This mother brown bear charges up the river in pursuit of silver salmon as her cubs feast on what she’s left behind. Salmon are the primary food source for these massive animals that live along the coast.
I’ve been photographing this group of brown bears in Lake Clark National Park for almost 20 years, and the fact they’re coastal make them relatively safe to work with. Coastal brown bears are grizzlies that have evolved to be somewhat easygoing. Unlike grizzlies from the interior of Alaska or those in Montana, Wyoming, and Canada, coastal grizzlies are not nearly as stressed for food. Almost all of my work with grizzlies has been with coastal bears due to the safety of working within a group and also since these guys are typically very amiable creatures.
Our brown bear trip to Lake Clark National Park is one of my favorite adventures. The lodge is the most comfortable of any I’ve ever stayed at. Our hosts are some the nicest people I’ve ever met. And the experience of the Alaska bush is once in a lifetime. This is a true Alaskan adventure with comfort beyond compare, and though this trip is mainly for photography, invariably Tanya recruits half our Explorers to join her in fishing.