Grizzly Bear Viewing & Stewardship

KNIGHT INLET, , Welcome to Knight Inlet Lodge

In 1979 I visited Knight Inlet Lodge for the first time and was awestruck by the pristine wilderness setting at which I had arrived. Humpback whales were breaching in Knight Inlet and grizzly bears were f“eeding on the abundant pink salmon in the Glendale River. At the time the resort was a fishing lodge, and I was hooked.

In 1996 our family purchased Knight Inlet Lodge with a vision of transitioning it away from sport fishing to grizzly bear viewing. My experience in the travel trade industry suggested the demand was there. We attended our first trade show in 1998 and that year we had 200 guests who came Inside specifically to view grizzlies in their natural habitat. The following year we 2 Knight Inlet Overview had 1200 guests. We now host 2000 guests a year; operating 150 days from 3 Glendale Cove Overview late May to late October. 4 Knight Inlet Lodge Overview Protecting the grizzlies became a passion and is crucial to the long-term 6 Knight Inlet Lodge General Information viability of the lodge. Over the years we’ve purchased an additional 451 acres of bear habitat in Glendale Cove as the original purchased property 8 Bear Viewing Spring & Summer was just 10 acres. Working with the Department of Fisheries we manage the 10 Bear Viewing Late Summer & Fall Glendale spawning channels. We also operate our own hatchery to further 12 Sea Kayaking in Glendale Cove

supplement the coho salmon stocks in the Glendale River. 14 Knight Inlet Cruise

We’ve promoted the “Stop The Hunt”campaign to bring an end to killing 16 Rain Forest Walk these majestic Brown Bears in our area. Knight Inlet Lodge has been blessed “ 17 Big Cedar Hike & Tracking with international media coverage on our product and in recognition of our habitat preservation initiatives. This dramatically increases awareness of 18 Marine Tour Day Trip the Lodge and our stewardship programs globally. 19 Echo Bay & Klinaklini Day Trips

We hope you enjoy your experiences while visiting Knight Inlet 20 Walk Above The Clouds Lodge. We’ve got a lot to show you and hope you fall in love with our part 21 Knight Inlet Lodge Site Map of the world as much as we cherish it. 22 Commercial Bear Viewing Assn. 23 Stop the Hunt! Dean Wyatt, Owner Knight Inlet Lodge 24 Conservation Initiatives

Television, magazine and newspaper features that have profiled Knight Inlet Lodge. 25 History of Knight Inlet Lodge 26 Glendale Cannery 27 First Nations’ History 28 Stay in touch with us ! 1 This wild and remote inlet is located 80 km by air north of Campbell River, British Columbia, Canada. At 125 km in Knight Inlet length, this inlet is one of the largest on the BC coast and features towering snow-capped granite cliffs, waterfalls and glaciers. Knight Inlet is home to an abundance of grizzly bears as well as killer whales, humpback whales, porpoises, dolphins, salmon, seals and sea lions.

Your Knight Inlet Lodge trip begins with a scenic float plane flight from Campbell River 2 to the Lodge over the remote islands and inlets of British Columbia’s wild west coast. Glendale Cove is home to one of the largest concentrations of grizzly bears in British Columbia. Spring the and summer Grizzlies feed on the cove’s abundance of sedge Glendale Cove grasses, berries and shellfish in the intertidal zone. The returning salmon in the fall provide the high fat, high protein food source required for winter hibernation. This Home of the Grizzlies is a stunning setting in which to observe grizzly bears in their natural environment. The cove is also home to black bears, otters, deer, cougars, wolves and over a 100 species of birds, including bald eagles and other raptors.

Situated on the south end of the , Glendale Cove is your ideal wilderness vacation destination for grizzly bear viewing, rain forest hiking, inlet cruising and kayaking. 3 Knight Inlet Lodge Floating in Glendale Cove, Knight Inlet Lodge is home base for your wildlife adventures.

