Alaska and California Holiday

[jwb300]

In August my girlfriend and I will be coming to Alaska (via San Fran) for a holiday from Australia. It is a fair journey so we want to make the most of it.

We only have a few days in San Fran and we planned on visiting Kuiu and Bass Pro and checking out the city but looking for other ideas too. There are no Cabelas or big outdoors stores in Aus so it is definitely on my to do list.

We then are heading to Anchorage and have booked a 6 day float fishing trip on Lake Creek and then 3 days at Denali. We then planned to head back to Anchorage but we have about 4 days free so can really do anything. Cabelas is on the must see list but we are also looking at maybe heading down the Kenai Peninsula and trying to see some wildlife down there and maybe some fishing from the banks of the rivers.

I would really appreciate any advice on must see places, tips on where to go to see wildlife (bears / Goats / Sheep / Moose / Caribou in particular) and maybe a place to throw a line in.

Also it would be great to meet some of you guys and I would be glad to have a beer and chat hunting and learn about the incredible hunting that you guys have up there.

Cheers,
James

 

[dotman]

When in San Fran, forget Basspro and check this out http://www.nps.gov/muwo/index.htm and this http://www.alcatrazislandtickets.com/?gclid=CIrm-JDlxMMCFQytaQod5JAATw

I would skip Basspro as you really aren't missing out and there is much much more to see and experience and with only two days.

I know Beendare lives in the area so maybe he'll chim in or you can pm him.

 

[mmw194287]

Who will you be fishing with at Lake Creek? Are you doing the float down from the lake or will you be staying at one of the lodges? I've worked summers at lodges down at the mouth of Lake Creek since 2008 and know quite a few of the operators around there. PM me if you want, I'd be curious to hear your plans and would be glad to share what I know about the place.

 

[tenth1]

Alaska is offers excellent opportunities, however, seeing game is not a heck of a lot different than anywhere else. The population density really is not that good. The most varied game that I have seen in one area (excluding the park you are seeing) consistently is along the Denali highway near Cantwell, minus goat in your list. Excellent drive in itself, you will want a spotting scope. Hunters will be the most common game that you see late in August; planes, boats, and automobiles, almost like watching a train wreck!

Moose, just drive around anchorage at dusk

Caribou are severely unpredictable and their whereabouts a constant frustration. The only area with a great chance of seeing one is the Dalton Highway.

Sheep are regularly found just south of Anchorage about 5 miles off of the highway. Optics may be necessary.

Goats are great to see hiking around the Girdwood area or even some of the whale tours. I always think it is pretty cool seeing a goat 800' on a cliff hangin in the water.

I have heard of big bear watching, but can't give recommendations

 

[jwb300]

Thanks very much for the info guys.

Tenth1 - we probably won't have time to get up past fairbanks onto the Dalton Highway but with any luck we might see some at Denali.

Do you think it is worth the drive down to Homer? Also - with the Moose - are they just around the outskirts of Anchorage or in any particular areas?

Cheers,
James

 

[Daniel_M]

Moose are everywhere, then no where. I spotted 9 in my neighborhood yesterday. Early morning and late eve drives are almost most productive.

 

[Beendare]

Depending on when in august as I might be hunting- i could take you fishing. My nephew is from australia- Cairns- and married my niece.

Kuiu is out in Davis- about a 1 1/2 -3 hr haul from SF depending on the time of day...and there is NOTHING else out there.

Bass pro is about 2 1/4 hrs from SF with no traffic...about 4 hrs with traffic- its brutal- and again nothing out there but good delta fishing and great carp shooting in the spring- August is probably the worst month to fish the Delta.
Plenty of cool touristy stuff in SF- Alcatraz [book early] Fishermans wharf, Chinatown, killer places to eat and drink, shows, a really cool big city- much like Sydney. Then right across the bay is marin county with a real nice bike ride around the bay- or hikes- a bit more relaxed- not sure what you are into. If its clubs, I'm old but my niece and nephew would show you around as he is a musician and they know the clubs. If you only have a couple days there I would rec just staying around the city. It can be really cold/damp/windy in SF in July, August-[best time is spring or fall] sometimes 40 degrees F cooler than where I live just 40 minutes east. No rain but fog. PM if you want.

in Ak, I would drive to Homer and do a halibut trip for sure- awesome. Denali isn't far out of Anchorage, but the other way. The store Barneys in Anc is pretty cool, Gwennies a great place for breakfast, and Chilcoot Charlies is cool if its still there. Maybe get out and check the glaciers- and there is good river and stream fishing in early august. Best fishing is flyouts but they are expensive

 

[Matt990]

Dont know anything about Alaska but I agree with dotman and Beendare skip bass pro not worth the 3 hour drive and as for KUIU if your set on it you could do it but it would be 2 hours of open fields and not much more. Its easy to kill a few days in SF but if you are looking to get out of the city head straight north and you could go to some very good brewery and wineries. Lagunitas, Russian River, and Bear Republic are a good time good food and better beer. Bodega bay north of SF is a good day trip lots of great seafood and oyster farms. I would hop on google and check some day trip ideas out. Plus in August you could catch a Giants game bleacher seats are very reasonable.

