k i n g s a l m o n , a l a s k a Alaska - a land of superlatives and grandeur.

Bristol Bay - a region of abundance within Alaska.

Crystal Creek Lodge - hosts of the Alaskan experience in the Bristol Bay region of Alaska.

Since 1988, we at Crystal Creek Lodge have set the standard of service and quality for guided fishing, bird hunting and lodging in Alaska. We are an award-winning Orvis Endorsed Lodge on the Naknek River, near King Salmon, Alaska and the center of the Bristol Bay region. We have always striven to give our guests the most comprehensive Alaskan vacation possible. It’s about the service, personal touches and details that create the vision, and complement the many years of experience to bring your dreams to life.

Fishing 2-6 Bird Hunting 7-8 Adventures 9-10 Lodge 11-12 It’s about the service, personal touches and Dining details that create the vision, and complement 13 the many years of experience to bring Location your dreams to life. 14 Fishing The Bristol Bay region of Alaska offers undisputedly the greatest freshwater river and stream fishing of anywhere in the world. The rivers and streams of Bristol Bay receive runs of five species of Pacific Salmon that number in the tens of millions.

In turn, the runs of salmon, through the sheer weight of biomass they bring inland to their spawning streams, support populations of Rainbow Trout, Arctic Char, Dolly Varden, Arctic Grayling and other resident sport fish. Bears, eagles and numerous other animals also benefit from the food chain created by the salmon, and the result is an ecosystem, a wild, balanced ecosystem of unique abundance.

2 Crystal Creek has developed a guided fishing program to share this abundance with you. Wade a stream to fish for wild, trophy Rainbow Trout one day, fish a river for salmon as they enter from the ocean the next. Wade a new stream to catch Dolly Varden and grayling on dry flies the day after that. Insert a day of bird hunting, in season, in between. Take the family animal watching at some point in the trip. Decide to walk and wade-fish for Rainbows every day. It’s your trip. It’s our job to deliver it seamlessly.

Most rivers and streams are clear-flowing and gravel-bottomed, and are of a size easily wadeable.

3 The Rainbow Trout of Alaska are fish of legend. The Naknek River and streams of the surrounding Katmai National Park region offer the finest Rainbow Trout fishing in the world. Crystal Creek Lodge is on the Naknek River and very close to other famous rivers and streams of Katmai. Accordingly, Crystal Creek Lodges’ fishing program focuses on the pursuit of Rainbow Trout while walk-wade fly-fishing. Most rivers and streams fished are clear-flowing and gravel-bottomed, and are of a size easily wadeable.

Alaska Rainbow Trout are wild, beautiful fish, full of spotting, color and character. Fish over 20 inches are very common to the region and can be expected to be caught daily, and fish over 30 inches will have a look at your fly Alaska Rainbow Trout at some point during your visit. The Alaska Rainbow is an animal that makes its living on the move, and are highly are wild, beautiful fish, migratory as they travel through river systems and take advantage of available food sources. A life on the move full of spotting, color makes the Alaska Rainbow a strong fish, one that leaps with abandon and tears line from reels. Big ones are hard and character. to hold!

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While at Crystal Creek Lodge we will deliver a fishery rich in salmon runs and resident Rainbow Trout, you to a variety of rivers and streams within and a fleet of boats is just out our front door. an 80-mile radius of the lodge. Flying in our As an Orvis Endorsed Fly Fishing DeHavilland Beaver aircraft makes for an exhilarating adventure Lodge since 1991, we proudly feature as you fly through the hundreds of miles of National Park and Orvis rods, reels and waders for Wildlife Refuge wilderness that surround us, on the way to your complementary guest use. All flies and daily destinations. If, on the rare occasion, inclement weather tackle are also included at no extra cost. prevents or delays flying, the world famous Naknek River,

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We will deliver you to a variety of rivers and streams within an 80-mile radius of the lodge.

6 Bird Hunting The earliest waterfowl season in the United States opens in Alaska on September 1. The ponds and estuaries of the Alaska Peninsula comprise the first staging area for migratory waterfowl entering the Pacific Flyway.

