Your Alaskan brown bear adventure begins with Bald Mountain Air Service

Your floatplane trip is over some of the most scenic country Alaska has to offer. Prepare for the awe-inspiring beauty awaiting you on this amazing adventure. And, if it's bears you want to see… we guarantee it!

It doesn't get better than this: a fabulous floatplane ride with eye-popping views; landing in a pristine Alaskan wilderness on a floatplane with an honest-to-goodness lifelong Alaskan bush pilot, followed by the best day of your life watching nature's most magnificent creatures, the Alaskan brown bear.

June Trips
Check in time is 8:00 a.m. at our float plane dock (3567 A Street Homer, Alaska) for a spectacular hour-long flight across Cook Inlet. We pass Cape Douglas, a group of volcanic mountains which protrude into the mouth of Cook Inlet. This is the start of Shelikof Strait, the body of water that separates Kodiak Island from the mainland. These mountains have glaciers that come all the way to the beach and beautiful blue-green lakes filled with giant icebergs that have calved from the ice fields. There are dozens of short streams and estuaries behind the beach line.

We wear hip boots for this trip. They are necessary to get from the airplane through shallow water to the beach. We will eat lunch at the plane and then store everything back into the plane so bears do not tear up our gear. They are very intelligent, curious creatures and inspect anything new to their territory.

July
Around the first week of July, depending on the timing of the red salmon run coming up from Bristol Bay, we go to Brooks River Falls in the middle of Katmai National Park. The flight takes about an hour and a half to get across Cook Inlet and past McNeil River (another famous place to watch bears).

Brooks is the most famous place in Katmai to see bears. It is the place you have probably seen on the Discovery Channel with bears lined up to catch fish as they are jumping up the falls. From where we land, the walk to the falls is about a mile and a half. The trail is easy walking and you won’t need to rush. Most of the time, there are bears on trails and this can cause a delay. Bears have the right-of-way and our trip may be a little longer if one of them decides to nap on the beach next to our plane!

End of July through August
During the month of August we will access Moraine Creek in Katmai National Park. This area is farther from the ocean so it takes longer for the salmon to get there. By late July, the fish will start to arrive. This trip has some of the world’s best bear viewing, but you have got to do a little walking. We have two options for access: one is a short mountain lake that takes the right wind to get into. If the wind is not favorable, we go to Crosswind Lake.

The walk requires some physical exertion, but is not uncomfortable for people in fair condition. With all the excitement and the beauty around us, the walk does not seem so long. You will be rewarded with lots of bears! We recommend ages 8+ for this trip.

Important info

Beluga Lake Office Address 3567 A Street Homer, AK 99603

DAY OF YOUR TRIP check in at the Homer Beluga Lake Office no later than 8:00 a.m. and we will depart around 8:30 a.m following your briefing. Exact time will vary according to the group and how long it takes to load the aircraft. The flight to bear country is 1 to 1.5 hours each way depending on which location you are going to. We typically arrive back in Homer around 4:30 p.m possibly as late as 5:30 p.m.

What to Know

You MUST bring your own lunch
You will be hungry. Bring food and snacks (enough to last throughout the day). Please do not leave any garbage at bear viewing site. Bring plenty to drink (water is best). If you choose not to pack your own lunch, we can recommend several local restaurants that provide boxed lunches.

What to Wear
PLEASE DRESS APPROPRIATELY for cool, wet weather. We highly recommend layering: t-shirt, turtleneck, sweatshirt, coat, raincoat and rain-pants, extra socks (for a better fit in our loaner hip boots in June and August), hiking shoes in July and September, gloves and hat. No hip waders for Brooks Falls.

Soooo, where are the restrooms?
We are in the Alaskan wilderness and there are no lavatories at most bear viewing sites. (There are lavatories at Brooks Falls) Bring toilet tissue and a plastic bag to take your used tissues back for disposal.

Bugging out
There are days when we encounter mosquitos in Alaska, so we suggest bringing insect repellant with at least 30% DEET. In addition, you might consider insect-repellant clothing.

Packing it In
You should bring a good quality daypack that will hold your lunch, water, camera equipment and anything else you'll need.

Smile for the Camera
If you’re still using a film camera … bring lots of fresh film and batteries. You probably will be using a digital camera and we suggest bringing extra batteries and storage cards. Binoculars aren't necessary, but feel free to bring a pair.

No-No’s

DO NOT bring pepper spray or bear spray. Pepper spray does not repel bears and can be deadly to the pilot and passengers if accidentally discharged during flight.
Firearms are not permitted and Federal law prohibits firearms in the aircraft or in the park.

Weight Limitations
We reserve the right to limit the amount of carry-on baggage. A small backpack and camera equipment, or 10-12 pounds is allowed per passenger. To ensure passenger safety and comfort, we cannot accommodate passengers weighing 300 lbs. and over fully dressed.

We cannot take you or anyone in your group who is over 300 lbs. (136 kg) and you will lose your seat and your full fare if you do not meet this specific requirement.

Luggage Limitations
We reserve the right to limit the amount of carry on baggage up to 12 lbs. per person for our tours; small backpack and camera equipment are acceptable. We must have each passenger’s weight before departure. Scales are available at the Homer Spit Office and loading dock.

Weather Notice
All trips are weather-dependent with limits set by the Federal Aviation Administration. If we are unable to go because of weather, each passenger has an option to a full refund or to rebook another date (on a space available basis).

Aircraft Category	Average price	Average duration
Piston	1500 USD	0h35
Turboprop	2500 USD	0h25
Jet	5000 USD	0h25

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