The day after we arrived in Anchorage we set out for an experience of a lifetime: a week at Lake Clark National Park and Preserve. This was intended to be a male-bonding experience planned many months ago by my fiance and his buddies (graciously hosted by one of them who has a beautiful lodge in the area), however since I happened to be in Anchorage I was lucky enough to tag along. We headed to Lake & Pen Air located at Merrill Field, boarded a plane and off we went, looking at breathtaking scenery as we flew through Lake Clark Pass.

There are no roads connecting Lake Clark with the rest of the world, so a small plane ride is pretty much the only way to get there (you could take a boat, depending on weather and tides, but I much prefer the plane!). About an hour later we arrived in Port Alsworth, where our wonderful host and his boat were waiting to take us to the beautiful Stonewood Lodge.

The days that followed were incredible, with lots of fishing adventures for the guys, including a 2-day salmon fishing trip that turned into a 3-day one. They came back from that one with the greatest stories and the biggest grins on their faces. I tagged along a couple of days and got to go on some great hikes to a couple of beautiful waterfalls. One day we hiked to Tanalian Falls:

and another day we went to Cave Falls:

taking a boat ride through waters with colours too beautiful to describe in words.

I was also lucky to go on an exhilarating jet boat ride that was so much fun! I enjoyed watching them fly fish for grayling while taking in the beautiful scenery.

Such vastness and we were the only ones there… absolutely amazing!

The week went by fast and before we knew it the time came to head back to Anchorage. We said good-bye to our wonderful hosts and their team, so thankful for their hospitality and so grateful to have been able to experience the real Alaska!

On our flight back we were able to see Cave Falls from the air… I can’t believe we hiked there, what an amazing experience!