Waterfowl pursued are duck species of American Widgeon, Northern Pintail, Green Wing Teal, Mallard, Greater Scaup (Bluebill), and Gadwall as well as species of geese including Cackling Canada Goose and Pacific Brant.

Shooting is done from hunting blinds over decoys, with two shooters and one guide in each blind. Competent guides do the calling and carefully supervise each hunting blind. Most days a retrieving dog is available and watching them work adds to the enjoyment of the hunt.

Guns and ammunition are provided. We have 12 gauge pump or over/ under shotguns, steel shot ammunition, waders and camouflage clothing. Guests are welcome to bring their own guns and hunting gear. Birds in Alaska have yet We rotate hunters on several shooting areas — some are freshwater to be hunted in early ponds, some are saltwater estuaries — resting these areas between hunts. New birds migrate into these ponds each day. Birds in Alaska September and are not have yet to be hunted in early September and are not decoy shy. Limits are generous. decoy shy.

7 Crystal Creek Lodge offers the class act of guided Alaskan upland bird hunts. We have been guiding upland hunts since 1993 and have given extraordinary consideration toward the development of the hunting program.

Hunters are provided with carefully researched, productive covers, experienced and competent guides, carefully trained pointing dogs of exceptional breeding, quality double guns and all other appropriate hunting equipment.

Willow Ptarmigan are the game and they are prolific in Southwest Alaska. They are excellent sport for the wing shooter. Ptarmigan hunting season begins in southwest Alaska on August 10 of each year and goes through the end of the Crystal Creek Lodge season. All birds are wild. Seeing and flushing bird numbers into the hundreds is not unusual on any given day in the field.

Alaskan upland hunts are conducted by one guide directing a maximum of two hunters. The country is big and the vistas extraordinary. Pointing dogs steady to wing and shot locate and hold game.

We recommend that you bring your favorite double gun; otherwise a 12 or 20 gauge double gun can be provided. Appropriate ammunition is provided as are blaze orange strap vests. Participating hunters should be in good physical condition. Please inquire.

Seeing and flushing bird numbers into the hundreds is not unusual on any given day in the field.

8 Adventure, nature and wild things While we are first and foremost a fishing lodge, we learned long ago there are guests who would like to take a break from fishing and see the myriad of natural wonders available in our area, or would like to share such experiences with their families. The Brown Bears of Katmai National Park are very close by, as are the natural wonders of Becharof National Wildlife Refuge. How about a trip down the Alaska Peninsula to see walrus? River rafting or kayaking in Katmai is available, as are trips to beach comb on the nearby Bering Sea coast.

9 The Brown Bears of Katmai National Park are very close by, as are the natural wonders of Becharof National Wildlife Refuge.

10 Lodge Crystal Creek Lodge is the quality standard of Alaskan fishing and hunting lodge accommodations. The experience is about the fishing yet if coming to a lodge, you might as well have the best. The main lodge is a beautiful 7,500 sq. ft. building made of massive scribed logs and river rock and overlooking the Naknek River. It is impeccably built, completely modern, warm, quaint and tastefully decorated.

Lodge capacity is 14-16 guests: ten guests within 5 main lodge guest rooms and four guests in two private cabins. Private groups of up to 18 can be accommodated by prior request.

Amenities include a mud room with lockers and wader dryers, laundry service, a bar and game room, and two separate relaxation/ It is impeccably built, reading areas. There is a massage therapy room and a screened, outdoor hot tub. We do not have television by choice. completely modern, warm, quaint and tastefully decorated.

11 Five guest rooms are within the main lodge, all have private baths. Four rooms have either two full-size beds or one queen and one full, and one room has a king sized bed.

Two private cabins are also available. The cabins are made of massive logs and river rock to match the lodge. Within each cabin are two bedroom suites, each with a queen bed and private bath. Each cabin has a loft with two twin beds and a third bathroom. Each cabin has an indoor sitting area and a covered outdoor porch overlooking the Naknek River. The cabins are 75 feet from the main lodge and are connected by a boardwalk. The riverside hot tub is only 35 feet away. The cabins can be reserved at extra cost by gentlemen desiring private bedrooms or by families.

