alaska - Crystal Creek Lodge

king
salmon,
alaska
Alaska - a land of superlatives and grandeur.
Bristol Bay- a region of abundance within Alaska.
Crystal Creek Lodge - hosts of the
Alaskan experience in the Bristol Bay region of Alaska.
Since 1988, we at Crystal Creek Lodge have set the standard
of service and quality for guided fishing, bird hunting and
lodging in Alaska. We are an award-winning Orvis Endorsed Lodge on the
Naknek River, near King Salmon, Alaska and the center of the Bristol Bay region.
We have always striven to give our guests the most comprehensive Alaskan vacation
possible. It’s about the service, personal touches and details that create the vision,
and complement the many years of experience to bring your dreams to life.
Fishing
2-6
Bird Hunting
7-8
Adventures
9-10
Lodge
11-12
Dining
13
Location
14
It’s about the service, personal touches and
details that create the vision, and complement
the many years of experience to bring
your dreams to life.
Fishing
The Bristol Bay region of
Alaska offers undisputedly
the greatest freshwater
river and stream fishing
of anywhere in the world.
The rivers and streams of Bristol Bay
receive runs of five species of Pacific
Salmon that number in the tens
of millions.
In turn, the runs of salmon, through
the sheer weight of biomass they
bring inland to their spawning
streams, support populations of
Rainbow Trout, Arctic Char, Dolly
Varden, Arctic Grayling and other
resident sport fish. Bears, eagles
and numerous other animals also
benefit from the food chain created
by the salmon, and the result is
an ecosystem, a wild, balanced
ecosystem of unique abundance.
2
Crystal Creek has developed a guided fishing
program to share this abundance with you.
Wade a stream to fish for wild, trophy Rainbow Trout one day, fish a
river for salmon as they enter from the ocean the next. Wade a new
stream to catch Dolly Varden and grayling on dry flies the day after
that. Insert a day of bird hunting, in season, in between. Take the
family animal watching at some point in the trip. Decide to walk
and wade-fish for Rainbows every day. It’s your trip. It’s our job
to deliver it seamlessly.
Most rivers and streams are clear-flowing
and gravel-bottomed, and are of a size
easily wadeable.
3
The Rainbow Trout of Alaska are fish
of legend. The Naknek River and streams of the
surrounding Katmai National Park region offer the finest
Rainbow Trout fishing in the world. Crystal Creek Lodge is
on the Naknek River and very close to other famous rivers
and streams of Katmai. Accordingly, Crystal Creek Lodges’
fishing program focuses on the pursuit of Rainbow Trout
while walk-wade fly-fishing. Most rivers and streams
fished are clear-flowing and gravel-bottomed, and are
of a size easily wadeable.
Alaska Rainbow Trout are wild, beautiful fish, full of
spotting, color and character. Fish over 20 inches are very
common to the region and can be expected to be caught
daily, and fish over 30 inches will have a look at your fly
at some point during your visit. The Alaska Rainbow is an
animal that makes its living on the move, and are highly
migratory as they travel through river systems and take
advantage of available food sources. A life on the move
makes the Alaska Rainbow a strong fish, one that leaps
with abandon and tears line from reels. Big ones are hard
to hold!
Alaska Rainbow Trout
are wild, beautiful fish,
full of spotting, color
and character.
4
While at Crystal Creek Lodge we will deliver
you to a variety of rivers and streams within
an 80-mile radius of the lodge. Flying in our
DeHavilland Beaver aircraft makes for an exhilarating adventure
as you fly through the hundreds of miles of National Park and
Wildlife Refuge wilderness that surround us, on the way to your
daily destinations. If, on the rare occasion, inclement weather
prevents or delays flying, the world famous Naknek River,
5
a fishery rich in salmon runs and resident Rainbow Trout,
and a fleet of boats is just out our front door.
As an Orvis Endorsed Fly Fishing
Lodge since 1991, we proudly feature
Orvis rods, reels and waders for
complementary guest use. All flies and
tackle are also included at no extra cost.
We will deliver you to a variety
of rivers and streams within an
80-mile radius of the lodge.