Guests can walk the dock and enjoy the stunning scenery, meet visitors from around the world, hear bald eagles whistling in the forest and see inquisitive river otters on the dock. 4 Amenities include accommodations, meals in the dining hall, lounge, dock patio and gift shop. Guest Rooms feature private bathrooms and views of the cove. Bon Apetit The Lodge’s Dining Hall is open all day and serves buffet style breakfast, lunch and dinner. Evening meals often include fresh local seafood as well as meat and vegetarian choices. Snacks, fruit and beverages are always available. The Dining Hall Lounge offers a varied selection of beer, wine and spirits.

Dockside Amenities include a heated Gear Room which stores floater suits, life jackets and boots for guests to use on their excursions. Kayaks, flat-bottom and cruiser boats are on hand for group excursions. 5 General Information Accounts • All purchases at the lodge (bar, gift shop, phone charges • In case of fire please proceed to the floatplane fishing licenses, etc.) will be added to your room account. dock or front deck area for instructions. • At the end of your stay your bill will be settled by the • Please use caution when walking on the cement Lodge Manager or designated person. walkways and deck, they can be slippery when wet. • We accept cash, travelers cheques debit cards and credit cards (Visa & MasterCard). • If you require raingear please ask your Guide or our Host. • All guests and staff must travel with a P.F.D (Personal floatation Telephone device) or floater suit whenever they are on the water. Please make sure you have one. • Calls can be placed on our phone in the front office. Please ask one of our staff if you wish to make a call. • A diesel generator powers the lodge. At approximately 10pm the lodge switches to battery power to conserve fuel. • When making a call, record the number and the minutes Between 10pm and 6am we are on limited power so please in the book beside the phone. avoid the use of power hungry electronics like hair dryers. • The cost of calls is $0.25 per minute Battery chargers are fine. within BC, $0.50 per minute for the rest of Canada and Gratuities the United States and $1.00 Guests often ask about tipping the staff. This is one way you can show per minute your appreciation for a job well done. However, tipping should be done for overseas calls. solely at each individual’s discretion. • Please bear in mind that all staff share the gratuities equally. Smoking • Smoking is only • Please refrain from tipping the staff individually. Tips can be placed permitted in in the envelope provided and left in the gratuity box in the office or designated if you prefer, gratuities can be added to your room bill if paying by locations. credit card. • Should you decide to leave a gratuity, the amount 6 is totally up to you and should reflect your level of satisfaction. Knight Inlet Lodge Adventure Tours See pages 8-20 for details on the Adventure Tours available during your stay with us.

7 Bear Viewing Spring & Summer Estuary Tour

8 Just Across the Cove... Kayak to the Grizzlies In the spring and summer, the bears feed on the sedge growing Drifting quietly in sea kayaks, guests can watch grizzlies up around the estuary shores. Your guide will take you out in a close and personal, witnessing these powerful creatures as they small flat-bottomed skiff in search of grizzly bears and other quietly forage amongst the fresh sedge growth in the protected wildlife like black bears, deer and eagles. Some bears are very waters near the lodge in Glendale Cove. While grizzlies are tolerant of us and we can approach as close as 50 meters. Other generally not social animals, spring viewing often affords the bears are more skittish and we will respectfully keep our opportunity to observe courtship rituals and mating activities. distance. Our main priority is that the bear’s behavior is not Guests are often fortunate to see new cubs, fresh from their den, altered due to our proximity. a photographic opportunity not to be missed. For all Bear Viewing Tours: Lodge guides are trained in minimum impact bear viewing etiquette A life vest must be worn. No food or drink is allowed which respects the need for bears to feed undisturbed during this in the boats, no camera flashes around the bears please. critical period in their feeding season.

9 Bear Viewing Late Summer & Fall River Tour

10 From the middle of August to the end of October, our bear Please be aware that our platforms (Finger and Weir stands) are viewing changes from the estuary setting to the Glendale River located in a fisheries management area and that for these itself, as hundreds of thousands of salmon enter the fresh water platforms we can only take 12 guests at a time. We are allotted to spawn. four viewing periods each day: 7:30 - 9:30, 10:10 - 12:10, 1:30 - 3:30, and 3:30 - 5:30. Also note that due to time constraints the Bear viewing takes place from secure viewing platforms Finger and Weir stands cannot be used on the morning of located at two different sites along the river. To get to departure. these locations, we travel by boat across the cove, board a bus and take a 20-minute drive along an old forestry road. No food or drinks, no smoking and no use of camera flashes as this can disturb the bears. We also ask that guests refrain from any type Platform viewing sessions are two hours in length so be sure of perfume. There are no toilet facilities on these tours. to bring and wear warm clothing. A life vest is required for the short boat ride and we encourage all to wear the provided rubber boots to get from the boat to dry land.

