River Day

For those that want an adventure that goes a little more off the beaten path… to Trapper Rick’s!

Our optional extra day is truly extra-ordinary, please take a look below.

Bear through a windsheild

Trapper Rick's Bear

Not a good photo but a good story. If you are visiting Grizzly Bear Lodge for the extra day if is normally spent with Trapper Rick on the Kakweikan River which is a forty-five minute boat ride from the lodge then a twenty minute ride over logging roads and then a ten minute hike to the Trapper’s cabin. As a guide we ride in the back seat of the truck so this is a photo, through a windshield, of a large male grizzly bear walking down the road in front of the truck.  We paced this grizzly for about three miles and it stayed to the middle of the road occasionally looking over it’s shoulder at the truck and even turned off the main road to take the same one we used to get to the river crossing to Rick’s cabin. We waited in the truck giving the bear time before we left for the cabin. So yes we do see grizzlies while visiting the Trapper.

 

Trapper Rick Visit

Trapper Rick's CabinPath to cabin

If you stay the extra day at Grizzly Bear Lodge you visit The Trapper on the Kakweikan River at the head of Thompson Sound.  Rick has lived and trapped in the area over the past twenty years and has a passion for the area and the grizzlies of “his” river valley.  Few people outside of our guest visit the area as it is not open to public fishing therefore access to the area is limited. The first photo is the view from front deck of Rick’s cabin where it is not uncommon to see grizzly feeding below the falls.  The second is the approach to the cabin through a trail covered by a canopy of alder trees. The main concern of walking the trail is to avoid stepping in the bear scat.

 

The Four Austrians 10 of 11

Trapper Rick's cabinrick's fishingGuests electing to stay an extra day in the lodge cross-Knight Inlet Inlet and pass through Thompson Sound to the Kakweikan River located in the coast range of BC mountains and spend a day with Trapper Rick. If you take time to scroll down the side bar on the left and go to “Pages” and then “Google Map of Grizzly Bear Lodge Itinerary” it will show the remoteness of this river valley.  Rick’s cabin is an “A” frame left by the Department of Fishers when they built a salmon ladder on the river. Beside the natural beauty of the area, Rick’s many stories of trapping in the valley; the chance of seeing a grizzly bear there is always the fishing. Many guest say they have no interest in fishing until they have a rod in their hand and a quick lesson on how to “spin cast” and then “fish on” and they are hooked on fishing. The next challenge the guide has is to get back to the lodge before dark.

Grizzly Bears and Scenery

river-scenery-2river-scenery-1

river-scenery-5

The extra day at the lodge includes a visit a very scenic and very wild area on a pristine river. The day will give you an opportunity to do a little wilderness fishing if you are so inclined, a little hiking and always a chance to see a grizzly bear. The view from the deck of “Trapper Rick’s” cabin is stunning. Not all the trails are this clear but they are an easy walk and always scenic. The river is always changing. Every corner presents another picture.

 

 

Grizzy Bear Right-of-Way

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If you choose to stay the extra night at our lodge the extra day is spent at a “wild” river on a wilderness tour.  We cross Knight Inlet pass through Thompson Sound to the Kakweikan River and spend a day with Trapper Rick.  The scenery on BC’s mainland in breathtaking and the wildlife viewing provides a reasonable chance of grizzly bear sightings.  Bears are viewed below the falls at Rick’s cabin or on the road to the cabin.  In this case it was on the road and we wait until the bear decides to let us pass.  Having guided for the past twelve summer I can say that seeing a grizzly bear at Rick’s is a different sensation than see one from a viewing stand on Knight Inlet’s Glendale River.

The extra day and memories with“The Trapper”

The Trapper

If stay the extra night at our lodge the extra day is a river day spent at a “wild” river on a wilderness tour.  Crossing Knight Inlet we travel the length of Thompson Sound to the Kakweikan River and spend a day with The Trapper.  Rick has spent a good part of his life on this river and protects it with a passion.  Grizzly Bear Lodge is the only lodge in the area with access to this river.  The scenery on this part of BC’s mainland in breathtaking and the wildlife viewing provides a reasonable chance of grizzly bear sightings.  Bears are often seen below the falls at Rick’s cabin or on the road to the cabin. Seeing a grizzly bear at Rick’s is a different sensation than see one from a protected viewing stand on Knight Inlet’s Glendale River.  Maybe that is why Rick always has “Rosemarie” with him.  Who is “Rosemarie” that you will have to ask Rick?

Wildlife safari to the “River”

When you book an extra day at our lodge on Knight Inlet it comes with a trip to the Kakweikan River. This is a remote river, about forty-five minutes from the lodge. Few people that are not our guests visit this area. It has fantastic scenery, occasionally grizzly bears and river fishing if your are interested. The day is spent with Trapper Rick who has earned his living on the river for better than twenty years. Photo byPeter Palstring 6-6

Lodge safari wildlife tour to the River

The rivers along the BC coast, in the area of Knight Inlet are subject to extreme water level changes, which may wash out a bridge. This was not the case with Rick’s river rather it was an engineer who had a section of a bridge removed. After the fact no other official agrees with the decision but it takes time to have an error corrected. Until then we use a boat. Photos byBruce & Carole Cripps 10-11

River wildlife tour from the lodge

On the extra day in camp we cross Knight Inlet through Thompson Sound to the Kakweikan River  and spend a day with Trapper Rick. This river is located on the BC mainland and we travel by road to Rick’s cabin. On the way to Rick’s we occasionally view Grizzly Bears on the road. We followed this grizzly bear down the road for five or six minutes and he stayed on the road until we reached the river. He made no attempt to head for the bush rather we were ignored until he got to HIS destination which also happened to be ours. If time permits and you have the interest river fishing can be enjoyed and in August catching is almost a sure thing. Photos byBruce & Carole Cripps 9-11