6
Bird Hunting
The earliest waterfowl season in the United States
opens in Alaska on September 1. The ponds and estuaries
of the Alaska Peninsula comprise the first staging area for migratory
waterfowl entering the Pacific Flyway.
Waterfowl pursued are duck species of American Widgeon,
Northern Pintail, Green Wing Teal, Mallard, Greater Scaup (Bluebill),
and Gadwall as well as species of geese including Cackling Canada
Goose and Pacific Brant.
Shooting is done from hunting blinds over decoys, with two shooters
and one guide in each blind. Competent guides do the calling and
carefully supervise each hunting blind. Most days a retrieving dog
is available and watching them work adds to the enjoyment of the hunt.
Guns and ammunition are provided. We have 12 gauge pump or over/
under shotguns, steel shot ammunition, waders and camouflage clothing.
Guests are welcome to bring their own guns and hunting gear.
Birds in Alaska have yet
to be hunted in early
September and are not
decoy shy.
7
We rotate hunters on several shooting areas — some are freshwater
ponds, some are saltwater estuaries — resting these areas between
hunts. New birds migrate into these ponds each day. Birds in Alaska
have yet to be hunted in early September and are not decoy shy.
Limits are generous.
Crystal Creek Lodge offers the class act of
guided Alaskan upland bird hunts. We have been
guiding upland hunts since 1993 and have given extraordinary
consideration toward the development of the hunting program.
Hunters are provided with carefully researched, productive
covers, experienced and competent guides, carefully trained
pointing dogs of exceptional breeding, quality double guns and
all other appropriate hunting equipment.
Willow Ptarmigan are the game and they are prolific in
Southwest Alaska. They are excellent sport for the wing shooter.
Ptarmigan hunting season begins in southwest Alaska on August
10 of each year and goes through the end of the Crystal Creek
Lodge season. All birds are wild. Seeing and flushing bird
numbers into the hundreds is not unusual on any given day
in the field.
Alaskan upland hunts are conducted by one guide directing
a maximum of two hunters. The country is big and the vistas
extraordinary. Pointing dogs steady to wing and shot locate
and hold game.
We recommend that you bring your favorite double gun;
otherwise a 12 or 20 gauge double gun can be provided.
Appropriate ammunition is provided as are blaze orange
strap vests. Participating hunters should be in good physical
condition. Please inquire.
Seeing and flushing
bird numbers into the
hundreds is not unusual
on any given day in
the field.
8
Adventure, nature
and wild things
While we are first and foremost a fishing lodge,
we learned long ago there are guests who would
like to take a break from fishing and see the myriad
of natural wonders available in our area, or would
like to share such experiences with their families.
The Brown Bears of Katmai National Park are very close by, as are the
natural wonders of Becharof National Wildlife Refuge. How about a
trip down the Alaska Peninsula to see walrus? River rafting or kayaking
in Katmai is available, as are trips to beach comb on the nearby Bering
Sea coast.
9
The Brown Bears of Katmai National Park
are very close by, as are the natural wonders
of Becharof National Wildlife Refuge.
10
Lodge
Crystal Creek Lodge is the quality standard
of Alaskan fishing and hunting lodge
accommodations. The experience is about the fishing yet if
coming to a lodge, you might as well have the best. The main lodge
is a beautiful 7,500 sq. ft. building made of massive scribed logs and
river rock and overlooking the Naknek River. It is impeccably built,
completely modern, warm, quaint and tastefully decorated.
Lodge capacity is 14-16 guests: ten guests within 5 main lodge guest
rooms and four guests in two private cabins. Private groups of up to
18 can be accommodated by prior request.
It is impeccably built,
completely modern,
warm, quaint and
tastefully decorated.
11
Amenities include a mud room with lockers and wader dryers,
laundry service, a bar and game room, and two separate relaxation/
reading areas. There is a massage therapy room and a screened,
outdoor hot tub. We do not have television by choice.
Five guest rooms are within the main lodge, all have private baths.
Four rooms have either two full-size beds or one queen and one
full, and one room has a king sized bed.
Two private cabins are also available. The cabins are made of
massive logs and river rock to match the lodge. Within each cabin
are two bedroom suites, each with a queen bed and private bath.
