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Day One - If only pictures could do justice to a place as beautiful as Alaska. On Sept. 18, 1999 I boarded a small plane in Anchorage to travel to Katmai National Park, specifically Kulik Lodge. It is the height of Fall and more interestingly, the peak of bear season. Looking to pack on fat and weight for the long winter ahead, brown bears are arriving daily to fish the river. And somehow, I've managed to grab a seat on the first flight out of the day. |
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| Ah, the Lodge. After a morning of wading through the river, fly fishing, or perhaps hiking, it was nice to return to the warmth of the big fireplace here (and perhaps, grab a few rice krispie squares which were plentiful). |  |
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"Why," you will be asking me in a few days, did I include this picture? This was the first brown bear I spotted - before everyone in our group had even arrived. It was thrilling! There he was, just walking down the beach. No big deal for him. Of course, it was a huge deal to us! In retrospect, I have to laugh. This distant sighting really doesn't qualify as a Katmai bear encounter! |
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As the rest of the group continued to arrive, I took a cursory stroll around the lodge, making sure not to get too close to that beach. That was when I found this! Apparently, there are other forms of wildlife in the area. Although, maybe this is a sign that'd I'd better start traveling in larger groups! Small journal entry today. Our adventure has only just begun... |
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