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Monday, 21 July 2025 - Our first day headed into the Alaska wilderness. For the next 5 days we will explore Katmai National Park looking for bears.

Sunset was around 11:00 pm, and sunrise was around 5:00 am. To sleep I had to rearrange the beds in my room so the sun leaking in the drapes was blocked.

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Early sun slipping through the clouds and the mountains along the shore of Lake Iliamna
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Up early I headed out with my camera. Josh (our workshop leader) spotted a Red Fox searching around the lodge for scraps.
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It was early in the day - even for the fox.
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The team we would be using to get into Katmai National Park via float plane and then provide guides to the bears.
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As the biggest (and heaviest) in the group I would end up sitting in the copilot's seat on most flights. The planes were tiny carrying up to six passengers.
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The rivers we will walk looking for Grizzly Bears.
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We landed on Brooks Lake as our first day photographing bears would be at the famous Brooks Falls. When we landed, there were already had 41 float planes docked on the lake.

Following our landing we hiked to the park visitors center and sat through a class on how to interact with the bears, Bears 101. We then hiked with many (it seemed like hundreds) others to the falls,
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Then we saw Grizzly Bears!!!! Lots of them all are fishing for the plentiful salmon.

This bear is in a common pose jumping up and into the water to catch a salmon.
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Success - a salmon was caught.
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With so many fish it is clear to see how the bears were so big.
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Eating a fish in the river. We were put on a waiting list to the prime viewing area. While waiting, we photographed bears from a lower view area.
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Here I am at Brooks Falls with 2,000,000 others. Really only about 20, but the space is small. We would continue to sign up for trips to the main viewing area all afternoon making a total of four visits,
Brooks Falls and the salmon trying to jump to the top in their migration upriver. No bears on top of the falls, which is really what we want for the picture of a bear catching a salmon. Maybe next time....
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A bear on top of the falls reaches for a salmon.
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A big Grizzly looks for salmon in a pool near the falls while a salmon nearby jumps in the rapids.
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A bear hug.
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This looks violent but seemed more playful, as there was no real damage done to either bear.
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A bear walks along the shore littered with salmon carcases.
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A bear on top of the falls reaches for a salmon. We are below the falls and not in the prime viewing area to get a close shot of the bear.
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Success!!! The photograph I was trying to get from the viewing platform - a bear grabbing a salmon from the top of the falls.
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A happy Cal after the big shot.
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Trying slow water shot of Brooks Falls and the salmon jumping to the top.
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So many salmon at the falls. A bear sits in the river surrounded by fish - who are giving him a wide berth.
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Red fish and fins are clogging the river.
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Like a painting salmon cover the river.
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A big bear wades into the river near the falls looking for easy prey.
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Going underwater to catch a salmon and coming up empty-handed.
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A bear tries to catch a fish from the air.
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A Grizzly can eat up to 90 pounds of salmon a day.
We hiked back to the float plane after a brief snack break. We were one of the last to leave on the lake.

The view as we flew along the lakeshore back to the lodge. Looking forward to a beer - unfortunately the county is dry so no beer.
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