Katmai National Park holds a special place in the heart of Alaskans. For 10,000 years, since the close of the last ice age, the progression of humanity has marched across the valley of Katmai. Natives, travelers, trappers and settlers, a shared humanity of people coming to either exist with the life-giving ecosystems, explore the expansive wilderness or exploit the abundant resources. In 1912, much of the area was transformed when the earth’s inner turmoil found its release in a volcanic eruption lasting three days.
The eruption blanketed some parts of Katmai in ash and pumice hundreds of feet thick, resulting in a new name for the scarred landscape, The Valley of 10,000 Smokes.
Today, like a mother nurturing her offspring, Katmai provides a harmonious balance for Steller sea lions, sea otters, all five species of salmon, orcas and thousands of brown bears. The protected 3.4 million acres on the Alaskan peninsula stretches from Bristol Bay to the Aleutian Range to the Pacific Ocean, beckoning all who come to bask in nature’s unspoiled beauty.
Katmai National Park and Preserve can not be accessed by car. For those coming from the Anchorage area, Fly Katmai provides a trip of a lifetime to Brooks Falls, the premier bear viewing destination in the preserve. Fly Katmai is owned and operated by a three generation aviation family. The founder, Ray Petersen, arrived in Alaska in 1934 with an aspiration to bring aviation to rural villages, where, because of impassable terrain, the airplane was their only link to the modern world. Additionally,
Petersen contributed significantly to the development of tourism in Katmai and received the recognition of being named the "Father of Alaska Sport Fishing Lodges" by the state of Alaska.
Working with the park service, Peterson and his partner, John Walatka, set up fishing camps in Katmai, including the park concession at Brooks Lodge and Grosvenor Lodge.
Peterson passed on his love of flying and extensive knowledge of Katmai to both his son, Sonny, and grandson, Sean. Their full day bear viewing tour includes air transportation from Anchorage to Brooks Falls at Katmai. On the way down to Katmai, the pilot will use their mastery of the landscape to point out spectacular sites that can only be appreciated from the air. Spending four to five hours in the preserve, you will see bears fish, swim, socialize and establish dominance through a complex interplay of size, strength and hierarchy. Fly Katmai’s expertise and experience will make your journey to the preserve an unforgettable adventure. “Katmai is our speciality. It’s what we do. We have the best rate of reliability to get you from Anchorage to Brooks Falls,” says Sean Petersen. Flying with excellence, the family continues in the tradition of bringing the world to remote Alaskan areas.
For more information please visit: https://www.flykatmai.com
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