other adventures
Our family’s homestead is surrounded by federally designated wilderness and lays within the heart of Becharof National Wilderness Refuge. To the North the jagged Kejulik mountains tower over our cabin and both ends of the valley are bracketed by active volcanos.
Although a limited amount of hunting and fishing is permitted each year, the area retains the essence of untrammeled wilderness. We have lived here for almost three decades and attempt to maintain a low human profile in order to minimize the impact on the surrounding wildlife and wilderness community. Our only electrical power is derived from solar panels and a small wind generator, and all the buildings blend in with the surrounding vegetation. These practices have paid off for us as wildlife regularly passes by our home without taking alarm or even notice. During the summer, bears are generally visible from the dining room window. Moose and caribou, along with their eternal predator – the wolf, wander through the yard, feeding and resting within sight of the house. The surrounding tundra is nesting area for numerous species of birds. Active beaver ponds are home to waterfowl, swans, geese, mink, muskrats, and otter.
Within a short flight from our homestead we can land beside cliffs along the Pacific Ocean that are teaming with colonies of murres, puffins, guillemots, gulls, and falcons. Across the narrow sea of the rough Shelikof Strait lies Kodiak – Alaska’s Emerald Isle – another hotbed of adventure and natural resources. A flight in the other direction brings us to the storied Bering Sea, where you will find great Walrus haul-outs and the muddy waters of one of the most biologically prolific seas of the world. The numerous creeks and streams in the area are packed with five species of spawning salmon, which in turn attract hundreds of brown bears. To the north lies Katmai National Park, a true national treasure. The Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes and Katmai canyon are little known areas of wonder and spectacularly raw natural beauty. On clear days one can fly over the top of glaciers, craters, and active volcanoes within a matter of minutes. To the South and West of us stretches the vast Alaska Peninsula and storm-battered Aleutian Islands. This chain of islands stretches nearly to Asia. It is known as ‘cradle of the storms’ and most weather for western North America originates here from the meeting of the warm Pacific Ocean with the cold Bering Sea. In recent human history, the Aleutians were the setting for one of the larger campaigns of WWII, and the only foreign occupation of American soil since the War or 1812.
We are passionate about where we live. At our homestead you will find a wealth of books and government publications on the surrounding area and its resources.
The Shoemakers have flown, hiked, and explored Alaska from the North Slope, to the Southeast Rainforests, to the Aleutian Islands. Our location, sense of adventure, and family run FAA-Certified Air Taxi service allow us to help you complete any trip you might dream up. Give us a call or email.
