Mud-on-the-tires Full-time RV Adventure: AK -- Cooper Landing, 6-15 Aug 2018

Nine days in Cooper Landing…

Why we came…

Fishin’, hikin’, and kayakin’…

The campground…

Kenai Princess RV Park was good. It’s part of the Princess Lodge system and offers the amenities of the resort. The location, perched a hundred feet above the spectacular Kenai River and surrounded by rugged mountains, is fantastic. Plus there is world-class fishing and some great hiking nearby. There are enough things to do in the area to keep us busy for a much longer stay.

The RV sites were long and there was decent space between neighbors. The sites were fairly level, packed gravel. We had full hook-ups, slow wi-fi, and a good GCI phone signal. The laundry, bath, and shower facilities were kept clean and were well maintained. Laundry was $2.50 to wash and $2.50 to dry.

We really liked walking around the resort area and down to the river. The campground was also quiet and peaceful. If we returned to the area, we would gladly stay at the Kenai Princess RV Park again.

We were comfortable at Kenai Princess RV Park and really liked the location.

View of the RV park and lodge from Slaughter Ridge / I enjoyed fishing the Kenai River at the resort and hooked some nice trout.

There was a steep trail that descended 100 feet to a sweet stretch of the Kenai River. We walked the trail regularly for exercise and each time I missed my fishing gear.

Finally, during one of our lazy afternoons, I suited up, grabbed my gear, and scampered down the steep trail.

I enjoyed fishing a short side run. It was very “fishy” and my hopes were high. Plus, I had the area all to myself. A rarity on one of the best and most beautiful rivers in the North America!

I drifted salmon egg flies through the run for about an hour and a half. I hooked four trout. Two of them were impressive, but I didn’t land them. I still considered it a successful and very enjoyable adventure.

Nearby towns…

Cooper Landing, population 289, is mostly a tourist town focused on the bountiful Kenai River. People visit from all over the world for its famous salmon and trout fishing. For amenities, there are a few decent restaurants and a couple of small convenience stores. A much better selection of restaurants, stores, and services can be found in Soldotna, a one hour drive to the west.

Cooper Landing is strung out along Kenai Lake and the Kenai River. It’s a beautiful place known for its world-class fishing. We took this picture from Slaughter Ridge.

Adventures…

Russian Falls…

Russian River Falls Trailhead was a quick 8 mile drive from where we were staying. The parking lots were practically full. The fee was $11 to enter since it is a federal installation. With an America the Beautiful Parks Pass it is half price.

The trail from where we parked was steep at the beginning, but just for a short distance. After about 50 yards we popped up on the main trail and it was quite different.

It was a nice wide gravel trail. We walked side by side and jibber-jabbered the whole time. On either side of the trail was a mixed white spruce, aspen forest with a thick understory, typical of the Kenai Peninsula. If there were bears nearby we wouldn’t be able to see them. People spot bears on the trail regularly when the salmon are running.

What we saw was a lot of people! There were families, large groups, and older couples walking hand in hand. They were all on their way to see one of nature’s most unique shows.

The trail ends after 2.3 miles at some very nice wooden overlook platforms. There, 50 feet below us was a series of waterfalls, and at the base, was the spectacle we had all walked to see.

Thousands of sockeye salmon were swirling in large circles. A few of them displayed their mature red coats but the majority of them were still fresh and looked dark grey from our vantage point.

The lifecycle of the salmon is amazing! After spending their young lives in their birth creek and nearby lake, sockeye salmon swim downstream to the ocean where they spend years feeding and growing on the richness that only the deep sea can provide. Then against all odds they return to their birth place to spawn and start the process over again. We were staring at one of their main obstacles.

The salmon were bumping and pushing on each other in order to get position at the base of the falls. Occasionally we would see one launch itself up into the frothing water and the hard rocks! Then they would swim with every muscle as the water poured over them. Those that did not make it, returned to get in line, their genetic leash tugging at them.

We only saw a few make it in the time we were there. You find yourself cheering for them and feel goose bumps when they finally make it up just the first step in a long series of stairs.

The other mammal that is drawn to this spectacle is the brown bear. Unfortunately, we didn’t see any bears. However, we could see an area across the river where the grass was trampled and we could see game trails disappearing into the woods. We imagined they came down late at night or early in the morning to grab a snack.

Hike route to Russian Falls

It was a nice, wide, gravel trail the whole way / There were a couple of thousand sockeye salmon at the base of the falls

Every now and then, a salmon would attempt the big jump. It was really cool to watch.

Slaughter Ridge…

Slaughter Ridge looms above the Kenai Princess RV Park and beckoned to us. We knew we could have some great views up there.

The name of Slaughter Ridge dates back to a time when there was an encampment of men in the valley that were fed by hunters who would climb the ridgeline to hunt game.

