Float Plane Price for Lake Clark

I have now received quotes from several bush taxi services in Alaska and the prices are a little higher than I found last year when first starting to look at this hike. The lowest price quote we have right now is from Lake Clark Air at $715 per person with 50 lbs gear max per person. I had hoped to get the price down lower to around $500 per person. However, the economic downturn seems to have driven a lot of outfits out of business and so most of the ones I had talked with last year are no longer around. Seems like less competition equals higher price... This price is the 2010 price and will go up 10% on January 1, per Lake Clark Air. It's a total sales pitch, but they have offered to give us this years price if we make our reservation and pay deposit by 1 January. If after that time someone decides they cannot come then we can still apply the full balance to the final price of the actual travellers, so no loss of money if someone has to back out. They will also allow us to add people as long as we give them notice two weeks prior to our trip. On top of this price everybody has to get to Alaska which could make it too expensive. Let me know individually what you think, if the price is too high let me know. The deposit is 50%, so around $350 now, and the remaining in about April.

I'm about decided on the actual hiking routes. I talked with a park historian last week that told me the Mulchatna drainage has a lot of black bears in June, fishing in the rivers. He built me up a lot, got me all excited, and then caveated it with "...but one year we had some hikers that spent a week hiking in the area and only saw some squirrels...", so we'll see. The area has a lot of bears but because it is not well travelled like other Alaskan parks the bears are not used to human's at all and will be more skittish and less willing to check out our camp. Another stop I would like us to make is along the northern side of lower twin lake to see the Dall sheep. I talked with a ranger in Anchorage that told me about a natural salt lick that attracts the sheep. They are usually rare but we have a good chance of finding them if we locate the salt lick.

For some really amazing photo's around Turquoise Lake, Twin Lakes, and the Mulchatna River click here.

Current party members (confirmed via email):

Mike

Jeff

Doug

Rob

Marcus

Randy

Gary

Possible party members:

Ben

Greg

Hunter

Chris