After an hours flight over some spectacular glaciers in the Coastal Mountain range we land, ready for the 45min transfer to the lodge. Someone on the previous group picked up a cold so we all put on our masks for the ride, just to be sure. Luckily everyone stays well for the whole week.
We are being catered for by the incredible chef Gary. He was here 6 years ago when we visited last and we were hoping he would still be around.
In fact he has quit his off season winter job and spends the whole year at the lodge, making sure all is well and the horses are fed over winter.
Gary’s son Trevor has joined him as a river guide stretching between the fishing season into the bear viewing. He calls it his dream job, and with a smile from ear to ear, he can’t believe he is paid for it.
After lunch and moving into our loft cabin, we hit the river for the first time. In total 12 grizzly bears including a beautiful Mum with three cubs are spotted in the river. The sky is blue, the trees are changing to a golden colour, the surrounding mountain peaks encase the river valley where we will be watching for the bears. This is a pristine and remote wilderness , no internet for 7 nights and 8 days.
Every night we are treated with a gourmet meal and amazing dessert, all presented like we were in a 4 star restaurant.
The lodge is an old typical log structure that has been running since the 70’s. The original owner Bud was the actual Marlborough man from the commercials in the 70’. His daughter now runs this beautiful place, as Bud sadly passed away in his 93 rd year, a real gentleman and a mine of information.
Every day we get surprised with new bears coming in to feed on the bright red spawning sockeye salmon.
We have a couple of sisters that have been kicked out by Mum, they are 4 years old but have decided to still fish together for safety called Bob and Marley, they were thought to be males when they were named but they both are in fact girls.
Over the following days we see that these young bears end up being very mellow on the river and tolerated well by the Mum with three cubs.
There are two cubs of the year that somehow have lost or have been separated from their Mum. We are all rooting for them so that they manage to fatten up enough and figure out how to den for the winter. They are brave little cubs called Willy and Nelson, both girls as well. Their method of survival is to run away at the hint of a larger bear approaching, this is serving them well as a strategy.
We have a beautiful, solid Mum with three cubs , they have the characteristic golden mane and one of the cubs a blonde spot on her dark shoulder. This Mum is super relaxed and is a great protector of the cubs. We see her one day stand off a grumpy large female bear coming along the river who did not want to give way to the family. Mum sent the cubs away up the hill and just calmly stood her ground while this other female strutted her stuff, huffed, puffed and spread her legs wide making for an impressive rival and even doing the dominant tree rub.
The Mum just calmly stands her ground. I have the whole interaction on video. Just like that a soft huff from Mum and the cubs come down to join her and the other female climbs the bank to give the family a wide berth. Amazing!!! Shortly after Mum and cubs curl up for a snooze.
We are seeing lots of different single bears coming into the river to fatten up.
At the lodge Cary, Trevor and the Femka the horse guide have dogs. These bark at the bears when they wonder into the grounds, which happens quite often. We have to make sure to a call out a bear greeting when we traverse the grounds from our cabin to the lodge to make sure not to surprise a bear too much.
It is simply a magical place!
The encounter with the mother bear and her cubs caught on video must be amazing.
And yummy food as well !!
Certainly a magical place. 🤗🤗