There was conflicting information about the trailhead for Slaughter Ridge. We read some reports that said to start behind “Wildman’s”. But our friend, Steve, gave us some other directions. In the end we trusted my old adventure partner.

From Princess Lodge, we followed Bean Creek Road east and took a left on Slaughter Ridge Road and a right on Langille Road. We then parked at the cul-de-sac at the end of Langille Road.

We saw a trail barely perceptible through the shrubbery. Once we punched through, the trail was very clear. At the end of our narrow trail, an old dirt road came in from the right. That likely lead down to the trailhead behind Wildman’s.

In front of us was the “Sally’s Way” sign. We knew we were in the right place and headed up the soft forest trail. All around us we saw different mushrooms, but not any of our treasured edibles. However, we did small piles of black bear scat.

The soft trail dipped into a drainage. When it climbed out on the other side, it pitched up significantly.

Now the trail was steep and we had to scramble up multiple rocky ledges. It was tough here with some areas of scree that required extra care but some of it was carved out like stairs.

As we left the trees behind and entered the alpine tundra zone, we were able to glance over our shoulders and admired the surrounding peaks and sparking Kenai Lake below. It was a good excuse to take breaks on the steep trail.

After almost a mile of climbing, we came up on a ledge. From here the view was even more spectacular. The view reminded us of Geirangerfjord in Norway where we kayaked for our first anniversary. We could also see our home in the RV Park a thousand feet below.

Sadly, there was a memorial to “Wayne Fritz Koecher”, who died at age 24 in an airplane accident in January of 2006.

We looked around for where the trail continued. We started chatting to a few ladies, Kelly and Heather, that were coming from the other direction. They were also looking for the trail to the top of the ridge. The trail became very braided and each option they tried, appeared to dead end. They were a little spooked because of the bear threat and gladly joined us to find the trail.

We learned that Kelly and Heather were traveling nurses. But they have spent a lot of time in Alaska. The four of us had a good time as we compared hiking notes and our favorite places.

First, we tried a trail that forked right towards a pond. After a nearly a half mile, we decided it was a no-go. We walked back to where we began.

Arleen poked into one of the dead end areas and pushed through some trees and found the main trail! On the way down we learned that we should have taken the first left fork and looked for where it switched back.

Now the trail was very steep but still with rocks that acted as stairs. Finally, we stopped on a knob just below the peak. We expected a blustery wind at the top and were glad to find a comfortable spot protected from the winds.

We had climbed 2,500 feet. The surrounding 3,000 - 4,000 foot high mountains and sparkling glacial green lake and river were mesmerizing. The epic scene stretched all the way out to Cook Inlet, Illiamna and Redoubt.

Heather stopped with us for a break while eager Kelly made the short ascent to the top. She gave a hearty yell when she achieved her goal and threw her hands up to celebrate. After sharing more stories, Arleen and I headed down.

Unfortunately, it was not easy. We looked for the slide or the zip line as we always do, but have yet to see one.

Fortunately, we were walking in a postcard with a full on view of Kenai Lake and the surrounding mountains and glaciers spread ahead of us.

Hike route up Slaughter Ridge / This is the only sign along the trail

A nice stroll in the woods at the bottom / More challenging rock scrambles as you climb / Fresh blueberries are a treat and provide a welcomed energy boost

Mid way up Slaughter Ridge with Kenai Lake and the Kenai River below

Just being silly

Still climbing

This was our turn-around spot, 2,500 feet above the valley

Fishing the confluence…

I often fished the Russian River, Kenai River confluence back in the day. We called it a meat run. We’d get off work, make the two hour drive, take the ferry across to the Russian side, catch three salmon for the freezer, and make the two hour drive back. When the sockeye are storming, the fishing there can be easy.

The Russian River is only 13 miles long. It flows out of upper Russian Lake, then through lower Russia Lake and finally flows into the Kenai River near Cooper Landing. Its configuration is the perfect recipe for huge sockeye runs.

“The Russian River Ferry began operations as a private business in 1949. The Refuge continues to operate the ferry through a private contractor. Operating from June to September, the ferry assists visitors by providing access to the confluence, one of Alaska’s most productive Sockeye Salmon Fisheries.”

The parking area and the fishing area all look different from years ago. They have also done a lot of bank restoration to ensure that the popular river doesn’t get “loved to death”. But the ferry is probably the same one. It cost six dollars to park with our National Park pass. Otherwise it is $12. It was an additional $11 per person for the ferry.

The other difference was the number of people. From our view point we could see a few dozen fishermen scattered up and down the river. If the run was strong, a few hundred people would have been squeezed into the same space.

We selected a spot and started doing the “Kenai drift”. Flip about 10 feet of line out in current, let it drift down, and as the fly swings around, tug it out and flip again. Then repeat hundreds of times. Occasionally as you tug it out, something will tug back, HARD. Then hold on! The salmon usually go bezerk. They jump and zip downstream and take advantage of the strong current. They are a real challenge to land and it’s a blast.

