Alaska tips and tricks

[Nuts]

Offering a couple looking to see what others have

1. I always get my tags prior to traveling. Way to annoying if someone is sold out
2. Groceries and misc gear. I order my jetboil fuel and anything else online for pickup at REI or Cabelas. Food as well for pickup. Allows better planning and not wasting time
3. Hotels around Fairbanks close 9/1. Coming out of the bush amd back to Fairbanks around the 17th can be difficult to find a hotel. And you dont know exactly which day you will be back in order to do it beforehand. As soon as I know we are headed back I text my daughter at home a date with InReach. She knows what it means. When I get phone service I will see a reservation for 1 of the few hotels open
4. Vehicle rental. For float hunts we get one of the Fairbanks taxi services to drop us off and pick us up. Cheaper then autorental and no worry about getting truck to take out

 

[kwyeewyk]

Offering a couple looking to see what others have

1. I always get my tags prior to traveling. Way to annoying if someone is sold out
2. Groceries and misc gear. I order my jetboil fuel and anything else online for pickup at REI or Cabelas. Food as well for pickup. Allows better planning and not wasting time
3. Hotels around Fairbanks close 9/1. Coming out of the bush amd back to Fairbanks around the 17th can be difficult to find a hotel. And you dont know exactly which day you will be back in order to do it beforehand. As soon as I know we are headed back I text my daughter at home a date with InReach. She knows what it means. When I get phone service I will see a reservation for 1 of the few hotels open
4. Vehicle rental. For float hunts we get one of the Fairbanks taxi services to drop us off and pick us up. Cheaper then autorental and no worry about getting truck to take out

Curious how far out of Fairbanks you hunt and what the taxi service costs for that?

Thanks

 

[Nuts]

Depends who you get to take you. $500-$1,000 1 way with a vehicle big enough for 4-6 guys, gear and rafts. Figure 3-4 hrs driving 1 way

 

[Robert N]

Alaska, tips and tricks…

#1: if the forecast say “Clear”, take rain gear.
#2: if the forecast says “Rain”, stay home. Or, take the serious rain gear…and a couple 45g trash bags.
#3: always bring extra ammo
#4: Alaska always, always, has the capability to be far worse than your imagination. Always.

Be Prepared. And then Pray it doesn’t go sideways.

And be prepared for the sideways.

 

[Nuts]

Alaska, tips and tricks…

#1: if the forecast say “Clear”, take rain gear.
#2: if the forecast says “Rain”, stay home. Or, take the serious rain gear…and a couple 45g trash bags.
#3: always bring extra ammo
#4: Alaska always, always, has the capability to be far worse than your imagination. Always.

Be Prepared. And then Pray it doesn’t go sideways.

And be prepared for the sideways.

Good post. If you get worked up by things not going as planned AK might not be the place for you. Lol

Also- if you are doing a DIY Caribou hunt like the 40mile. It opens and closes based on quotas. In the past the ways to find out we're limited in the bush. Troopers used to fly around and drop closure canisters to the hunters they saw. We have a spouse or friend track this. When we check in at the end of the day on our InReach they can respond yes, No or close. We know what it means. They may add the zone since at times we hit 2 zones.

 

[cgasner1]

My biggest advice is just don’t. Because then you’ll always be trying to figure out how to get back. I’ve gone as far as showing my wife some pretty great job offers that state has to offer. Every time i threaten her with one day I’m just gonna stay.

 

[Nuts]

My biggest advice is just don’t. Because then you’ll always be trying to figure out how to get back. I’ve gone as far as showing my wife some pretty great job offers that state has to offer. Every time i threaten her with one day I’m just gonna stay.

100% its addictive. I am either there or planning to go there. If you are young (early 20s with no tie downs) Willow Air is often looking for meat packers. Do that a couple seasons and you can become an assistant guide. If you have shot an Alaskan Moose unguided I believe you can jump right to assistant guide. Glad I didnt know that when I was 20. A little late now.

 

[Salmonchaser]

My biggest advice is just don’t. Because then you’ll always be trying to figure out how to get back. I’ve gone as far as showing my wife some pretty great job offers that state has to offer. Every time i threaten her with one day I’m just gonna stay.

Dad got stationed at Ft. Wainwright before it was Ft. Wainwright, it was Ladd Air base before Alaska became a state. Been either living there or visiting there every year but one since 1959. My wife calls Alaska “his evil mistress”
During the 20 years I guided I had clients who had the best trip immaginable. Every thing worked, the fishing and hunting was easy, no bugs and the sun shown every day. You couldn’t pay them to come back. Also had clients who got to spend a night in the bush on a day fly out, got pushed around by bears all night long, while the wind blew 80 knots and the rain was relentless. On the way back to the lodge the next afternoon the 206 developed engine trouble, we were able to land on a lake with no power, the breeze pushed us into a mudflat way off shore and we got to sit there for a couple of hours until another plane was able to come get us. Those guys come back every year.
Gasner1 is correct, much like Africa, if either place get in your blood you will always be finding a way back. Me, hell I”m toast I’ve got Africa in May, Alaska in August, my blood is thoroughly poisoned.Consider this a public service announcement.

