Home sweet home on the Kanektok
Photo: Cameron Miller
At Alaska West, we call ourselves a ‘tent lodge‘. We are not shy about what we are and what we’re not. We are a high-quality operation, right on top of an incredible fishery. We are not even trying to be a ‘luxury lodge’. We don’t have cognac, Baked Alaska or skin treaments. We couldn’t tell you what the thread count is on our sheets.That being said, our facility is actually pretty nice! The ‘tent’ part comes from the fact that some of our structures have heavy vinyl covers that are removed during the winter. Everything else is permanent – wooden floors, heaters, electrical system, water system.
Meal time.
Photo: Cameron Miller
Guests and staff eat in a large dining room with real tables, real chairs and great food, by the way. We have a lounge with comfortable chairs, a tying area, and don’t tell anyone, but…satellite TV and internet. We have a drying tent to ensure that waders and jackets are warm and dry in the morning, and we’ve got an outdoor gazebo with a viewing deck that’s perfect for late-night relaxation. Finally, our permanent showerhouse is the finest in bush Alaska!
A nice shower is actually really important.
We’re not going to win any Michelin awards, but it’s a pretty darned comfortable place to spend a week.
Relaxing in the lounge…talking about fishing maybe?
Photo: Cameron Miller
Hello. Good morning. What you offer looks very exciting. I have three qustions:
1. Is it possible to plan fewer days than a week.
2. Will there be an opportunity to learn how to fly fiash as we have never done so before.
3. Can you accomodate a vegetarian diet?
This is a surprise birthday present for my husband (and I).
Thank you.
Sincerely, Donna
Hi Donna, thanks very much for getting in touch!
Bryan from our office is getting in touch, but just to answer your questions here…
1. All of our trips at Alaska West are a week long – 7 nights and 6 days of fishing. That’s due to a combination of our remote location and the fact that most of our guests want to spend about a week fishing with us.
2. Absolutely – we host folks all the time who have never fly fished before. Our guides are excellent instructors and love working with guests who are new to fly fishing.
3. No problem – we’re happy to accommodate pretty much any dietary request under the sun!
We’re really looking forward to working with you on this trip – what a fantastic birthday surprise!
How many people do you host durning a week stay.
Hi Val!
We host a maximum of 18 to 24 anglers, depending on the week, spread out over roughly 18 river miles – many of which are heavily braided.
Please let us know if we can answer any other questions for you.
Andrew
Donna/ Val,
Grab a friend and just go. The trek to Alaska West will be the fastest week of your life, the totality of the experience will change you forever! I have been twice and would pick bottles and cans on the side of the road to fund another trip if necessary. Pete V.