It’s that time to introduce you to the wonderful people at Redoubt Mountain Lodge. Mostly familiar faces, a few additions have been made to our All Star crew. Without question customer service can make or break an experience. Rest assured every guest of Redoubt Mountain Lodge will never have to concern themselves with the thought of receiving anything less than exceptional service. For pictures and to read more about each staff member, please click HERE.

Ryan & Heather Richards – Lodge Managers
Always wanting to go above and beyond to make each guest’s stay memorable, they take the utmost pride in what they do. The past 10 years at Redoubt Mountain Lodge has been a constant refinement of making something great into truly remarkable.

Andrew Sells – Head Guide
A combination of Jack London, Paul Bunyan and the “Most Interesting Man in the World”, Andrew’s wit, humor and passion for what he does is reflected in his guiding. RML’s “Master of Toasts”, shall you ever be fortunate enough to hear one of Andrews pearls, it may just change your life.

Colleen Ferris – Bear/Wilderness Guide
Having just completed over 2 years of volunteer service with the Peace Corp in the Dominican Republic, Colleen brings with her a wealth of knowledge, plenty of stories and a passion for serving others. She is a welcome addition to our team.

Josh Smith – Fishing/Bear & Wilderness Guide
Still pound-for-pound the strongest guide in Alaska, Josh returns to RML for his 4th season. Spending countless hours this past off-season pursuing his Fly Casting Instructor certification, Josh is eager to impart instruction to all those that have ever had a desire to catch a fish on a fly rod.

Jess Dancer – Fishing/Bear & Wilderness Guide
For those who follow us on Facebook, Jess is the one routinely sporting a costume. Sometimes it’s Old Saint Nick wading the river while on other occasions you’ll see a bear kayaking around the lake. Thankfully he hasn’t taken to the hiking trails in the Grizzly get-up!

Ann Harris – Hospitality Specialist
If there was ever an award for the most dramatic career change, Ann would be in the running. Grossly over qualified and equally motivated & excited about her new chosen profession, Ann is the perfect fit for our hospitality specialist.

Kitt Daly – Fishing/Bear & Wilderness Guide
Carefully selected from over 100 qualified applicants, Kitt has plenty to prove among the seasoned RML guides. We are certain he is up to the task and that everyone will enjoy his company as much as we already do.

Robert Isaly – Lodge Chef
RML has been searching for Robert for many years now. Thankfully our paths crossed and his culinary expertise & experience will grace the Redoubt Mountain Lodge kitchen. Combining forces with Heather, this seasons menu is sure to exceed expectations.

Ryan Nordaune – Fishing/Bear & Wilderness Guide
A passion for traveling, he has been checking destinations off the world map his entire life. Immersing himself in the wilds of Alaska has been a long time quest. Ryan possesses all the qualities we look for in staff and we know you will enjoy his guidance as he introduces you to Lake Clark National Park.

Clark Hildebrand – Bear/Wilderness Guide
Redoubt Mountain Lodge “Horseshoe Throwing Champ”. Clark returns to Lake Clark National Park leading the charge amongst our Bear & Wilderness guides. A day touring the area with Clark is one to remember.

K’eyush & Charlie – Lodge Security
Everyone’s favorite at RML!

To read more about each staff member, please click HERE.

Right now in the “Last Frontier” as the temperatures dip well below zero, snug in their dens insulated by feet of snow, the mother bears are giving birth. Though at the beginning these cubs are blind, under two pounds and helpless, they will grow to be the adorable cubs that will entertain you with their clumsy first tries this season. Hibernating together, in what you can imagine to be a very large pile of bears, they will emerge this spring with two clear objectives: stay close to mom & EAT! It’s amazing to watch these little cubs develop into one of the world’s largest predators!

