If I Were Going...: Lake Clark National Park and the Farm Lodge

Then, we flew out for our four days at The Farm Lodge on Lake Clark. We were here in July 2011 and decided to come back. It is owned by the same folks who own Lake Clark Air and it’s all about planes ...

Me with one of Lake Clark Air's tundra planes

... and fish ...

Scott fished one day while I hiked

The excitement of the stay at the Lodge begins immediately with a spectacular place ride through Lake Clark Pass.

Once again, Scott's in the co-pilot's seat

The Park

Lake Clark National Park, where the Lodge is located, cannot be reached by land. It's either boat or plane and plane is the way to go.

Passing another plane en route

When you fly, you actually go through (not over) Lake Clark Pass, which, at 1,050 feet, is the main low-elevation/small plane air route between Anchorage and western Alaska.

Incredible views of glaciers

The Park is only 100 miles from Anchorage ...

We were flying from Anchorage to Port Alsworth

... but it is worlds away ...

The visit, however, included flights all over Lake Clark and Katmai National Parks

Just like Kenai Fjords, Lake Clark National Park Park was named a National Monument in 1978, then established as a National Park and Preserve in 1980 by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act. The park includes many streams and lakes vital to the Bristol Bay salmon fishery, including its namesake Lake Clark (the largest lake in the Park).

Lake Clark is 860 feet deep and 42 miles long

It protects rainforests along the coastline of Cook Inlet, alpine tundra, glaciers, glacial lakes, major salmon-bearing rivers and two volcanoes, Mount Redoubt and Mount Iliamna. Mount Redoubt is active, erupting in 1989 and 2009.

This landscape is stunning

The wide variety of ecosystems in the park mean that virtually all major Alaskan animals, terrestrial and marine, may be seen in and around the park.

A lone bull Alaskan Moose

Salmon, particularly sockeye salmon, play a major role in the ecosystem and the local economy.

Glacial silt empties into a lake

Brown Bear watching is a common activity in the Park (however, there are seldom Brown Bears near the actual Lodge in Port Alsworth; the Bears there tend to be Black Bears).

Coming into Port Alsworth

The major settled area is Port Alsworth on Lake Clark. In the middle of the National Park, the town is private land grandfathered in at the Park's founding. It has a National Park Visitor Center, homes (many occupied only in summer), a youth camp, a school, several lodges and, of course, the airstrip.

The landing strip behind lakefront homes (most of these homeowners have their own planes)

Port Alsworth's population is about 159, making it the most populated community in the borough. Five other settlements are near the Park, populated mainly by Dena'ina natives.

Lake Clark National Park and Preserve covers 4 million acres (2.6 in the Park and 1.4 in the Preserve).

Rugged may be an understatement

The Park is wild and rugged, with no roads. That's why planes – both float and tundra – are such an important part of the Farm Lodge experience.

Scott by the floatplane

The Lodge

A word about The Farm Lodge ...

The Farm Lodge from across the lake

This is our second time here. What an experience. Wonderful people, yummy food (diet is out the window – but the overindulgence is healthy) and flying in small planes every day. Plus, our personal pilot is the owner’s son, Glen Alsworth, Jr.

Pilot Glen

And, Glen's uncle flew us here.

In transit

This is from The Farm Lodge's website:

In 1944, Glen’s grandfather, Leon "Babe" Alsworth, taxied his small floatplane up to the shore of Hardenberg Bay on Lake Clark. After flying the area on his route between Anchorage and the commercial canneries in Bristol Bay – and occasionally landing – for five years, he and his wife Mary were there to make Lake Clark their home.

Part of Lake Clark Air's fleet of planes

Now, more than 70 years after Babe and Mary homesteaded what is now the location for The Farm Lodge and Lake Clark Air, it is still easy to see why they were drawn to this breathtaking piece of Alaska. For over 35 years the Alsworth family has offered sightseeing, wildlife viewing, fishing and photography trips in southwest Alaska.

The Lodge lobby/dining room (that's a stuffed Wolf in the corner -- not a real one)

The lodge’s backyard consists of hundreds of untouched miles of glaciers, lakes, tundra, wildlife habitat and fishing holes.

