National Park Service Park News U.S. Department of the Interior The Novarupta A trip planning and informational guide to Katmai National Park ANELA RAMOS ANELA RAMOS NPS/ROY WOOD What’s Inside: Brooks Camp ..............6 Bearcam .....................12 Katmai Origins ...........14 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY NATIONAL ROY WOOD Three National Parks, Many Amazing Experiences Alagnak Aniakchak Katmai Wild River National Monument and Preserve National Park and Preserve Unbounded by dams or artificial channels, Midway down the wild, remote, and On June 6th, 1912 residents of the north- the Alagnak River meanders its way from mostly roadless Alaska Peninsula lies ern Alaska Peninsula experienced one of National Park Service Welcome to Katmai Country headwaters in the Aleutian Range across one of the nation’s most fascinating, but the largest volcanic eruptions in recorded U.S. Department of the Interior Welcome to the Alaska Peninsula! well as their perseverance through periodic the Alaska Peninsula to Bristol Bay and the least visited, volcanic features. Aniakchak history. The eruption at Novarupta times of difficulty and survival. This story Bering Sea. The upper 69 miles of river are National Monument and Preserve volcano sent ash over 100,000 feet into the The Alaska Peninsula is a vast and beautiful continues today as Alaska Natives maintain designated a national wild river, meaning surrounds a large caldera formed by the atmosphere, led to the collapse of Mount landscape where the National Park Service their traditional lifeways in the momentum free flow, no dams, and little human impact. collapse of a 7,000 foot volcano. Set inland Katmai, and created the Valley of Ten Alagnak Wild River (NPS) has the privilege of managing Katmai of an ever-changing world. Their in a place of frequent clouds and fierce Thousand Smokes. Aniakchak National Monument & National Park and Preserve, Aniakchak connection to these lands is profound and From the time of the earliest Alaskans, the storms, Aniakchak was unknown to all Preserve National Monument and Preserve, and the worthy of our unwavering support and river has given much to those willing to but area Natives until the 1920s, and had Katmai National Monument was Katmai National Park and Preserve Alagnak Wild River. Regardless of your respect. learn its ways. In summer, the river teems its last eruption in 1931. Nestled inside established in 1918 to protect the interests, these areas offer a diversity of Katmai was declared a national monument with salmon. Falls brings migrating caribou the caldera is Surprise Lake, a remnant of volcanically devastated region surrounding in 1918; Aniakchak in 1978. The Alaska outstanding Alaskan experiences. It is through the efforts of many dedicated and berries. It traverses the beautiful Alaska a much larger lake that catastrophically Mount Katmai and the Valley of Ten National Interest Lands Conservation Act of individuals from diverse walks of life, over Peninsula, providing opportunities to drained in a massive flood. Warm springs, Thousand Smokes. Today, Katmai 1980 established Alagnak Wild River, while The geologies of these places are at once the years and down to the present, that has experience the unique wilderness, wildlife, melting snow, and glaciers feed Surprise National Park and Preserve is still an active Katmai and Aniakchak were expanded to both ancient and new. The parks’ diverse ensured that wildlife remains abundant and and cultural heritage of the area. Lake, which in turn gives rise to the volcanic landscape, but it also protects include national preserve areas. Katmai was landscapes comprise expansive mountains; diverse across the Alaska Peninsula. Today, Aniakchak Wild River. 9,000 years of human history as well as also redesignated a national park. Together, active volcanoes; glaciers; a wild and all three NPS units continue to support This river is one of the most popular important habitat for runs of salmon and these lands encompass nearly five million beautiful seacoast; and freshwater rivers world class fisheries and wildlife viewing sport fishing destinations in all of Alaska. This narrow stretch of the Alaska Penin- the thousands of brown bears that feed on acres of unique landscapes managed by the and lakes. The cataclysmic eruption of opportunities. To be able to observe the Alagnak’s extraordinary rainbow trout, sula boasts a rich human history. Volca- them. National Park Service. Novarupta in 1912 took place long ago Alaskan brown bear doing its thing in char, grayling, and abundant salmon are noes, earthquakes, and tsunamis have when compared to a human lifespan, but is its natural environment is a testament some of the most attractive sport fish in the interrupted the human story, yet the