11 12 Sea Kayaking in Glendale Cove No experience necessary, and a great way to see the bears!

Many of our guests try kayaking for the first time at the lodge Sea kayaking is not about rigorous paddling. It is another and love it. We have single and two-person kayaks which are option for enjoying the beauty of Glendale Cove with a very stable, comfortable and a pleasure to paddle. All the moderate level of physical activity. If you are capable of paddling takes place within the protection of the cove where moderate exercise we’re sure you’ll enjoy it. conditions are safe and sheltered. It’s a fantastic way to view wildlife and listen to the peace and quiet of nature. Please note You will need: that the 50 meter grizzly bear viewing guideline does apply on A life vest (floater suits are not suitable) and clothing appropriate for this tour. the weather. Don’t dress too warmly as your lower half is inside the kayak and you generate warmth as you paddle. Light footwear is best.

13 14 Knight Inlet Cruise

“A thousand Norways rolled into one, just as the Canadian Rockies are a thousand Switzerlands”…”and it is by far the loveliest cruising waters in the world” Victoria Daily, September 25, 1905 (Describing a trip to Knight Inlet and its head waters)

Place Knight Inlet in any other country in the world and it would be declared a national park. Our tour covers the most dramatic stretch of the , Glendale Cove to Glacier Bay, approximately 20 miles due north. Along the way see waterfalls cascade into the inlet, steep glacially carved cliffs rising straight out of the ocean and snow-capped mountain peaks. Wildlife viewing on this trip can include mountain goats, scrambling on the cliff faces of the inlet in the spring, and black bears foraging on the beaches. Marine wildlife viewing possibilities include Pacific white- sided dolphins and seals, both of which are locally abundant.

You will need: A life vest or floater suit. Dress warmly for this tour as our boats move quite fast.

15 Rain Forest Walk

This hike takes place in the Kwalate Valley, know as the “place of many berries”, which is a 20-minute boat ride from the lodge. This river valley is one of the few pristine watersheds left in the area. The main trail follows the beautiful crystal-clear Kwalate River that is surrounded by lush coastal temperate rainforest. Options include hiking up to a breath-taking waterfall or further into the rainforest to see some old-growth Sitka Spruce trees. Interpretation of flora and fauna and taking in the beauty of the rainforest are the primary objectives of this trip. An easy hiking pace is maintained throughout. Fitness Level: 4 - 8 kilometers round-trip; uneven terrain with muddy areas and some steeper sections. We offer various versions of this tour. Please check with our staff for details. What to wear: A life vest for the boat trip, rubber boots or sturdy hikers you don’t mind getting muddy and possibly wet, rain pants and a jacket on wet days. To maximize your trip enjoyment and experience, if you have any physical considerations (i.e. knee or hip replacements etc.) please discuss with the trip scheduler to determine the 16 most suitable hike for you. Big Cedar Hike Tracking This hike takes place close by in Glendale Cove, a short boat On our tracking tours, we are ride across from the lodge. The Big Cedar hike is a shorter, observing bear habitat we don’t steeper hike compared to the Rainforest walk so one should normally get to see on our bear- be in reasonable shape. On this trail we will see Western viewing tours. You guide will take you over to our vehicles red cedar trees up to 8’ across, some of which have bear opposite the lodge. You will be taken on a slow drive down the dens built in their massive root bases. This hike also old forestry road looking for bear sign. Bear signs can include boasts culturally modified trees, evidence left from the day beds, bear trails, “rub” trees and tracks. If we find bear First Nation people who used to inhabit this area. tracks or any other animal tracks, we can make a plaster cast Fitness Level: of the print for you to take home. High: 1.5km over 2 hours, steep, slippery sections. The object of tracking is not to see a bear. You will make short To maximize your trip enjoyment and experience, if you have any physical considerations (i.e. knee or hip replacements etc.) please discuss with the trip walks from the vehicle to look for bear signs. The fact that we scheduler to determine the most suitable hike for you. are driving a vehicle and in a group of three or more people What to wear: A life vest for the boat trip, rubber boots means that we are unlikely to witness a bear sighting. or sturdy hikers you don’t mind getting muddy and pos - The tracking tour gives a rare insight into the unseen habits of sibly wet, rain pants and a jacket on wet days the Glendale grizzlies. Fitness Level: Low - moderate, walking distances are very short (not more than 80 – 100 metres from the vehicle). The terrain is uneven in some places. You will need: Rubber boots for transferring from boat to vehicle, life vest, walking shoes (or keep the rubber boots on), warm clothing and rain gear if the weather is cool or unsettled.

