Posted on March 23 2009
Home sweet home on the Kanektok
Photo: Cameron Miller
At Alaska West, we call ourselves a ‘tent lodge‘. We are not shy about what we are and what we’re not. We are a high-quality operation, right on top of an incredible fishery. We are not even trying to be a ‘luxury lodge’. We don’t have cognac, Baked Alaska or skin treaments. We couldn’t tell you what the thread count is on our sheets.That being said, our facility is actually pretty nice! The ‘tent’ part comes from the fact that some of our structures have heavy vinyl covers that are removed during the winter. Everything else is permanent – wooden floors, heaters, electrical system, water system.
Guests and staff eat in a large dining room with real tables, real chairs and great food, by the way. We have a lounge with comfortable chairs, a tying area, and don’t tell anyone, but…satellite TV and internet. We have a drying tent to ensure that waders and jackets are warm and dry in the morning, and we’ve got an outdoor gazebo with a viewing deck that’s perfect for late-night relaxation. Finally, our permanent showerhouse is the finest in bush Alaska!
We’re not going to win any Michelin awards, but it’s a pretty darned comfortable place to spend a week.
Relaxing in the lounge…talking about fishing maybe?
Photo: Cameron Miller