The 2013 season brings with it an excitement that is impossible to deny. Salmon runs forecasted for this summer at Redoubt Mountain Lodge certainly favor the resident bears. The protein-rich Sockeye Salmon, Ursus Arctos primary diet, have eluded to returning in colossal numbers complimented by the bi-annual migration of Pink (or Humpy) Salmon. Food & fun will be had by all! Lodge security, K’eyush & Charlie, will have their “paws” full reminding these bears of lodge boundaries.

If the allure of Alaska has grabbed a hold of you, there is no better time than now to fulfill your adventurous spirit. Availability still remains for stays in early July where guests can take in as much as possible with the help of 24hr daylight. Or for those that wish to watch the bears in all their splendor, early August will provide an experience that will exceed expectations. We encourage all potential guests to contact us right away for remaining availability. These dates are very limited & will not remain open for long.

As always, please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions: we are only a phone call, email message, website inquiry or Facebook click away!
 

The winter solstice marks the shortest day and the longest night of the year; translated from its latin meaning “sun standing still”. The sun appears at its lowest point in the sky, and its noontime elevation appears to be the same for several days before and after this event. Following the winter solstice, the days begin to grow longer and the nights shorter giving cause to many cultures recognition of rebirth, hence, annual gatherings, festivals, rituals and holidays! And guests of RML begin their countdown to an Alaska adventure!

Before we go into the new year we must touch on 2012 as it was one to remember. It honestly feels like it was just the other day when we were waking the lodge up from its winter slumber. Waterfalls were still frozen and the only sound came from massive sheets of ice breaking apart, giving way to summer’s arrival. Within days, the ice was gone and the hillsides came alive with the thunderous sound of spring thaw. Soon the music of piston powered airplanes could be heard regularly bringing with them the critical piece of Redoubt Mountain Lodge: our GUESTS! And in the blink of a eye, fall had arrived with the last buds atop the fireweed having bloomed, indicating snowfall was near.

Among the many lodge additions in 2012, the wood fired sauna had to be the favorite. Ok, truthfully, Charlie would probably win in a vote, but the sauna is a close second! Taking the polar plunge in the glacial waters of Crescent Lake after a long day of adventure was never easier with a cedar soaking hot tub AND steaming sauna awaiting!

We always reflect on how thankful we are to have such wonderful guests visit us each season. Your patronage has made Redoubt Mountain Lodge much more than a place, but rather an experience. Thanks to your support Redoubt Mountain Lodge is ranked #1 on TripAdvisor Click on the link to check out what is being said about RML or write a review of you own.

As a reminder, any guests with plans of visiting RML in 2013 please contact us right away! Our intimate size of twelve overnight guests is filling fast; this upcoming season’s calendar is already 90% full.

We believe the Inuit’s put it best, “May you have warmth in your igloo, oil in your lamp and peace in your heart.” Happy New Year to everyone from Redoubt Mountain Lodge!

 

It’s that time to introduce you to our 2012 staff. Although we may not be able to guarantee the hours of sunshine, temperature or chance of rain during your Alaskan Adventure, what we can guarantee is the exceptional customer service you will receive while at Redoubt Mountain Lodge. Lake Clark National Park and the Crescent River Valley have always been majestic places to experience truly remote Alaska; however, it will be the staff at Redoubt Mountain Lodge that will make your experience unforgettable. Please enjoy this brief introduction. Click HERE to for more information and pictures of each member of the RML Team.

Ryan & Heather Richards – As lodge managers their job duties have no limits. Tending to guests comfort, experience & safety is of the utmost importance and is reflected in the outstanding staff, equipment and attention to detail at Redoubt Mountain Lodge. RML is certainly much more than a job to Ryan & Heather, but rather a way of life.

Andrew Sells – Leading our ‘all-star’ guide roster, Andrew exemplifies everything a head guide should be. Whether it’s tales of volunteering on the Iditarod Trail, spending winters in the north country, narrowly avoiding Oklahoma tornadoes or just every day life, Andrew will keep you entertained. Andrew returns this season fully recovered from a “rouge” seagull injury sustained in 2011.

