Bears of Lake Clark National Park

What a fantastic week at Silver Salmon Creek Lodge tucked along the coastline of Cook Straits with the massive Lake Clark National Park behind it. Bears have become conditioned to people, especially photographers, who only take pictures and never threaten the animals. Thus, we were able to get incredibly close to these grizzly bears without them feeling threatened and without us being fearful.

Lake Clark
We flew from Anchorage to Silver Salmon Creek Lodge
Lake Clark
We flew in this six-seater with me as co-pilot - worrisome
Lake Clark
Back seat pilot terrorized
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Amazing patterns and colors
Lake Clark
Mud flats at low tide
Lake Clark
Approaching Silver Salmon Creek Lodge, can't see an air strip
Lake Clark
We land on the beach
Lake Clark
The main lodge where meals were served
Lake Clark
Here's how we traveled around the property hunting for bears
Lake Clark
Our first sighting
Lake Clark
Here are her two playful cubs. You'll see more of them
Lake Clark
Standing to see if there is any danger nearby
Lake Clark
These bears eat the tidal basin grass which is rich in minerals
Lake Clark
Crossing the stream carefully
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Stopping for a drink
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Stopping for me to take her portrait
Lake Clark
These are coastal grizzly bears, a subspecies of brown bears. Some coastal bears are blond like this one
Lake Clark
One afternoon we couldn't find bears to photograph so my only catch was a dragonfly
Lake Clark
This female adult grizzly eats almost anything it can find. Berries, clams, fish and grass are its main diet.
Lake Clark
Here are her two very playful cubs
Lake Clark
The cubs are about 18 months old
Lake Clark
They will stay with their mother for 2-3 years
Lake Clark
Cubs are usually born when the mother is in hibernation.
Lake Clark
Cubs nursing. When born they will nurse for the first 30 days. Then begin to venture out for food.
Lake Clark
Something has their attention
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Baneberry, which is toxic to humans
Lake Clark
Early morning reflections in the mud flats with a grounded boat in the distance
Lake Clark
Our photo group walking out to photograph bears clamming. Julie in the lower right
Lake Clark
Momma bear with her two young cubs
Lake Clark
Momma digs and sometimes shares with the cubs
Lake Clark
Momma breaks the clam open with her powerful claws
Lake Clark
The cubs often only get scraps after momma has eaten
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And the gulls stay nearby to get any remaining scraps that the cubs don't eat
Lake Clark
This gull is upset because no scraps were left for her
Lake Clark
The mud flats at low tide are nearly a mile wide. Here's a closer look at the texture
Lake Clark
Bee extracting pollen from a fireweed plant
Lake Clark
One day we took a small boat to Duck Island to photograph birds
Lake Clark
Duck Is. from the air taken when we were returning to Anchorage
Lake Clark
Captain Cook discovered Duck Is which sits in the Cook Straits
Lake Clark
As we approached the island this flock of black-legged kittiwakes took to the air
Lake Clark
Here is a different type of "in-flight" drink
Lake Clark
Just off shore was a young otter floating on her back half asleep
Lake Clark
We circled her a couple of times so she finally turned over to take a look at us
Lake Clark
Then she snarled at us
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And finally was tired of looking at us. We moved on
Lake Clark
Horned puffin resting on the beautiful aqua-colored water
Lake Clark
Tufted puffin
Lake Clark