Katmai National Park

September 12 - 14, 2002

'This must be heaven - tonight I crossed the line...'
[Saint of Circumstance - Grateful Dead]

There is only one way to get to this national park, you have to fly! The first leg of the trip was a one and a half hour flight on a commuter plane from the Anchorage airport to a dirt road airstrip at the Kulik fishing lodge in the park. From there you have to take a 20 minute sea plane flight to Brooks Lodge, taking off and landing on water! We drove to Alaska because we hate to fly, but since we had no choice, we kept saying its just like a Disneyland ride. Pattie got to ride shotgun and copilot the sea plane. And, I loved it all the way!

Because the sea plane never got above the clouds, it was actually really cool. You're flying over wilderness and can see the mountain ranges, rivers and lakes formed by glacier ice many years ago. Once we landed and the weather changed it took on the appearance of Jurrasic Park.

Not your ordinary airport...

Brooks Camp...