OWLS Adventure in Alaska's Kenai Wilderness

The OWLS Alaskan Adventure took us across the Swan Lake Canoe Area, a well known but seldom traveled section of the Dave Spencer Unit of the Kenai Wilderness Area and the Alaska Moose Range. Check back here often because, during this amazing trip, we saw and experienced so many things that I will probably be updating this post for quite some time. Meanwhile, take a look at some of the photos here and try to imagine all those that we wish we had been able to shoot. Always open to questions and several have already asked about going on our next trip across "Alaska's Boundary Waters." Just let me know how many are in your party and when you can get away for a week or so and I'll do my best to make it happen.


The "Final Four" (Ben, Jack, Clay, & McClain) at the edge of Canoe Lake #1.

We started out with ten signed up for the trek but only seven arrived in Anchorage where we all assembled to start our adventure. The day we headed out to the trailhead, three others decided this expedition might be too much for them (or possibly due to the news of recent bear maulings the day of our arrival) and would not be convinced otherwise. After hurredly resorting our gear and provisions, we were still able to get a reasonable first day of paddling in and made camp on a point looking across Otter Lake with a view usually reserved for postcards.


Can you believe the record is a kick over 11 feet above the ground?


We passed Skilak Lake, part of the Upper Kenai on our way to Soldotna. Notice how the water here still has that blue sparkle indicating its glacial origin.


This view of the Kenai left no doubt in our minds that we didn't want to capsize in the river.


Our Alaska base of operations, Denise Lake Lodge.


One of our first views of Alaska from the ground. Although this immense wetland which is home to an amazing array of birdlife looks as wild as can be, it is actually the result of poor engineering for the construction of the Seward Highway which can be seen in the distance. When building up the roadbed for the highway, the many small creeks flowing across the terrain were effectively dammed up, creating what is now one of Kenai Peninsula's more highly visited wildlife attractions.

Here's a map of the various campsite locations we used during the week and that of Denise Lake Lodge, our base of operations on the Kenai Peninsula. We stayed at Denise Lake Lodge, the shore of Otter Lake, the beside Swan Lake, along the Moose River, then at its mouth in Sterling where it joins the Kenai River, and then back to Soldatna and the Lodge before parting company.

Jack's photo to send back home. Just in case someone didn't believe he really went there.

We took time to tour the native Alaskan museums, learn of customs, and even their music and games.

Jack decided that moose have every excuse in the world to be unpredictable, especially after carrying that much weight around on their heads all the time.

Possibly due to our excellent application of Leave-No-Trace Principles or maybe just because we made too much noise, the only bear spotted was on the opposite shore and downriver from our campsite in Sterling at the confluence of the Moose and Kenai Rivers.

The moose in town (this one near the airport) didn't seem to mind our presence nearly as much as their out-of-town cousins.

Clay in his usual situation: cigar in mouth and rod in hand. If he wasn't paddling or sleeping, he was fishing!


Our campsite along the Moose River was an obvious favorite of both human and wildlife visitors.

Spring is calving season for the moose and we saw evidence of it at every turn. Of course, some like David Tenenbaum and his boys didn't see the evidence until too late and ended up being treed by Mama Moose. Dave - send us that video link you shot from the tree!

This fellow might have been a bit too close for comfort but who am I to run him off?

Here I am on one of the many Swan Lake Canoe Area portage trails. Like many others, this one is covered with planks to prevent travelers from sinking into the often boggy mire.

Clay and our lunch-to-be on the side of Rock Lake. Three Coho Salmon caught in the time it took me to build the fire. No need to open the packaged tuna on this trip for sure!

I guess they call this Swan Lake Canoe Area for a reason.

Another view from our Moose River campsite.


Jack earned the title of "Jack the Pack-Mule" as he definitely carried more than a fair share of our gear on many of the portages. When the trails closed in, we found it much easier to carry the canoes from the center rather than sharing the load and "steering" around curves from either end.

Here's Clay casting for yet another of the many Rainbow Trout he pulled from the Moose River during the two days we paddled it.

We couldn't let something like setting up our first night's campsite get in the way of another good meal, chili this time.

Heading back out across Otter Lake on Day 2 to continue our adventure.

Jack and I cruised across Swan Lake.

This fellow had obviously become conditioned to either generous or sloppy campers around the spot we stopped on the Moose River. He watched us incessantly and sat on a branch right over my shoulder as I prepared our meals.


The Bradleys paddling one of the more intimate upper sections of the Moose River.

I practiced some really "laid back" paddling on this section of the Moose River.

One last photo at Denise Lake before heading our separate ways.