Each cabin has a loft with two twin beds and a third bathroom.
Each cabin has an indoor sitting area and a covered outdoor porch
overlooking the Naknek River. The cabins are 75 feet from the
main lodge and are connected by a boardwalk. The riverside hot
tub is only 35 feet away. The cabins can be reserved at extra cost
by gentlemen desiring private bedrooms or by families.
12
Dining
Our food philosophy is simple and generous: we
gather the highest quality ingredients available,
then prepare and serve delicious meals. We feel the
flavors of quality ingredients carry the meal better than heavy sauces.
Foods from the land and of the seas surrounding Alaska are featured
whenever possible. We buy fresh garden vegetables, herbs and
potatoes from Alaska farms, as well as fresh Alaskan salmon, halibut,
Black Cod, King and Dungeness Crab, Kachemak Bay oysters, Spot
Shrimp and scallops. We also love land meats and feature beef,
chicken and pork prepared in a variety of fashions and served
alongside the seafood. Being at the apex of the Pacific Rim, we will
feature Asian and West Coast culinary influences more often than
those of continental Europe.
Crystal Creek Lodge has a licensed bar stocked with a wide variety
of domestic and imported beers and spirits. We have two delicious
varieties of Alaskan microbrew beers on tap. We also appreciate wine
and have a wine cellar. Featured is an extensive list of fine wines from
around the world to complement the dinner menu.
We gather the highest
quality ingredients
available, then prepare
and serve delicious meals.
13
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Location
Crystal Creek Lodge is located on
the Naknek River, 5 miles East of
King Salmon and 285 miles southwest
of Anchorage, Alaska.
The Lodge is on the western edge of Katmai National
Park, which is famous for freshwater fishing, wildlife
and incredible scenery. The Naknek River is famed as
one of Alaska’s finest trophy Rainbow Trout rivers.
When traveling to Crystal Creek Lodge you must secure
commercial Airfare from your home to King Salmon,
Alaska (AKN), connecting through Anchorage. Getting
to Crystal Creek is a relatively uncomplicated and we will
assist you with planning the portion of travel between
King Salmon and Anchorage. The details of booking
flights in and out of King Salmon will be provided when
you make a reservation. We will meet you at the King
Salmon Airport and provide transportation to the Lodge.
We’d like to thank the photographers who contributed to our brochure: Cover, Terry Gunn; Page 1, man on walkway by Brian Grossenbacher, lodge by Fred Hirschmann, man on
shore by Jeff Schultz; Pages 2,3,4,5,6, all photos by Brian Grossenbacher; Page 7, dog by Brian Grossenbacher, woman shooter by Jeff Schultz; Page 8, flying ptarmigan and man
holding ptarmigan by George Conrad, pointer by Jeff Schultz; Page 9, fox and walrus by Fred Hirschmann, bears and glass balls by Jeff Schultz; Page 10, plane with men and bear
by Brian Grossenbacher, caribou by George Conrad; Page 11, lodge with planes by Jeff Schultz, lobby with women by Fred Hirschmann; Page 12, bed room by Fred Hirschmann,
all other photos by Jeff Schultz; Page 13, servers at dining room table by Fred Hirschmann, all other photos by Jeff Schultz; Page 14, aircraft at airport by Jeff Schultz.
14
Dan Michels,
Pilot/Guide/Owner/
General Manager
I began at Crystal Creek Lodge as a guide in
1988, literally helped build the lodge and its
field programs from scratch, bought it several
years later and have personally managed it
since. I have flown several thousand hours
across all ends of the Bristol Bay region and
across Alaska, constantly observing while
guiding guests to fishing, hunting and
adventure. This is my life’s work. The staff and
I look forward to sharing our love of Alaska
and the benefit of our experience with you.
We at Crystal Creek Lodge seek to satisfy your
dreams and inspire your life. We invite you to
join us for an unforgettable experience.
king
salmon,
alaska
Reservation Office:
P.O. Box 872729 • Wasilla, AK 99687
Phone: (907) 357-3153
Fax: (907) 357-1946
[email protected]
www.crystalcreeklodge.com