Danielle Hildebrand – Danielle is a specialist when it comes to creating a welcoming atmosphere. RML would not be the same without her creativity, kindness & mandolin melodies.

Amanda Passarino – Adding another beautiful smile to our hospitality crew, Amanda joins RML for her first season. Amanda’s personality, background and interests made for an obvious choice to make a great team that much better.

Josh Smith – Hailing from Lucernemines, PA…what, never heard of it? No worries, neither has anyone else. Regardless of where he is from, Josh was born to guide. A veteran of RML, we dare you to keep up with him. Pound-for-pound the strongest guide in Alaska!

Jess Dancer – aka: “Big Dance” & Andrew’s “Stunt Double”. During the off-season Jess can be found around the world demonstrating his picture perfect toe touches (no photoshop required). We haven’t concluded yet whether we found Jess or he found us, but one things for certain RML is lucky to have him as a guide…you will be, too.

Danny Cosgrove – Danny leaves eastern Oregon to join the RML staff for the 2012 season. Being his first year, we don’t have much “dirt” to share, just know he was selected from over 100 qualified applicants.

Tom Seward – After a 4-year guiding hiatus from RML, Tom is hanging up his engineer hat to return north. Attempting to describe his outdoor experience would be a futile effort, considering he was raised by Sasquatch on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State. Rest assured a day on the water with Tom will be hilariously memorable.

K’eyush & Charlie Richards – Saving the best for last…or at least the cutest. K’eyush & Charlie have exercised intense “off-season” training to build on their (already) fantastic paw speed, spins & tricks in preparation for the 2012 season. RML Lodge Security team will be awaiting your arrival (as well as the bears’).

To learn more about each staff member please click HERE. Let the countdown begin to your Alaskan Adventure…see you soon!

 

BEARS, WILDERNESS & ADVENTURE all within Lake Clark National Park! When you think of viewing wild bears you probably picture that classic scene of huge Grizzly Bears devouring brilliantly colored Salmon. If you have ever wanted to experience this brief annual wonder called hyperphagia, it simply does not get any better than Redoubt Mountain Lodge! Try to envision thousands of red-bodied Sockeye Salmon schooled up in knee deep water in an area roughly the size of a football end-zone. Add North Americas largest predator with an overwhelming hunger and a competition for who gets to sit at the dinner table first. An absolute feeding frenzy ensues and you are less than 50′ away filling every memory card you have. Hillsides of blooming fireweed & wildflowers compliment the back ground while teaming black berry bushes tempt the bears’ sweet tooth. It’s just you, your guide & the bears.After you’ve worn out your shooting finger, leave the tripod at the lodge for a day and choose from our smorgasbord of activities. Hike to a nearby waterfall or conquer one of the surrounding mountain peaks. Kayak the shoreline following a momma bear and her cubs while counting bald eagles perched atop the cottonwood trees. Throw on a pair of chest waders and walk amongst the spawning fish to fly or spin cast for trophy trout or just soak up the beauty of the last frontier with a good book on the main lodge deck. Choose from a 2 – 5 night stay and cross Alaskan Adventure off your “Bucket List”. We suggest you inquire soon. Remaining availability for 2012 is already limited to early-mid August!The DVDs have arrived. If you would like to add Redoubt Mountain Lodge “The Movie” to your library, please take a moment to fill out our Request a DVD Brochure. This video was captured during August of our 2011 season. Special Thanks to the Morrison family for their participation.

Make-A-Wish 2012! For our 3rd consecutive season Redoubt Mountain Lodge along with Trail Ridge Air will be working with the Make-A-Wish Foundation. These families exemplify strength & perseverance and are an absolute inspiration. Also planned for 2012 charitable contributions: ‘Caddies for the Cure’, ‘Taller San Jose’ and ‘Wounded Warrior’. To say we are excited to be a part of such great organizations would be an understatement.

