Savonovski Loop.

Savonovski Loop is 120 miles paddeling in Katmai National Park – huge area with big quantity of grizzly bears. Its start and finish in Brooks Camp. All the best photos and bearwatching  in the world were made here.

So, our great adventure starts from King Salmon.

Day before we tried to find special boots for puddling in cold water and buy smthing for lunches during the trip.

Our guides Kathy and Bill check all our gear and provide some more waterproof packs.

Here is nice to explain who are our guides.

Kathy was born in Germany, Bavaria. Last  10 years she lives in Alaska. Her husband Bill is real trapper. His father was trapper and grandfather also.

They are both are very very expierensed persons. In 2008 Kathy became first women finished 1000 miles Iditarod Trail by snowcycle. She made it in 25 days with Bill, sleeping on the snow just in sleeping bags and pushing her cycle 500 km. They both also made Continrntal Devide Trail in 37 days (4000 miles) by cycle.  Impossible strong people! They have their own small company and both are organizers of Iditarod Race.

So, to King Salmon we rich by small aircraft Pen Air. From this point all became unusual and strange.

Our next flight was by hydroplane from Naknek river. Just 10 min by bus to new airport. This part of river is like 1 mile long airports with different companies. Its just many entrances to the river. From this point you will rich your destination like by airtaxi- to any place you want or provided by your guide. But only by hydroplane.

Kathy don’t like the very first part of loop. After Brook Camps you get to Bay of Islands and then need to cross 1,5 miles of wet forest with all your staff in your hands. Usually it takes full day.

Our hydroplane drop off us just opposite this portrage trail on Grosvenon lake. It was small island.

We put on our tents. Suddenly we realize that all fishing gear we forgot in aircraft… Bad news… But thanks to Bill, who phoned again to King Salmon, after few hours another hydroplane drop off our staff)). Half of hour after we catch our first huge rainbow trout. And reliase.

Time to diner was also special for us. Kathy provided perfect dehydrated food – real meat with vegetables. Just add hot water and wait 10-15 min. Perfect test! Really delicious! She said, she spent a lot of time to find it.

Water in river was clear. Guides started to filter it ,  but we refused. It was so testy!

We also help to construct our kayaks. They were with floating system. Nice!

This night we slept well and long.

Next day was sunny but windy.

We again catch few trouts. Now we prepare sashimi. We had some soya souce and vasabi. Breakfast was served with perfect cofe and crispy muslies.

After we cross the lake and pass the portage trail. There were fresh marks of bears. After 1,5 miles we see Bay of Island and historical cabin. But it can be used only by noncommercial tours. The weather was still windy. No fishing. But near the cabin I found on the tree fur of bear. he was somewhere here…

Returning to our island was pretty difficult for our daughters –  it was strong head wind and big waves. It was good desition to stay on island two nights. Anyway we couldn’t get another point with this weather.

Evening meal again has additional  sushimi and fresh salted caviar…

Next morning was like a present! Sunshine and calm on the Grosvenor lake.

We start to paddle.

All around were mountains, more or less covered with snow. Big stones make lakeshore and forest mirrored in lake.

We paddeled  long time to our overnight place. Small lunch picnic finished with great fishing, as usuall. Bill know well all the places on the lake. From our overnight campplace we see huge Serpent Glaciar. Evening was charming. Fishing also. Our menu changed. For dinner we had fish soup and grilled trout on the fire…. Mmmm…

Next morning again was sunshine and calm. It was impossible! We were lucky!

After few hours starts Grosvenon river. At first we see Red Salmon. All fishes stayed in clear water. It was her final destination.

As we see fish in clear water, bear also can see it.

Yes! First turn and young bear slowly moving along the shore. His head half in water. He is looking for fish. Ups! One is in his paws. Quickly make filet and eat it.

Next bear was much more expierenced- he just run away from us.

After few kilometres the river became more and more quick. Colour of water changed. It was milky. We had been in Savonovski River now.

Turrents came from all sides. Current was smthing like 10 km per hours. Turns, turns, rush, quickly! Fallen trees, sandy bars. All need to be escaped. And quickly. No time. We are following one by one trying to made the same pass. If I hear wild cry of Kathy- we need to work hard.