We fished for about three hours and hooked 10. We kept just two small fresh ones. Most of the tough salmon won the battle.

Arleen did not do as well. She believes the lower Kenai loves her more. But she did take time to poke along the edge of the woods. I warned her, “There are bears in there”! The area is famous for bear encounters! She found our first Alaska mushroom treasures. She harvested a few pounds of hawk wings and our first Alaskan King Bolete.

We headed home to have fresh Sockeye salmon with a side of fresh mushrooms.

It had been 17 years since we last rode the ferry. It crosses the Kenai River and enables anglers to fish the prime spots near the Russian and Kenai River confluence.

Lots of signs in the area. Most are warnings about bears. The area has the highest concentration of bears on the Kenai Peninsula. The “Don’t Get a Penalty On the Play” sign is funny. (Click any image for a better view.)

The Russian River meets the Kenai River where the most people are fishing. When salmon runs are strong, fisherpeople stand nearly elbow to elbow along this entire stretch. This is called “combat fishing”. I was grateful to have plenty of room on this day.

The Kenai River is one of the prettiest rivers anywhere. The salmon run along the shore but they are difficult to catch. They aren’t in the river to feed. They’re there to make babies!

We hooked 10. Only four of them were legally hooked in the mouth. We kept the two freshest ones.

Arleen found our first Alaska shrooms: a king bolete on the left and hawkwings on the right. Unfortunately, the hawkwings were bitter.

Rainbow Lake…

Rainbow Lake is stocked with triploid rainbows which grow fast and large. There is just a short ¼ mile path to the lake. It was a perfect opportunity to test our kayak cart.

First, we did a scouting trek down to Rainbow Lake. After an initial 50 yard drop, it was a nice flat gravel trail leading through a mostly open marsh to a slight rise above the lake.

On that rise, we paused when we saw a commotion in the lake. It was a huge bull moose foraging and swimming around in the lake.

I ran back to get the camera and Arleen watched as the moose swam and then scrambled to the edge of the lake and shook off like a dog. Then he disappeared into the forest like a 1,500 pound ghost.

At the lake, there is a nice place to camp with a picnic table, a gravel tent pad, and a bear bin.

Back at the truck, we strapped one of the kayaks to the cart, loaded it up with the accessories and started down the path. We had to pause a few times to make adjustments before we got the hang of it.

The third and final trip across the short trail went smoothly. The three round trips resulted in a mile and a half of walking. Later, we’d do two more round trips to wrap up the adventure.

Once in Rainbow Lake we paddled to the far side which was the deepest. It was enjoyable to paddle around with the view of the Kenai Mountains and even a small glacier above us.

It was cloudy most of the day which is perfect for fishing. The wind started picking up towards the end of our time. Wind can wreak havoc when kayak fishing.

We had a great time catching countless 5-9” rainbow trout. Those same trout will likely be 16” next year. If I lived in the area, I would track the stocking schedule and gladly fish the pretty lake regularly.

Our final two journeys back to the truck with the two kayaks went very smoothly. We look forward to the opportunities our little cart has opened for us!

Our hike and kayak route at Rainbow Lake. We made five round trips on the 1/4 mile long trail to take our two kayaks back and forth to the lake. The first trip was just to check out the trail. Just as we got our first view of the lake, we spotted a big bull moose rooting around in the water.

Dragging the kayak on the nice, wide, gravel, mostly level trail / We caught a bunch of small rainbows

Rainbow Lake was peaceful and very pretty. See the small glacier on the left?

Quartz Creek…

Quartz Creek is another place I used to fish back in the day. The target here is Rainbow Trout and Dolly Varden. We traded in our heavy weight salmon tackle for our light 4-weight fly rods with salmon egg flies.

We stopped at the bridge near the campground. Six fly fishermen were already in place downstream.

We got out and leaned over the bridge. We clearly saw the red torpedo shapes with green heads of the maturing sockeye salmon wasting away in their final stages. I could not see them but I knew as the salmon laid their eggs, some of the roe would wash back in the current and the trout and dollies were waiting there to feast on the treat.

We quickly donned our waders and headed into the woods to find a spot on the creek to ourselves. It was not an easy walk. The trail barely existed. We had to step over downed timber, cross muddy tributaries, and plow through rose and willow thickets.

Finally, I found what I was looking for. It was a section of the creek with a gravel bar and a nice smooth run.

I set Arleen up on the lower end of the run. An old salmon sipped her fly. Well, that is not supposed to happen. Usually at this stage in their lives, the salmon have no interest in feeding. They’re there to make babies!

We spent a few hours working the run. I caught a few nice rainbows. Arleen caught a small but pretty dolly.

Quartz Creek enters the north side of Kenai Lake. / Though we weren’t fishing for sockeye salmon, we still hooked a few. They are nearly impossible to land on light-weight fly rods and light line.