Bears of Admirality Island

Pack Creek Brown Bear Sanctuary 3 Day Guided Sea-Kayaking Adventure

ratings explained

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3 days/2 nights

Easy sea kayaking and hiking.

2 nights camping

$1095+ tax (3-10 guests)

July 11-13
July 25-27
July 27-29
August 10-12
August 12-14
August 15-17

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Questions and Answers.

LEVELS
Each of our trips has been rated "1" to "4" according to what conditions can be expected on the trip, with "1" being the easiest and "4" being the more challenging trips. Keep in mind that even easy trips may become difficult if weather conditions are adverse. On all trips, guests help carry personal and group gear and, on sea kayaking trips, help carry their boat up and down the beach (65-80 pounds for two-four people). Most of our trips travel to remote wilderness locations with no facilities of any kind, and evacuation may be prolonged and difficult. More specific information can be found in each trip's detailed itinerary.

Level "2" to "4" trips entail travel to remote wilderness locations without facilities and walking over uneven and sometimes slippery terrain.

LEVEL 1: Easiest

LEVEL 2: Easy to Moderate

LEVEL 3: Moderate

LEVEL 4: Moderate to Challenging
(Some trips are rated at level "4" due primarily to the length of the trip in remote wilderness, or because a specific skill level is assumed, not because they are extremely physically demanding.)

Your pulse will race the first time you see a bear in the wild. Even veteran Alaskans are thrilled to be so safely close to bears at Pack Creek. We have seen bears feeding, nursing, sleeping, playing, and even charging each other.

Pack Creek meets the ocean in a calm bay of Admiralty Island National Monument. In 1945 Stan Price rescued an orphan cub near his homestead at Pack Creek and developed a peaceful co-existence with the bears. His legacy is The Stan Price Brown Bear Sanctuary which allows bear viewing at extremely close range. These are wild bears that have become accustomed human presence. As they fish in the rich salmon stream, we watch them interact with nature in an intimate environment.

Once you have camped under Admiralty Island's lush canopy, paddled sea kayaks along its shores, explored its ancient forests, and watched its magnificent bears feasting on migrating salmon, you will come to understand why this land was known to the native Tlingit as Kootznoowoo - "Fortress of the Bears."

Due to limited permits for the bear sanctuary, these trips fill early. Begins and ends in Juneau.

DETAILED ITINERARY:

Day 1 - We begin the morning with an early morning orientation meeting in Juneau. We then head to the airport pond, where we board floatplanes for a scenic flight down the Inside Passage to Admiralty Island, landing on a secluded beach. We will set up camp a few miles from the sanctuary. After lunch and a kayak lesson, we will begin exploring this fascinating wilderness. You may find time to walk the beach, view the diverse marine and bird life, or just gaze across the inlet to the stunning coastal mountains while your guides cook a fresh and delicious dinner.

Day 2 - We rise early and prepare for our visit to the Stan Price Brown Bear Sanctuary at Pack Creek. Paddling toward the world of the brown bear is a superb way to experience the entire ecosystem. We will spend a full day watching for bears. We hope to see several bears, including family groups with playful cubs. Bears are best viewed at the mouth of Pack Creek, but we may also take the beautiful forest hike to the observation tower on the upper river where bears may be fishing right below us.

Day 3 - After another night in our wilderness campsite, we will have a relaxing morning until our floatplane takes us on another beautiful flight over the northern end of Admiralty Island and back to Juneau. We will arrive in Juneau by noon, and the trip ends with a transfer to your hotel or other destination.

E-mail Request: Bears of Admiralty

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