Anan
Bear ObservatoryThe day begins with an hour
long jet boat ride from Wrangell through the Eastern Passage.
Seals, Stellar Sea Lions, dolphins and occasionally Orca feed
on herring and smelt in the bays and currents along the way. Upon
arrival at Anan, guests disembark off the bow of the boat and
climb up the bank to reach the trailhead. A USFS interpreter will
greet us at the trailhead to provide a brief history of the facility
and recent wildlife activity at the observatory. A maintained
1/2-mile moderate trail partially boardwalked with steps leads
through the rainforest to the observatory platform. The trail
winds through the rainforest up and down along the lagoon and
across some tree roots, ending at the observatory located above
a series of cascading waterfalls. Your guide will brief you on
bear safety and etiquette. Please follow these guidelines. At
this point we are in the Anan Bear habitat where bears also use
the trail. For the safety of our clients we carry a shotgun and
pepper spray. There has never been an injury incident involving
human and bear interactions at Anan. We encourage our clients
to behave in a "bear savvy" manner as described below.
We do not recommend visiting this area with children younger than 9 years old.
The multi-level observatory platform
and photo-blind provide excellent opportunities for viewing black
and brown bears fishing 30 feet below or approximately 150 feet
across the creek. This platform is open to both guided and non-guided
travelers and there is generally not more than 20 people there
at any given time.One section of the deck is covered and provides
shelter from the rain. An outhouse is available at the end of
a 50 foot path off the observatory. Please notify your guide if
you choose to use it.
Bears can be viewed fishing
for salmon as close as 30 feet away from the safety of the enclosed
photo-blind. The photo-blind is available on a first come basis
and accomidates six photographers at a time for one half hour
"turns". The sign up sheet is at the top of the stairs
under the covered observation area. The time spent at the platform
is determined by the guide based on local conditions. Usually
we spend from 4 to 6 hours at the platform. This allows us to
explore further on our return to Wrangell. There are "outhouse"
bathroom facilities 
located
on the bottom of the trail and near the observation platform for
your comfort and convenience.
The best viewing varies by season
and weather. Generally bears follow the salmon run which begins
in early July. 
The peak
of the season is from mid July through mid August with viewing
available through the first week of September. Beginning in 2004 this unique activity is restricted by permit
to all users from July 5th through August 25th. A total of 64
permits will be available daily for both the guided and th eunguided
public. Four of these permits are reserved for cabin users, 12
will be available 3 days prior at the Wrangell Ranger District,
with the remainder distributed between commercial guides, transporters
and to the general public on a reservetaion system. Due to these
changes,we will be offereing a variety of options: fully guided
trips including permits, guided trips for those clients with private
permits, and transportation only services for those with private
permits and cabin users. Each company is alloted a fixed number
of days based on historical use. Stickeen
Wilderness Adventures inc.and Alaska
Vistas inc.have a combined total of over 200 permits. Please
book early and reserve your spot on this spectacular tour!
new! Anan photo Gallery