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.

Black Bear Tour

Black Bear Tours

Every tour from Grizzly Bear Lodge is a black bear tour. Black bears do not have access to the salmon rivers because of the number of grizzly bears in the area so their main source of protein is to turnover rocks on the beach. This inter-tidal zone contains crab, clams, barnacles, amphipods and other tiny invertebrates. This photo was taken as we first approach the bear. The idea is to come in slowly and allow the bear to adjust to our presence, which permits a chance for a better photo. The better photo in this sequence was posted on January 31st.

 

 

 

Bald Eagle Spotting

Young Bald Eagle

It does not matter if we are on a grizzly bear tour, whale watching or on a trip to Trapper Rick’s on the extra day in camp guests are always looking for bald eagles.  The eagles white head is easy to spot as we run along the shore to our destination. What is hard to see is the immature eagles, which do not start getting their white feathers until their third year and do not have a full white head until their fifth. Juvenile bald eagles are a mixture of brown and white with a black beak in young birds. The adult plumage develops when they are sexually mature. Once we have reached either the grizzly bear viewing area or the location of the whales and we have stopped to view the wildlife it is much easier to find the juvenile eagles along the sore.

 

Extra day at Grizzly Bear Lodge

Trapper Rick's Lodge

If you choose the extra day in camp it is spent with Trapper Rick on a “wild river” that few people outside our guest get to view.  We cross Knight Inlet and travel through Thompson Sound to the Kakweikan River and spend a day on the river with Trapper Rick.  This river is located on the BC mainland and to view a map of the area of Rick’s river scroll down the sidebar on the left to “Pages” then to “Google Map of Grizzly Bear Lodge Itinerary”.  A picnic lunch (more like a full meal) is provided and normally eaten on the deck of Rick’s cabin. In this photo Rick has just finished demonstrating the setting of a box trap that he used to catch marten, a very effective and humane method of trapping. Rick is very passionate about his river and the guests always come back to the lodge with a greater appreciation of nature and what it takes to live as close to nature as Rick’s life style permits.

 

Waiting Quietly 6 of 6

Black Bear on the beach

Even a black bear must move between rocks in search of food and that is the best time for a good photo. The one constant on every tour that leaves Grizzly Bear Lodge in the morning is that we are always looking for black bears along the shore. Many black bear sightings occur on the whale watching days and occasionally the grizzly bear trips see whales. “Wildlife is where you find it!” a guide’s favourite quote.

 

 

Waiting Quietly 5 of 6

Black Bear on the beach

The first evening the guests arrive at Grizzly Bear Lodge there is normally a black bear tour in the local area. It is a get to know your guide and boat as well as look for eagles, harbour seals, black bears and other wildlife.  Black bears are on the beach to turnover rocks. This inter-tidal zone “food” is high in protein and is made up of crab, clams, barnacles, amphipods and other tiny invertebrates. The beaches are normally sloped down to the water and being that it is easier to roll rocks downhill this is a common view of a back bear. But again patience and waiting does have its rewards as will tomorrow’s blog post.

 

 

Bald Eagle

Bald Eagle

The morning run up Knight Inlet on the grizzly bear tour is always interesting.  It is a spectral view, Grizzly Bear Lodge is located approximately 20 miles from the mouth, and the grizzly viewing area starts another 25 miles up the inlet, which is about 90 miles long. Eagles are abundant on the morning run this one being in the Glendale estuary the primary grizzly bear viewing area.  Eagles are not always in trees it is not uncommon to watch them pick up a fish from the water and then land on shore to eat the “catch of the day”. This bald eagle with talons open was coming in to catch a late breakfast.

 

 

Bald Eagle in Flight

Bald Eagle

Glen, one of the Lodge guides, takes many excellent photos and allows me to use them on the blog. He would likely have deleted this photo because part of the wing tip is missing but I have lower standards.  Bald eagles are a favourite subject for our guests and I am sure many would be happy with this photo, as they do not have three months to capture the “peeeerfect” picture.

 

 

Extra Day at Trapper Rick’s

Knight Inlet BC

Bob and Helen chose to spend an extra day in camp.  That day we cross Knight Inlet travel through Thompson Sound (the location of the above photo) to the Kakweikan River and spend a day with Trapper Rick.  And yes the water is normally that calm on the way to Rick’s as in Thompson Sound the wind travels across the sound and not its length. The Kakweikan River is located on the BC mainland and once we reach the river mouth we travel by road to Rick’s cabin. The day allows for short hikes, salmon fishing on the river, scenic photography, time at Rick’s cabin, as well as looking for some grizzly bears.

 

A Break at Trapper Rick’s

Trapper Rick's

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. After some time up river and a short hike to Rick’s cabin a break was to just sit, chat and relax.

Eagles on ALL tours

Bald EagleBald eagles are viewed on all the tours from the lodge. It does not matter if you are on your day trip to the grizzlies in the Glendale River, whale watching in the Johnstone Strait or on the river with Trapper Rick. In fact this picture was taken from the front lawn of the lodge on Minstrel Island. The bald eagles with their white head are a majestic bird when flying over head or perched in a tree along the shore.