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River float trip in Alaskan wilderness is real deal

4 min read

BETHEL, Alaska – An Otter float plane made its way as Lake Kisaralik carried the group of anglers up and over some magnificent scenery where moose, black bear and even several grizzlies were seen.

Lake Kisaralik is surrounded by the snow-strewn peaks of the Kilbuck Mountains, and the group camped there for two days, resting after its 27-hour trip from Pennsylvania into the wilderness of Alaska. After pitching camp, unpacking and inflating the rubber, the anglers were ready to travel roughly 100 miles downstream on the Kisaralik River.

Sitting by the lakeside, an arctic fox walked to within 10 feet to see what was being cooked, and five caribou were feeding along a snowcap on top of one of the neighboring peaks, keeping high to be away from the insects. A large brown bear was seen working along the lake a half-mile off, flipping rocks and looking for food. Loons called from out on the lake and a beaver swam up close before whacking the water with its tail and submerging.

This was no video game. It was paradise.

Starting down the river on the third morning of the trip, the three anglers were ready for adventure, the raft full of gear provided by Nick Drobny. An experienced Alaskan adventurer, the group was using his equipment and relying on his experience and knowledge.

Drobny’s understanding of the terrain, water and fishing was put to the test over the 16-day trip. His grasp of the situations and circumstances encountered in this wilderness was amazing and allowed for an enjoyable trip without worrying about the incidentals required to be successful.

Kisaralik begins in the mountains, with the upper third of the river so scenic it seemed like a scene out of a “Lord of the Rings” movie. Camping was done on flats right along the water, looking for just the right amount of open ground so any potential predator would have a hard time sneaking in without being noticed. Sites also needed some driftwood for fires and some bushes to tie off the tent – as well as the cooking fly on inclement days.

Small nylon socks filled with moth balls were tied up and hung at chest-level on bushes surrounding the camp, as moth balls are believed to deter grizzlies.

Breakfast consisted of instant oatmeal, and was followed by camp teardown, raft loading and then floating down river with numerous stops to fish. Each day ended by selecting a campsite and setting up the tent, then eating a dinner which always had some of the day’s catch involved.

This adventure began in earnest that first day on the river, traversing some Class 2 rapids, catching a few fish and then selecting an area to camp for the night.

This is big-sky country that allows to see into the distance for any change in the weather moving in. One night, while eating dinner, a brown bear appeared on the hillside across the river, which sent everyone scrambling for their cameras and binoculars. When the bear finally noticed the group, it ran behind a hilltop. Usually, bears would continue to run off, but not this one as it came hurtling down the opposite hillside to within 70 yards. Fortunately, when the anglers started waving their hands and shouting at the bear, it lost interest and ambled off with only a glance or two back at the camp.

For two weeks no other people were seen on the river, so it is likely the bear had never seen a human before. It was good that there were salmon throughout the river for the bear and the other 15 – including one at 40 feet – seen on the trip to feed on, and while never threatened, the encounters were always interesting.In its lower portion of the river on Day 11, the group got lost in a swamp for several hours as it tried to find the proper braid to follow. This was a major nesting ground for countless ducks and geese, which had much of the grass chewed off and flew around incessantly, quacking and honking.

When the rivulet briefly became narrower than the width of the raft, getting out and pulling was considered, but fortunately the main current was found and the adventure continued. Then, three days later, the anglers were picked up off a sandbar downstream by a jet boat and were on their way back to civilization with unforgettable memories of bears, eagles and fish.

This was a genuine Alaskan adventure, and certainly not a video game.

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