Lastly, we would like to introduce our newest staff member, Charlie! K’eyush will now have a partner in bear patrol around the lodge. Check out our FACEBOOK Page for more pictures.

We always appreciate input & reviews from past, present and future guests. Please do not hesitate to contact us to share any photos or suggestions!

 

Right about now Mama Bear is sitting in her Santa’s chair welcoming all the cubs of the Crescent River Valley to sit on her lap and tell her what they want for Christmas. Besides maybe a turn in the new sauna or some left over salmon bits from our smoker, they can’t ask for too much more than what they received this past year. There was a historic number of Sockeye and Coho Salmon & hillsides of wild berries; plenty to fill their bellies for the long winter months. Most exciting, many of them had starring roles in the upcoming Redoubt Mountain Lodge “Movie”.Halfway through the summer RML welcomed Rick Dancer Media Services to capture a small portion of what we get to experience every day. If you have never visited us and are debating a vacation to Alaska, this video will assuredly seal the deal in your decision. If the guests’ excitement doesn’t whet your appetite then the sheer beauty of this area will. The crew filmed for a week giving breadth to the amount of activities offered here. Coming in January 2012, take a look at what nearly every guest says is the best vacation they have ever had. Click HERE for a sneak peek.

Of course, if you were to see the lodge now it would be unrecognizable under the caked layers of ice and snow. It is a beautiful time of year in which nature is preparing for the bounty that is to arrive once again during the summer. The newly born salmon from this year’s run are getting used to their new home, Crescent Lake, for the next two years before they make the journey to the ocean. The bears are dreaming of plump Salmon swimming the river banks and the eagles are nesting in their treetop lodges. The trails to the (now frozen) waterfalls surrounding the lodge would require ice skates and the once sun-kissed Crescent Lake looks like the world’s largest hockey rink.

The contrast in life could not be more pronounced than what it is right now. Once the spring hits and the 24-hour daylight arrives, the valley and lake turn back into nature’s paradise. Mama Bear will take off her Santa’s hat and the fun will resume for all those that visit us this coming year. For now, though, we want to wish you a very Happy Holiday season & a New Year of health, happiness & adventure!  We look forward to bringing life to everything you see in the video and what you have dreamed Alaska could be.

 

The 2011 season at RML is proving once again that it’s a good thing there are no boundaries on fun because we would be pushing them this year. With six returning staff and two future all star guides in the making, we are showing guests the true versatility of the playground in which we work and you play. Hiking continues to be a favorite activity amongst our guests and only Mt. Redoubt has been safe from the bottoms of our hiking boots. We have added two more kayaks to our armada, which have all covered their fair share of Crescent Lake. Waterskis, wakeboard & tube have all been wet. Bear viewing has been ridiculously good with “Chuck” being added to the payroll (finally). Then there are all the wild fish swimming around us….

It can be said that seasons in Alaska are often determined by the species of salmon returning to the rivers and the quantity of which they arrive. If that is true, then this Sockeye season has been one to remember at RML. With an early appearance and huge numbers of “Reds” showing up daily, the fishing season started ominously. Eleven-year-old Eddy and his dad picked up fly rods for the first time and took home their limits every day. Mixing in a 20lb. Mackinaw on light spinning tackle rounded out their stay along with a few comedic gems by the bonfire at night. Trips like theirs were book ended by the same with heavy pushes of fish throughout the month. In fact, an incredible three-day surge of nearly 37,000 Sockeye passed through the radar at the mouth of the Crescent River in mid July. We are all waiting anxiously to see if the Coho will follow suit and match the precedent set by their tasty counterparts. The guides are still talking about this year’s run and making people envious they missed out on such an epic fishing experience.