17 Marine Tour

Marine mammals are some of the ’s most fascinating inhabitants. Orcas, more commonly called Killer Whales, are one of the more exciting wild creatures that we hope to see on this tour. Nowhere else on earth is there such a concentration of Killer Whales as the Johnstone Straight area. This full-day tour leaves around 8:30am and arriving back at the lodge by 5-5:30pm. A substantial packed lunch is included. While the focus tends to be sighting Orca, we often encounter Harbour Seals, Porpoise, Dolphins, Steller Sea Lions, Minke, and Humpback Whales. Please keep in mind that all of these marine mammals (whle very abundant in this area) live wild and free on this coast, and it is possible that some of these mammals will not - be seen.

18 Echo Bay Day Trip On this trip we will spend the day circumnavigating Gilford Island which is situated near the lower end of Knight Inlet. Echo Bay is located on the western side of Gilford Island and is home to a colourful array of local personalities, one of whom is Billy Procter. He has lived on the west coast for over 60 years and has become a local celebrity, partly for a small museum he has opened near his homestead.

In Billy’s museum we will explore hundreds of years of artifacts collected from the beaches of the west coast by Billy himself, as well as many which are continually being donated to the project.

Along the way we will have lunch on the beautiful Burdwood Islands, the site of an ancient native village. If time allows and the tides are right we will also explore a hidden waterfall and be able to hike to an enormous cedar tree, 15 ‘ across, rumored to be over 1000 years old. As far as wildlife, black bear and eagle sightings are common as well as dolphin and porpoise.

What to Bring: Money for Billy’s gift shop, rubber boots for getting on and off the boat and for the short walks.

19 Walk Above The Clouds

This is our easiest of three walking and hiking tours with a required fitness level of low to moderate. This is an interpretive walk along a raised wooden boardwalk up to a platform with panoramic views of Knight Inlet and Glendale Cove. Get a glimpse into the nesting life of Bald Eagles down below the platform. Boat and 4x4 mountain road access to the trail head.

What to wear: A life vest and rubber boots for the boat trip, light hikers for footwear on the boardwalk, rain pants and jackets on the wet days and hiking poles are available if desired.

Drive up time - 45 minutes; walking time - 30 minutes, platform time - up to 30 minutes; walking down time - 30 minutes; travel back to lodge time - 45 20 minutes. Totalling to about a 3 1/2 hour long tour. “If you’re going to be a bear, be a grizzly.”

Mahatma Gandhi

21 Commercial Bear Viewing Association of B.C.

Knight Inlet Lodge is proud to be a founding member of the Commercial Bear Viewing Association of British Columbia.

