on the fly, I also really enjoy hooking fish. I get asked often which I prefer fly or spin and my answer is always the same…. Whatever it takes to catch fish. Over the years I have learned how to troll, back troll, drift, work banks, dry fly fish, streamer fish, dead drift, float fish and more and I continue to grow in this sport. As the saying goes there’s more than one way to skin a cat and I am far from a purist.

In regard to fishing at Alaskan Adventures lodge in Alaska, learning all these techniques has helped me grow as an angler so that I can share with all the guests at any skill level. If a guest is a beginner fly angler and wants to grow in that direction, I’m more than ecstatic to help. Over the years I have learned many ways to assist in there growth. If all else fails, we can easily switch over to conventional tackle and hook plenty of fish with no problem. Maybe a guest has a physical limitation, well we have plenty of options to still get them on fish. Maybe the river conditions are less than optimal, well we got you covered. Fishing is adaptable to all and I am happy to help anyone learn and be successful.

So, at the end of the day it does not matter of your skill level or fishing style preference or even what fish you want to target. When you pay for a guide, you’re paying for their knowledge base so that you are ahead of the curve ball or maybe so you can learn a new thing or two. Either way, we have spent a lot of time on the water and we have the know how to put a smile on your face. We are not purists, but we are opportunists that love to have fun!

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