12 Dining Our food philosophy is simple and generous: we gather the highest quality ingredients available, then prepare and serve delicious meals. We feel the flavors of quality ingredients carry the meal better than heavy sauces.

Foods from the land and of the seas surrounding Alaska are featured whenever possible. We buy fresh garden vegetables, herbs and potatoes from Alaska farms, as well as fresh Alaskan salmon, halibut, Black Cod, King and Dungeness Crab, Kachemak Bay oysters, Spot Shrimp and scallops. We also love land meats and feature beef, chicken and pork prepared in a variety of fashions and served alongside the seafood. Being at the apex of the Pacific Rim, we will feature Asian and West Coast culinary influences more often than those of continental Europe.

Crystal Creek Lodge has a licensed bar stocked with a wide variety of domestic and imported beers and spirits. We have two delicious varieties of Alaskan microbrew beers on tap. We also appreciate wine and have a wine cellar. Featured is an extensive list of fine wines from around the world to complement the dinner menu.

We gather the highest quality ingredients available, then prepare and serve delicious meals.

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UNIMAK SHUMAGIN ISLAND ISLANDS AKUTAN Un UNALASKA ISLAND im ak ISLAND P ass SANAK Unalaska ISLANDS Location Crystal Creek Lodge is located on When traveling to Crystal Creek Lodge you must secure the Naknek River, 5 miles East of commercial Airfare from your home to King Salmon, King Salmon and 285 miles southwest Alaska (AKN), connecting through Anchorage. Getting of Anchorage, Alaska. to Crystal Creek is a relatively uncomplicated and we will assist you with planning the portion of travel between The Lodge is on the western edge of Katmai National King Salmon and Anchorage. The details of booking Park, which is famous for freshwater fishing, wildlife flights in and out of King Salmon will be provided when and incredible scenery. The Naknek River is famed as you make a reservation. We will meet you at the King one of Alaska’s finest trophy Rainbow Trout rivers. Salmon Airport and provide transportation to the Lodge.

We’d like to thank the photographers who contributed to our brochure: Cover, Terry Gunn; Page 1, man on walkway by Brian Grossenbacher, lodge by Fred Hirschmann, man on shore by Jeff Schultz; Pages 2,3,4,5,6, all photos by Brian Grossenbacher; Page 7, dog by Brian Grossenbacher, woman shooter by Jeff Schultz; Page 8, flying ptarmigan and man holding ptarmigan by George Conrad, pointer by Jeff Schultz; Page 9, fox and walrus by Fred Hirschmann, bears and glass balls by Jeff Schultz; Page 10, plane with men and bear by Brian Grossenbacher, caribou by George Conrad; Page 11, lodge with planes by Jeff Schultz, lobby with women by Fred Hirschmann; Page 12, bed room by Fred Hirschmann, all other photos by Jeff Schultz; Page 13, servers at dining room table by Fred Hirschmann, all other photos by Jeff Schultz; Page 14, aircraft at airport by Jeff Schultz. 14 I began at Crystal Creek Lodge as a guide in 1988, literally helped build the lodge and its field programs from scratch, bought it several years later and have personally managed it since. I have flown several thousand hours across all ends of the Bristol Bay region and across Alaska, constantly observing while guiding guests to fishing, hunting and adventure. This is my life’s work. The staff and Dan Michels, I look forward to sharing our love of Alaska Pilot/Guide/Owner/ and the benefit of our experience with you. General Manager We at Crystal Creek Lodge seek to satisfy your dreams and inspire your life. We invite you to join us for an unforgettable experience.

k i n g s a l m o n , a l a s k a

Reservation Office: P.O. Box 872729 • Wasilla, AK 99687 Phone: (907) 357-3153 Fax: (907) 357-1946

[email protected] www.crystalcreeklodge.com