The goal of the CBVA is to provide a voice for the more established bear Institutions throughout the province to incorporate our program into their Outdoor viewing companies on matters of conservation, Government Tenures, and Wilderness Guide courses. our ongoing battle to stop the trophy hunting of bears in British Columbia. As the voice for bear viewing in British Columbia, we ask that you support the As well, the Association has established a Training Program and Certification Association by choosing member companies for further bear viewing adventures. process for people wishing to work as guides in our industry. Recognized as having the first Certification Program in BC, the For more information on the CBVA please visit our website www.bearviewing.ca 22 Association is working closely with Colleges and Post-Secondary Stop the Hunt

In December 1999, 68 professional biologists submitted a strongly worded petition to the B.C. Government calling for a moratorium on all grizzly bear hunting province alive in the forest than as a hunter's prize. pending completion Knight Inlet Lodge has entered into an agreement of comprehensive with the Guide Outfitter who controls the hunting population studies in rights for the Glendale Cove area. Since 2006 we have the Province's six bought the yearly hunting ‘tag’ that allows a grizzly to be shot in our bioregions. area. By purchasing this tag we have saved the lives of many griz - zlies at a cost of over $100,000.00. 100% of the proceeds from our various The estimate by the Ministry of Environment initiatives such as the “Stop the Hunt” wrist bands and water bot - that there are 10,000- tles purchased by our guests goes towards buying the hunting rights. 13,000 grizzly bears in the province is The Wyatt family and Knight Inlet highly questionable. Lodge has invested well over Just twenty years ago the official estimate stood at 6,000 - 7,000. In a com - $100,000 in high level prehensive scientific review of the province's Grizzly Bear Conservation Strat - egy, wildlife scientists Dr. Brian Horejsi, Dr. Barrie Gilbert and Dr. Lance academic research Craighead stated that "Grizzly population estimates in BC have been con - including a satellite sistently over-estimated." collaring project As one of the planet's premier places to view wild grizzlies in their natural that determined habitat, Knight Inlet Lodge is committed to stopping the trophy harvest of denning sites these special animals. A founding member of the Commercial Bear Viewing and range Association of BC, we have proven that, beyond the important ethical characteristics. arguments against trophy hunting, grizzly bears are worth far more to the 23 Conservation, The Environment and Knight Inlet Lodge

Micro Hydro Knight Inlet Lodge operates a micro hydro electric system that generates power dur - ing our winter months. This system, one of the first micro hydro projects approved in British Columbia, has been operating on and off since the 1980s. While the power produced is not sufficient to operate the lodge during our viewing season the 12 - Knight Inlet Lodge Hatchery 15 kilowatts of power we do generate at peak times is adequate for the winter The Coho salmon hatchery at our lodge is just one example of how we give months with limited staff onsite. back to the environment. The small but successful program involves catching Sewage Treatment brood stock, harvesting and fertilizing the eggs, incubating them over the winter and raising the fry until they are released the next fall. By raising While sewage is a subject no one likes to talk about, it does have to be dealt with. the fry at Knight Inlet Lodge, we hope to increase their survival rate from At Knight Inlet Lodge this entails storing the majority of our solid waste in tanks 40% in the wild to 90%. In 2008 we successfully released 1,345 fry into the for transport and treatment in Campbell River. Glendale River. In 2010 we were up to 3,500 fry being raised for release in By limiting our sewage discharge as much 2011. The ultimate goal is to annually release 6,000 fry into our eco-system. as possible we help to keep Glendale The entire hatchery project has been built, operated and financed by Knight Cove clean and healthy. Inlet Lodge, with technical assistance from the Oyster River Enhancement Society.

Salmon continue to feed the wildlife and enrich the land, 24 streams and sea long after they have spawned and died. Knight Inlet Lodge A History Of Hospitality. A Legacy Of Change.

1968 Blair McLean opened a small salmon fishing lodge on the shore at Sandy Beach in Hoeya Sound. By 1976 the excellent fishing in the area helped the lodge grow and Blair expanded by adding a float building. Around this time Blair started calling his operation the “Hoeya Hilton” as a joke. The name soon became popular with guests and local residents.

1979 Blair purchased the original ten acres of land in Glendale Cove and moved the entire operation there on a raft of floats. As the lodge grew and became one of the better known fishing locations on the coast of British Columbia the name “Hoeya Hilton”came to the attention of the Hilton Hotel chain. By 1985 they officially requested that Blair “cease and desist” using the name. From then on the lodge was officially known as Knight Inlet Lodge, although to many people it was still the “Hoeya Hilton”.

