Last updated: December 7, 2021
Itinerary
What follows is a general flow of events. Expect the unexpected and prepare to be flexible.
Day 0
Meet your guide in King Salmon for a pre-trip meeting in the evening.
Day 1
Weather permitting we fly from King Salmon, south along the Bering Sea Beach and then when Veniaminof looms large above the left wing, we head inland and land on the wind rippled Sandy Lake. Fishing here is excellent so we’ll likely spend the night lakeside before starting our hike.
Day 2
We start the hike with a climb up and out of the Sandy River Valley leaving behind the beautiful lake and the fish and the bears. We’ll hike about 6 miles to the base of the glacier which pours from the summit of Veniaminof Volcano and will try to position ourselves for a hike on the mountain the following day. Depending on the weather, there could be some significant stream crossings of the Muddy River this day.
Day 3
Clear weather is rare in this part of the state but we’ll keep our fingers crossed for it. Today we have an opportunity to climb high onto the volcano. If everything aligns perfectly, we could get a view into the ice filled caldera and see the volcanic vent spewing steam and ash onto the ice which surrounds. We’ll have a day of adventure no matter how far we go!
Day 4- 6
Down the Muddy River to the Coast. It is all downhill, and with luck the walking will be firm and flat. It is about 25 miles from the glacier to the beach so these will be long days of walking. As we get closer to the coast the weather and the wildlife will change. It will be fun and interesting to see the volcano grow small in the south and the bluffs of Cape Seniavin grow closer on the coast.
Day 7
We have the morning to visit with the Walrus and enjoy the coast. Mid-afternoon we can expect the plane to return for us and take us back to King Salmon.