Our guests have plenty of time to hear all of our ramblings during one or all of the many hikes we have pioneered at the lodge. So far this year, two groups have seen the summit of every hike we have to offer. The Vauthey family pushed their limits and were happily rewarded with views of Mt. Iliamna on a crisp, clear afternoon on the very difficult “Pyramid” hike. Tuxedni Bay & Glacier and the extent of the valley leading to RML were all visible from the top of another one of our inspiring peaks that surround us. Treks like these are not the norm of course. We have our more subdued trails like the new “Moose Meadow” hike that is quickly becoming a favorite with a reward of wild blueberries at the end of the trail and the occasional bear and moose sighting along the way.

Bear sightings have not been a problem with the infamous “Chuck” returning from a long hibernation. Once again, she has posted up in a bay only a short boat drive from the lodge. Her daily show of diving for fish and belly scratching begins and ends sporadically but is always a treat if you catch her between naps. The lake’s edge has seen some fresh faces with a few new sets of cubs following close behind their proud mommas. The once mighty Sockeye have begun to hit old age and are easy targets for the ravenous brown bears they teased only weeks ago. Bring your fast glass to take insane pictures of these 600lb behemoths chasing protective Sockeye out of their shallow spawning grounds. Truly an amazing sight to see. Bring your cameras, but remember this is one thing that can only be translated with your eyes.

Cooperating weather and fish have made all of us wonder where the time has gone. The season is nearly half over and we have had barely anytime for reflection. The guests that have been here so far have been exceptional and have engaged us with every activity we have to offer at RML. With a hot tub waiting after a long day its hard not to walk away from here inspired by Alaska’s beauty. We all look forward to making your trip a memorable one!

Redoubt Mountain Lodge does not compromise when it comes to staff. Ensuring each guest receives a high level of personal attention is the commitment we make to you. Each member of the Redoubt Mountain Lodge team brings with them a passion to make each guest’s experience one they will never forget. Please enjoy this introduction to our talented staff. For additional information & pictures of each staff member, please check out our Staff page.

Ryan & Heather Richards: As lodge managers there are very few chores that Ryan & Heather do not tend to. But above all is their dedication to providing an unforgettable Alaskan Adventure. With years of experience in the executive service industry, Ryan & Heather go to great lengths to put the silver-lining on every stay.

Andrew Sells: A fourth-year veteran at Redoubt Mountain Lodge, Andrew serves as Head Guide. Andrew’s abilities are limitless, but his specializes in ’changing lives’. For those who have never met Andrew, rest assured his charisma is magnetic. We feel very privileged to have Andrew leading the Redoubt Mountain Lodge guides.

Josh Smith: Josh returns to Redoubt Mountain Lodge as not only a fishing & wilderness guide but also as Head Casting Instructor. If you have ever wanted to learn to fly cast or simply improve, Josh is a professor in the school of fly fishing. Good fisherman will imitate him, experts will respect him and all will enjoy their time with him

Danielle Hildebrand: Ensuring our guests have everything they need at RML, Danielle provides the ultimate customer service. Danielle is a specialist when it comes to creating a welcoming atmosphere. After a long days work it is not uncommon for Danielle to serenade guests on her guitar around the bonfire. Redoubt Mountain Lodge is proud to have Danielle returning for her 2nd season.

Adam Bernero: Back by popular demand, Adam brings with him a wealth of life experiences. An avid traveler, there are very few places he hasn’t caught fish or taken photos. As a former professional baseball player, Adam keeps his glove close by…in case guests want to play catch with a big leaguer. RML is fortunate to have Adam on our team.

Jess Dancer: To say Jess is thrilled to be a guide at Redoubt Mountain Lodge would be a understatement. Jess has the knowledge and talent to teach everything needed to know for an unforgettable experience in Lake Clark National Park. Redoubt Mountain Lodge welcomes Jess as an exciting part of our admired collection of guides.

K’eyush: She is an extraordinary security system working for a few treats and a belly rub. Serving her fourth season at RML, K’eyush has been chasing bears since she was a pup. Whether greeting guests upon arrival or joining guests for a hike, she’s always on patrol.

To learn more about each staff member, please click HERE.