Lake Clark Pass

The staff is mainly college kids, hand-picked for character and wholesomeness.

Moving luggage to the cabins

They are delightful. Our cabin was somewhat basic (they have newer, more expensive ones), but comfy, with hot, hot water ...

The cabin faces the lake

... and a great view ...

View from the porch

As I said, the food is yummy and wholesome – three meals a day are included (everything is included except gratuities).

Breakfast

Because they have young workers, they do not serve or allow alcohol in the public places.

Dinner with mechanics who came to inspect the planes

The weather was great – cool to hot, but unfortunately smoky from some forest fires (!).

Smoke on the water

Still, the Lodge is lovely. We highly recommend.

The trail from the main Lodge to the waterfront cabins

Check it out here.

Evening come late in the summer

The Visit

Our stay included two floatplane trips and one tundra plane flight ...

Scott with the tundra plane (big tires for landing on rugged ground)

... plus a half-day guided fishing for Scott.

Scott suited up and ready to go

The first day we went on a floatplane to Brooks Falls.

Flying in

We landed and took a quick look around, but the salmon were late and there were no Bears. We decided to go somewhere else and try Brooks Falls on our second day of floatplane flying.

Brooks Falls sans Bears

But we did see six Bears (one Black, Five Grizzly) from the air. The coolest was one that we saw on a beach in Brooks Camp.

On the opposite side of Naknek Lake from Brooks Camp

We landed to get a better look and watched him swim across the lake! Seems the bears are gathering for the salmon run. That was a good sign. Maybe we'd see Bears when we came back.

Swimming towards the Falls

We also saw a caribou and a few eagles ...

Bald Eagle

... plus landed on some absolutely beautiful, remote lakes ...

Landing on a lake in the middle of nowhere (I really don't know where this was)

Honestly, most of the time, I had absolutely no idea where we were. I had to have faith that Glen's flight plans would bring rescue should something happen. You just have to stop thinking about those things while in the Alaskan wilderness.

Lots of lakes, lots of islands

The next day, we went out on the tundra plane, looking for Caribou and exploring some really remote spots.

Flying low over barren ground

The tundra plane (a Stinson Blackhawk) is a three-seater with giant inner tube tires that can land on uneven ground and take-off in short distances.

Our sweet ride

We spent the morning searching for the caribou herd. We saw a few lone caribou, collected and examined some antlers and skulls, but never found the herd.

Lots of evidence, but few actual 'bous

Still, it was amazing to fly and fly and fly and see no people, no buildings, nothing!

You can see forever

We landed on a few tundra-covered hilltops.

Tundra plants

A bumpy landing – heck, a bumpy, spongy walk – but very interesting. I love being in a place so far, so clean and so quiet. Some of the hills remind you of the iconic 1970s coke commercial. We did not burst out in song.

I'd like to teach the world to sing

After much searching and a lovely lunch, we headed to Lake Clark pass where we landed on a gravel bar.

Coming in to a gravel bar in the braided river

We had a bit of a walk around, seeing some bear prints, but no bears.

Those are our footprints (do the Bears get excited to see human prints?)

Then we went on to Summit Glacier, which now looks like five or six glaciers, but back in 1977 filled the valley with 1,000 feet of ice. Global warming is real!!!

Melting, melting, melting

The most startling thing is the immensity of the place – miles and miles and miles of pristine lakes, forests, waterfalls.

Incredible

My pictures don’t do them justice and it’s really hard to get good shots from the plane, even though the views are unbelievable.

It’s surprising for a Coloradan who lives below our 10,000+ foot treeline that treeline here is about 700 feet! Lots of tundra and really skinny trees.

Interesting landscape

I wish we could have them

We didn't see many moose, but we did see two bleached out skulls with antlers. Probably killed last season by wolves.

One was on National Park land and one wasn’t near anywhere we could land, so they will stay where they are.

I am becoming a small plane junkie. I know they are a bit risky, but the thrill of seeing this incredible landscape and of being so far out there is intoxicating.

These planes represent freedom

Glen is a great pilot, a wonderful tour guide and a very nice guy. The landings and takeoffs in the water and on remote mountaintops and gravel bars are thrilling.