land Katmai is a rugged and diverse land where Mailing Address geologically recent. Such single events can to the priorities of a nation, and a gift to PO Box 7 world, and the river has become the most abides as a wild place where people can bears are plentiful, salmon leap water- have profound impacts, for example the humankind today. We hope you might King Salmon, AK 99613 popular fly-in fishing destination in all of experience independence and interde- falls on their journey to spawn, steaming resulting ash layer covered everything for have the chance to come and experience Southwest Alaska. pendence. Life has persisted here in the volcanoes serve as a reminder of the earth’s Park Headquarters miles around and even today life continues the sights, sounds and feel of these special face of catastrophic change. power, and the stories of cultural change Phone: 907-246-3305 to recover from the effects of the eruption. places for yourself; if you do you are sure to See pages 22-23 for more information. continue to live on. Fax: 907-246-2116 take back memories that will last a lifetime. See pages 20-21 for more information. Human habitation of this region goes back See pages 6-18 for more information. Web many thousands of years and the resulting Mark Sturm Alagnak: www.nps.gov/alag history speaks of thriving communities, as Superintendent Aniakchak: www.nps.gov/ania Katmai: www.nps.gov/katm Contents: Southwest Alaska’s Park Lands .................................... 2-3 Katmai and the National Park Idea .......................... 14-15 Essential Information ....................................................... 4 Fishing Information ....................................................... 17 Getting Here, Getting Around ........................................ 5 Backcountry Travel ......................................................... 18 Brooks Camp .................................................................... 6 Aniakchak National Monument ............................... 20-21 Camping at Brooks Camp ................................................ 8 Alagnak Wild River ................................................... 22-23 Brooks Camp Map ............................................................ 9 Park Neighbors .......................................................... 24-25 Bear Viewing ............................................................. 10-11 Cycle of the Salmon ....................................................... 26 Live Bearcams ................................................................. 12 Alaska Geographic Association ..................................... 27 M. FITZ Glacially shrouded volcanoes, like Mount Mageik, form the geologic backbone of the Alaska Peninsula. Safe Travels in Bear Country ......................................... 13 Exploring the Human History of Katmai ...................... 28 Katmai National Park is the site of the largest volcanic eruption of the 20th century (see pages 14-15). 2 The Novarupta The Novarupta 3 Essential Information Getting Here, Getting Around Dates and Hours of Operation anywhere on the Alaska Peninsula. See page Only non-guided sport hunting is allowed in Alagnak, Aniakchak, and Katmai are open 24 13 for more bear safety information. the Alagnak Wild River corridor. In all other Quick Tips for Visiting Three of the Most Remote hours a day every day of the year. Most services areas, sport hunting is prohibited. All hunting such as lodges and air taxis operate seasonally. Visitors to Brooks Camp are required, upon activities require a license and are subject to National Park Units arrival, to participate in a brief, mandatory bear National Park Service and Alaska Department MANY PEOPLE CONSIDER SOUTH- Aniakchak, and Katmai—provide a variety Brooks Camp and other locations along the National Park Service and concessionaire safety talk at the Brooks Camp Visitor Center. of Fish and Game regulations and restrictions. west Alaska’s remoteness to be an of commercial visitor services, including Naknek River drainage can be reached by operated facilities at Brooks Camp, in Katmai attractive characteristic, but the remote transportation, guided day trips, guided both motorized and non-motorized boats National Park, are open from June 1 through Food Storage Weather nature of the area necessitates careful September 17. All food, beverages, garbage, equipment used Even during summer, visitors to the Alaska multi-day trips, overnight accommodations from Naknek and King Salmon, located to cook or store food, and/or any odorous item Peninsula should be prepared for cool and planning in order to overcome certain and food services. Commercial partners west of the Katmai. Boats can access the Camping must be properly stored in an approved bear- stormy conditions