 

[Salmonchaser]

A bush pilot does not give a s*** if you fly for any of the commercial airlines.
If you fly commercial out to King Salmon, Dillingham, Bethal or any of the other villages that have commercial flights. Plan on delays getting out. If you are one of those high powered executives use to throwing your weight around, don’t. Most of those women (typically) have little control over what is a pretty tough life in the villages. The only power they have is getting you or some one else on the next flight. If you are an Ass Hat you arn’t getting out.
If your guide is worth a damn he will stop on the way to airport and pick up some coffee and a bag of Hershey’s kisses when it looks like things may be messed up with flights. Be a good human and they will do every thing they can to get you to town. (Anchorage)

 

[Nuts]

A bush pilot does not give a s*** if you fly for any of the commercial airlines.
If you fly commercial out to King Salmon, Dillingham, Bethal or any of the other villages that have commercial flights. Plan on delays getting out. If you are one of those high powered executives use to throwing your weight around, don’t. Most of those women (typically) have little control over what is a pretty tough life in the villages. The only power they have is getting you or some one else on the next flight. If you are an Ass Hat you arn’t getting out.
If your guide is worth a damn he will stop on the way to airport and pick up some coffee and a bag of Hershey’s kisses when it looks like things may be messed up with flights. Be a good human and they will do every thing they can to get you to town. (Anchorage)

Lol. I have seen this in person. 100% accurate. Don't be entitled. It won't end well. The guy I work with a lot will tell you before booking what he expects from his clients and ask what the hunter expects. He has no problem telling somebody he doesn't think it's a good fit. And he won't book you. Pull a chameleon act and get discovered before your flight leaves into the bush and you may get canceled and refunded on the spot. That typically centers around flights and weather and a lack of understanding. Alaskan bush pilots are some of the best in the world. If they dont think it's safe to fly thats the end of it. Money won't change there mind. Yes your Citation pilot takes off in this all the time. This isnt that.

 

[cedahm]

#1: if the forecast say “Clear”, take rain gear.

#4: Alaska always, always, has the capability to be far worse than your imagination. Always.

I’m sure @Salmonchaser is aware of this story, but one year we were on our transporters last plane out of the Alagnak. Group ahead of us was a float guide we’d gotten to know over the years on a guides holiday with his girlfriend. My nephew was wearing an Ohio St ball cap and turned out the girlfriend went to high school with my sister in law. Just a wildly fun small world moment in the sun waiting on a riverbank,

Weather was gorgeous, flight back to King Salmon was uneventful and I’d flown with Marco and in that particular Beaver a number of times so it was fun to catch up. Great trip.

He landed, helped us unload, fueled up and headed out to pick up some NPS follks on the coast. Picked them up but none of them came back.

Uncommon? 100%? Unlikely? For sure. But a long time acquaintance was dead within an hour of seeing him.

Alaska can be a cruel mistress. Be prepared. Never let your guard down. Over 25 years of DIY floats and there were always ‘new guys’. Most of them were one and done whether of their own volition or the rest of us knowing that person shouldn’t be on a DIY float Trip.

 

[Salmonchaser]

Yes, very aware of Marco disappearing into the Pacific. Two of vans planes went over to pick that crew up. I don't recall if it was Brian or Lenny flying the other. Marco was immediately behind the other plane, it's not clear if he missed the turn or the fog settled in that quick. A few small pieces of the plane, one of Marcos shoes and his rain coat all that's washed up.
Bear trail lodge bought Branch River Air, last I heard Brian is running the planes for them.

To bring this full circle, one of those planes involved in the search was to pick my group up that afternoon. Needless to say we were late getting picked up, it almost didn't happen. Would have been a long night.

 

[cedahm]

Yes, very aware of Marco disappearing into the Pacific. Two of vans planes went over to pick that crew up. I don't recall if it was Brian or Lenny flying the other. Marco was immediately behind the other plane, it's not clear if he missed the turn or the fog settled in that quick. A few small pieces of the plane, one of Marcos shoes and his rain coat all that's washed up.
Bear trail lodge bought Branch River Air, last I heard Brian is running the planes for them.

To bring this full circle, one of those planes involved in the search was to pick my group up that afternoon. Needless to say we were late getting picked up, it almost didn't happen. Would have been a long night.

Probably a PM thing, but I think Lenny was still a dock hand working on his rating that year. We remain friends on FB and it’s been fun to see him grow into the pilot seat.

Still gives me chills years later.