1996 The Wyatt family purchased the property and operated it as a fishing lodge while starting the transition to eco-tourism and specifically grizzly bear viewing. 1998 marked the start of bear viewing with a modest 200 guests in the first season. By 2002 the lodge had grown in popularity and reputation led it to being named named one of the 10 most exotic locations to visit by the A&E Television Network. The lodge continued to grow in popularity and in 2007 was host to over 2000 guests. Featured in media such as the New York Times, the BBC and National Geographic, Knight Inlet Lodge continued to grow in reputation around the world as THE place to experience Grizzly Bear viewing at its finest.

25 Glendale Cannery The fish cannery in Glendale Cove was built by Captain R.E. Goss in 1910 when he moved his operation from Sergeants Pass to Glendale. It was purchased in 1911 by the Anglo British Columbia Packing Company who operated the cannery until it closed in the late 1940s. In an industry known for rapid changes in ownership this was very unusual. At its peak the cannery employed approximately 150 people, many of whom lived at the cannery with their families. The workforce was a mixture of cultures including Chinese, Japanese, First Nation and European. Besides the cannery, which operated from late Spring until early fall, the company also ran a store that was very important to the local settlers, including Jim and Laurette Stanton, who lived in this very remote area. The Glendale cannery was one of the largest that Anglo British Columbia operated with yearly production of 25,000 - 60,000 cases of salmon. Sockeye, Pink and Coho salmon made up the majority of the fishery. It was a totally self-contained operation that supplied fuel, groceries and gear to the fishing fleet that worked and lived in Glendale Cove plus 26 housing for the workers and their families. First Nations History Glendale Cove and Knight Inlet are the traditional territory of the Da’naxda’xw/Awaetlala First Nation.

Da’naxda’xw - “the sandstone ones” and the Awaetlala - “those up the Inlet” are part of the Southern Kwagyulth or Kwak’wakw’wakw language group. The Da’naxda’xw territory was at the head of Knight Inlet and the Awaetlala’s territory was the area farther south including Glendale Cove. The first recorded census of tribal populations was in 1835 with 300 people belonging to the Awaetlala and 375 to the Da’naxda’xw Nation. Around 1860 a rock slide threatened the Da’naxda’xw village at Wakas (Wahkash Creek) causing them to join the Awaetlala at Kwatsi (Siwash Bay). By 1891 Indian Affairs had ceased enumerating the tribes separately. Today Knight Inlet Lodge has an excellent working relationship with the First Nation and hereditary Chief William McKenzie Glendale. We appreciate being able to travel across the reserve land of the First Nation on the way to our viewing platforms.

27 Knight Inlet Lodge Using Social Media Newsletter We would love to hear from any guest t hat would like to contribute their experiences, photos or videos Did you know that Knight Inlet Lodge publishes on our social media outlets. an E-Newsletter every few months? To share your experience on Facebook or a Blog simply email your If you provide us with an email add ress on your registration form you pictures and or story to us at [email protected] . We will take care will automatically receive the next issue. Please be assured that we do not of the details for you and let you know when it is live on the web. share our email list with anyone and that you can easily unsubscribe from Blogs can be anything from a short paragraph to a longer the list at any time. Our newsletter is an excellent way to stay in touch story and while we love photos and videos it is not with the happenings at our lodge, particularly important updates on our necessary to include any. Our Facebook page is “Stop the Hunt” campaign. www.facebook.com/knightinlet and our blog is located at www.knightinletlodge.com For anyone who would like to read past issues of our E-Newsletter they can be found on our website www.grizzlytours.com where you can also Also please share your experiences on Trip Advisor subscribe for the newsletter should you forget to do so while at the lodge. to let others know what to expect on a trip to Knight Inlet Lodge.

28 Contacts

Email: [email protected] Tel: 250-337-1953 Fax: 250-337-1914 Skype: knightinlet Mail: 8841 Driftwood Road, Black Creek, British Columbia, Canada V9J 1A8 Lodge: Glendale Cove, Knight Inlet, British Columbia www.grizzlytours.com

Photos: Dave Campbell Shea Wyatt Neil Havers Book Design: www.haversdesign.com

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