 

[jwb300]

Thanks Beendare - great info and a very generous offer! I certainly wouldn't want to encroach on anyone's hunting time. We'll be in San Fran 7-8-9 August then have free days on the 10th, 22-23-24th August in AK.

We aren't into clubs and don't spend really any time in cities so I didn't really consider traffic to be honest. Sounds like Bass Pro might not be worth the drive. It is a bit of a novelty for me not having anything like that here. Cabelas in Anchorage will be good anyway.

I've heard Barneys is good - will add that to the list.

Thanks for all the help everyone!

 

[AZ Vince]

Being married to a Sheila, we are living up over but not in California, I would tell you to do some wineries in California, skip Bass Pro, and definately hit Chinatown and Alcatraz.
Have a good one!

 

[idig4au]

Thanks very much for the info guys.


Do you think it is worth the drive down to Homer? Also - with the Moose - are they just around the outskirts of Anchorage or in any particular areas?

Cheers,
James

Yes absolutely! Homer is a great place. but I am partial to it as I have a place there. You should probably consider doing some halibut fishing too with a charter there. You can also do bear viewing on Katmai, again using Homer as a base.

 

[Mjm316]

If you are set on going to a Bass Pro there's now one in Anchorage. We have both Cabelas and Bass Pro. About 20min drive apart.

 

[boom]

My first visit to basspro was awesome. If you've NEVER been it doesn't suck. It's in Manteca which isn't great. KUIU is fun. Davis is nearby and being a college town, pretty fun. They are closed on the weekends. You will only have Friday.

 

[jwb300]

Thanks guys - Might just go to the one in Anchorage. Sounds a bit easier. I went to one Bass Pro in Florida once and really enjoyed that.

 

[colonel00]

I don't think it has been mentioned but you could also swing over to Valdez as well. If timing works out, you can take a ferry from Whittier (south of Anchorage) over to Valdez and then make your way back to Anchorage by car. I love hanging out in Valdez and in August you will probably be there during the silver salmon run. Also, the drive back is pretty amazing and you can stop and hike up to Worthington Glacier. Also, pretty good chance to see black bears up close around Valdez and across the bay at Allison Point as they come out to eat the dying salmon.

 

[BroodBuster]

I also recommend a trip out Halibut fishing. Great chance of seeing whales and other wildlife too. I'd plan it a day or two before your flight home so you can bring a box full home with you.

I call it the cow of the sea. Bake it, broil it, fry it, barbeque it........Pretty darn tough to go wrong with Halibut!

 

[jwb300]

The halibut fishing sounds great. Unfortunately I can't take any food back home through customs. Biosecurity in Aus is pretty strict.

 

[boom]

btw.

american colloquialism: "Easter" is a holiday...what you're going on is a "vacation"...hahah.

i live in the Bay Area..let me know if you need any help, or restaurant recommendations. San Francisco is a eater's paradise.

 

[Ray]

Four days in Anchorage or South Central Alaska....hmmm...in August....

Go to a small antique store at 1001 W 4th Avenue down town. Its crowded with "stuff". Huge old gun collection including weapons owned by Teddy Roosevelt. This would take at most two hours to tour the entire store contents, unless you find something that captures your interest. Their entrance door is odd as there is no sign, but pretend to walk into the coffee shop and then take a sharp left into the antique store.

Do you want to see glaciers? You have a few options: day cruise out of Whittier or Seward, short cruise at Portage lake, or hike Exit glacier in Seward. Day cruises may have weather issues that keep the boats in a bay and all you get to see are birds and seals.

Do you want to hike? They have several books on hiking around Anchorage and Cook Inlet, but for a fun day hike Winner Creek out of Girdwood is hard to beat. Hand tram across the falls is pretty cool. Go all the way to the top and look into the 20 Mile river valley. Might see mountain goats to the north. In August be prepared to hike in the dark on the way back down.

Fishing options since you can't take it home would be to hit the upper Kenai in Cooper landing with a day of guided trout and dolly fishing. Different fishing after Lake Creek float. Most take out at one of two landings before the Kenai canyon so you can get a full day of drift boat or raft based fishing in. In August the silvers will be in the lower Kenai so you can find a guide to do a half day on the lower river in Soldotna or near the mouth in Kenai. Will have a good chance to hook up with a 30 inch rainbow as well then.

If you don't want to do any more guided fishing then you should be able to find some room in the parking areas of the Russian River camp ground and bank/wade fish for dead dying reds, some silvers, PhD level snob rainbows and swatt bears off your back side. Hike up to the falls on the trail above the river or along the bank down low. Lots of bears and lots of people if the red season is still open.

Bear viewing flights. Depending on how things went on your Lake Creek Float you may not be wanting to see any more bears, but there should be some folks in Kenai/Soldotna that will fly you across the Inlet and provide a skiff for cruising a river that gets packed with bears feeding on salmon. August may be too late for the most dense action, don't know.

On the way to the Kenai you should take the side road to Hope and check out the little museum there for AK goldrush history.

And yes Anchorage now has two more representatives of American's consumerism. Bass Pro and Cabelas. Lots a interesting mounts, but neither of those stores have the Chadwick ram hanging on their walls. You will have to go to Mountain View sports to see that.

 

[jwb300]

Oh my bad. There are so many things with different meanings in the US. Classic example - thongs... That has a whole different meaning to here