wildlife
The country around Lava Creek Lodge belongs to the animals. Brown bears work the salmon streams, caribou drift across the tundra, moose feed in the willow flats, and foxes, birds, and everything between fill in the rest. You will see wildlife here without trying. But if you want to go looking, we have airplanes.
the country next door
Some days the best adventure is simply going up. Float plane or wheel plane, we spend the day following rivers and ridgelines to see what's moving below.
brown bears
Coastal brown bears here grow big on a salmon-heavy diet. Summer is spent working the streams, and it's common to spot them from the air on gravel bars and tidal flats.
CARIBOU
Caribou move constantly across the open tundra, often in small bands. Both bulls and cows grow antlers, the only member of the deer family where that's true.
moose
The largest member of the deer family, moose feed in ponds and willow flats. Bulls can carry antlers spanning five feet or more by late summer.
foxes
Red foxes range all through this country, hunting voles and ground-nesting birds. They den in the tundra and are most active in the low light of morning and evening.
Birdlife
Bald eagles, ducks, geese, and tundra nesters all pass through this coast. Bring binoculars, the list gets long fast.
Most of what you'll see out here, you'll see close to home. But some animals are worth going the distance for.
Worth the flight
a day at the haulout
An hour's flight down the coast, hundreds of Pacific walrus haul out to rest between trips to sea. Getting there is half the day.
cape seniavin (The haulout)
The flight follows a wild stretch of coastline where we watch for wildlife along the way, and we can put down on the beach to look for glass balls going out, coming back, or both.
At the haulout, we land at a careful distance and spend time watching these massive animals do what they've done on this coast for thousands of years.
Walrus are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and we keep our approach respectful and our distance honest. The animals set the terms. We're just visitors.
a quick word about weather
Every fly-out depends on the weather. We fly small aircraft in big country, and safety makes the call every time. When the weather cooperates, these are days you'll never forget. When it doesn't, the fishing out the front door is a pretty good consolation prize.
need help planning your trip?
Whether you're here for the fishing, the flightseeing, or a little of both, we'll help you build the week that fits.