This time the water was high. For us it was good. But for bearwatching no. In such milky and high water they cannot fishing. No visibility.

There were no rapids. And after few hours the river became much more slow and wide. We even get in some sand bars 3 times…

And here is Iliuk Arm – big lake with emerald milky water. Huge and with cold glaciar water.

Again we overnigt on island. All places around are full of bears. And isles are much more safe. Of course, there is possibility of crossing distance between shore and island by bear.

But there wasnt fishing in this place.

Morning we start to cross Iliuk Arm.  It was strong east wind. For us- tail wind. The waves grows. Bill ask us not to stop and paddle as hard as possible. So we did 3 hours without any stop. Uf! It was really hard! But much beter if we have head wind. And also, after two hours waves became smaler and later completely dead.

We stop for lunch. First thing we see – bears toilet. It was also one black grizzly escaping from us. But our main aim was Margot Creek. Here we expected to see more bears. And we were lucky! Near Creek on sandy bar slept big one. We disturbed him and he follow to the shore, were fisherman tried to catch Red Salmon. Fisherman frozen all together and went to their boat. And after on the river arrived saw with 2 year old cub. She jumped with splash into water and catch one by one fishes for her yelling son. Then arrive another saw with two cubs. She was young and nonexpiriensed. So she faulted every time and her cubs just watched her, staying on two back paws… And after arrived two adult males.

One of the was Diver Bear. He put his head into the water and following the Red Salmon catch one by one every 10 minutes. He keeped it between paws and with pleasure made at first filet and then eat all his fish. Near bear was all  time seagall – She need rest of food.

We  watched may be 2 or 3 hours. Then the evening came and we became freeze.

Our next overnight was again on the island. But before we landed, Bill with pepper and revolver check all island – last time there were saw and two cubs.

At night started the rain.

But the worst was when we escaped island and get to lake.  There were again  huge waves and  strong tail east wind. Bill asked us not be slow.

OK.

The pass to Bay of Brooks was so far! We paddled and paddled. Without any stop! I all time changed little bit direction- small waves just angle to kayak and hard waves only tail of kayak. Any stop. Any pause. Only after two hours of hard work we turned to another bay without waves.

That’s all. It was Brooks Camp just 40 min ahead. Airplanes stayed on the shore. Big brown bear passed near them.

We get the Camp.

Here were another rules.  First camping, then Brook Camp regulation in Visitor Center – short film and rules, then hot shower (7 usd). Just near shower cabin I see big bear…. Ranger followed him trying keep him away from Camp.

Then we follow to Platform 1.    Kathy asked me not to do this before dinner. But I couldn’t realized why.

We crossed Brooks River by bridge. It was wood platform there. And all people stay there. Everywhere had been bears -swimming, diving, sleeping, watching.  They moved. Sometimes. they follow just near platform. We wanted return back – it was dinner bell. But no. Bridge was closed. Too dangerous!  But bears are free walking between cabins and on the shore!

Impossible, but we stayed on platform 2 more hours! Completely dead of hungry and cold.

Dinner was delicious and not expensive – 35 usd per person.  Salads, soup, salmon, meat , sweets… And big fireplace. And free(!) coffee and tea at any time.

This night rain starts. All night. And big tree cracked at 2am.

Morning was chilly and rainy. Out tent was completely wet. We packed our staff , took big and various breakfast and went go see bears on Cascades at Platform 2.

It was only one- old, lazy and fat one. He set in cascades foam and waited till fish will be in his paw. And during hour it happens 3 times!

Our time of flight was 5pm. The weather was awful. We hope for blue sky. We cannot go again on platform – rangers can close bridge at any time for any time.

Bears walked between hydroplanes, sometime approach to restaurant or freezing room. It was amazing and funny!

At 4:30 pm our Katmai Air pick up us to King Salmon. It was windy flight. And 7:30 pm another plane pick up to Anchorage, to the house of Glenda and Snowy, who waited for us with so testy biscuits and quiches !

This adventure was so nice and many thanks to our so experienced and professional guides Kathy and Bill.