Exploring Kenai, Bear watching and Heli Tour (Day 3)
An early morning rise and a quick coffee and muffin breakfast preceded our 1 hr drive to Talon Air located in Soldotna. The early morning sunlight added a golden misty look to already breathtaking landscapes. After checking in we started our exhilarating adventure fly-in bear watching adventure with a short float plane ride to bear lake. As the aircraft ascended, we marveled at the sprawling landscapes below with dense forests, winding rivers, and glistening lakes all stretched out beneath us. The flight was not just a means to reach the destination; it was an integral part of the experience, showcasing the stunning scenery that Alaska was famous for. After we crossed the Cook inlet at low tide , with the glacial silt glistening in the morning sunlight, we quickly got engulfed in the early morning fog around the lake on the other side . After a thrilling foggy lake landing we boarded our small boat with our guide Shrek to witness Alaska's majestic wildlife in its natural habitat. He shared insights about the local bear population, including information about the different individuals we might encounter. After a quick boat journey toward the waterfall feeding the lake, know as the wolverine creek , where majestic brown bears were often spotted fishing for salmon during the run as silver salmon try to go upstream to release their eggs.
As we approached the riverbank, we were greeted with 4-5 boats loaded with fisherman trying to hook the salmon just gathering up at the mouth of the waterfall. Where there are salmon tere will be fisherman and bears , that is the norm, but since the bears are lazy and are residents they don’t come out till the sun comes out. Gradually one by one they started to come down the mountain slopes and try their luck catching a fish. Since the water level was low that day the salmon were not jumping upstream but were congregating at the mouth which made fishermen quickly snag 2-3 fish in an hour . The guides also fileted the fish and threw the carcass in the water which made it an easy and quick snack to grab for a mama bear with two months old cubs. She is known for her diving skills and would dive to retrieve the carcass and take it to her cubs hidden in the tree line for safety. Even though they prefer only the head , the skin and the eggs of the fish to get fat quickly, that is the food for the big guys, not the small ones and mothers with cubs. The sight of these powerful creatures in action showcasing their impressive agility, strength and grace left us in awe. Our guide repeatedly emphasized the importance of respecting the bears' space and behavior, allowing us to enjoy the encounter while prioritizing safety. We often found ourselves mesmerized by the bears’ interactions, watching as they played, fished, and occasionally interacted with one another. We also kept an eye out for other wildlife, including numerous eagles soaring overhead.
After spending the initial few hours watching the bears, we decided to explore the rest of the Otter lake area along with Weasel and Martin lakes which are connected to form the big river lake area. We photographed eagles and looked around for beavers, red headed mergansers, river otters and the Tule white fronted geese but were not able to see any of those. We stopped at a beautiful waterfall , famous for adding the backdrop of your pictures with the day's catch. The lake also has a fly-in lodge called the Redoubt bay lodge on its shore which is accessible only on folate planes. Since the day was not super busy with bear watching we could have easily done some fishing if we had gotten our license at the check , which we planned to always do next time. After exploring the area we went back to bear watching and to see if we can get some fish carcass to put out for the eagles. One of the fishing group agreed but they wanted to keep the head, which made the fish carcass light enough for gulls as well , which made the thing fast and entertaining, but gulls got most of it. We spent some more time with the bears before heading to the pickup location.
As the weather had cleared up the pilot of the flight back to Soldotna took a quick detour through Mount Redoubt and Mount Iliamna showcasing a double glacier, numerous deep crevasses ,emerald mountain lakes, and waterfalls offering breathtaking aerial views once more.
Once again we were back on the Sterling Highway, the road hugging the Kenai River and providing panoramic views of the mountains, and vast stretches of wilderness. There were several viewpoints and pull-offs along the way that invited us to stop and capture the beauty. After retracing our path all the way to the Tern lake lookout point we now switched to Highway 9 on the way to Seward. As we continued south, the landscape became even more dramatic, with the rugged peaks of the Kenai Mountains rising to the west. The road winding through the lush forests of the Chugach National Forest, providing glimpses of snow-capped peaks and sparkling alpine lakes. We frequently saw bald eagles along the road.
The final stretch of the journey takes you through the Resurrection River Valley, a scenic corridor that leads to the coastal town of Seward. This area is part of the Kenai Fjords National Park, known for its stunning fjords, glaciers, and abundant marine wildlife. The park is also home to the Harding Icefield, one of the largest ice fields in North America, which feeds over 40 glaciers. Just after the exit Glacier entrance we took a left to the airport road for our 1 hr helicopter tour. The weather had turned very cloudy but were informed by the tour operators that the tour was still on , but might not follow the previously discussed route.
A helicopter ride over Kenai Fjords National Park is an unforgettable way to witness Alaska’s breathtaking beauty from above. This remarkable experience offered a unique perspective on the park’s stunning landscapes, including towering glaciers, glacier lagoons filled with icebergs ,rugged mountains, and the vast expanse of the coastline. As the helicopter ascended, we were greeted with panoramic views of majestic glaciers all around Seward, such as the renowned Exit Glacier and the expansive Harding Icefield on one side and the Godwin glacier on the other. First we flew over the dramatic landscapes of Kenai Fjords coastline hovering above breathtaking scenery, often gliding through narrow fjords or over cascading waterfalls crossing viewpoints like Lowell Point and Caines Head that we have explored before on foot /boat.
Among the highlights of the trip was our next destination , the Bear Glacier, the largest glacier in Kenai Fjords, captivated us with its sprawling icefields and dramatic blue hue and its unique two distinct medial moraine making it look a highway on ice from above. Bear Glacier Lagoon, due to its narrow outlet holding on to most of the icebergs and preventing it from going out in the sea, created a striking tableau that showcased nature’s artistry . From the air, we could see the glacier’s icy tongue extending into the lagoon, where icebergs floated serenely in the turquoise waters. This lagoon, surrounded by steep cliffs and dense forests, was a testament to the glacier's dynamic movement, providing a stunning contrast to the rugged terrain. Our initial plan was to go up to the harding icefield but due to full cloud cover our pilot decided to cross the resurrection bay and to a rugged island on the other side of the bay. Then we made our way north over Fox island and started our approach to Godwin Glacier. It was great to see the glacier from the air as we had explored it on foot on our previous trip. The Heli ride also allowed us to go deeper in the mountain range and look at some moulin, crevices filled with pristine blue water along with some incredible icefall. We then moved towards the exit glacier to get a last aerial glacier view before descending to the Helipad. The aerial tour showcased the diverse ecosystems that thrived within the park, from dense forests to alpine tundra; to icefields and glaciers;the contrasts in landscape became evident from above. We also saw Bald eagles flying underneath as well as some seals resting on the icebergs , adding an exciting layer to the journey. Its unique vantage point offers a slightly closer view than a bi plane tour.One of the helicopter tour options was to land on a glacier itself which provides the surreal experience of walking on the glacier, but since we have done it before numerous times we skipped it this time.
Looking for a place to have dinner we drove to Millers point , but on the 4th of July weekend everything was filled up , so we crossed the city limits and took a turn to the left towards the exit glacier. We were told by our guide in the morning to look for a driveway with two rocks to get to the river basin which is where the locals camp. As we made our way to the river bed and found a good place with a beautiful view of the mountain and boondocked there for the night, enjoying a leisurely dinner and a beautiful walk before bed.
