Helpful Information to Streamline Your Alaska Trip
Fishing Lodge Home › Trip Planning › Frequently Asked Questions
It's always great to get your questions answered early in you trip planning process. It saves you a ton of time trying to dig around for information and also brings to light some things you may not have considered important. With that, many of our guests encouraged us to build a FAQs page on our website, so here it is! Three other pages that are great resources of information are our guest orientation page, our fishing guide and resource page and our Alaska trip planning page.
The Lodge
Where is the Lodge Located?
Wilderness Place Lodge is a remote fly-in fishing lodge off the road system in south central Alaska. Our lodge is located on a remote clear-water river system. We fly by float plane approximately 70 miles Northwest from Anchorage towards Denali National Park. The 45 minute flight covers a vast array of wetlands, rivers, dense forests and lakes. The valley is an incredible spectacle of what remains of it's glacial past. Epic views of Mt. Denali (McKinley) to the north can be seen on clear days. For more information and maps, please visit our lodge location page.
What can I expect the weather to be like during my time in Alaska?
With weather, always plan for variable elements. Our lodge is located in the heart of the Susitna Valley, South of Denali National Park.
As we are a fair distance from the coast, our region is warmer and drier than much of Alaska each summer. June and July tend to be our warmest, driest month whereas August is typically cloudier and wetter. However, there is much at play that control weather patterns in Alaska and the normal weather trend for our area can change at any time. It's best to dress in layers and always have a full rain-proof jacket and pant set. For more information, please visit our Alaska weather page.
Is your lodge kid-friendly?
Yes it is! In fact, we customize many trip packages to accommodate the wanderlust spirit of the child to help them enjoy their wilderness experience. For fishing, there are certain times of the year that are more engaging for kids, so be sure to contact us for suggestions. Otherwise, we have cool day floats, games and activities at the lodge, river scavenger hunts, river rock gathering and painting, shore lunch picnics, etc. For more information, please view our kids adventure page.
What are your guest cabins like?
Our guest cabins are modern, updated private cabins that accommodate anywhere from 2 - 4 guests. Each cabin has a bathroom featuring vanity, toilet and shower. Our double occupancy cabins feature one queen and one twin bed whereas our 3 or 4 person cabins typically feature one queen bed and two or more twin beds. All beds have new Serta memory-foam mattresses for the ultimate of comfort. Cabins either have electric or wood stove heat sources.For more information, please visit our guest cabins page.
I have some general questions on the type of food your chef team serves and if they can accommodate my dietary needs?
Our chef team of 3 provides three meals a day to all of our guests. They are eager to serve you the highest quality cuisine during your stay with us. You will be amazed by the food quality and service. For more information on the dining experience, please visit our lodge dining page. We send a secure online questionnaire to all of our guests prior to their stay, which includes dietary questions where you can disclose to us any dietary needs, allergies, etc. to us prior to your stay. The chef team takes into account your needs and adapts your meal plan accordingly.
What makes your lodge packages special?
First off, our packages are service-focused, meaning we focus first and foremost on friendly hospitality and attending to your every need. Our staff of 20 caters to an average 16 guests offering the highest service ratio in the industry. Our trip packages are completely flexible. We offer anywhere from day trips from Anchorage, 1+ night fishing lodge packages, custom adventure trips, etc. You can arrive and depart on any day of the week and stay for any duration. Many fishing lodges require a minimum duration stay and require you to travel on specific days of the week. Our lodge packages are all-inclusive from Anchorage, Alaska. Many other lodges do not include plane fare from Anchorage, fishing gear, bathrooms in all cabins, and alcoholic beverages as we do. We do our best to make your trip turn-key from the get-go.
Alaska Fishing
What is the typical daily fishing itinerary and regimen like?
Your daily itinerary is very flexible while at our lodge. Your personal guide adapts to your preferred schedule and regimen. We take into account your preferred activity level to adjust the physical regimen to fit your needs. Being a remote river lodge, we have fishing venues that require a good amount of hiking and wading, but we also have areas we can fish that are easy to access by boat or on foot. For detailed information, please view our fishing itinerary page.
I love to tie my own flies. Do your guides have any recipes for specific fly patterns to tie prior to our trip?
There is a wide array of fly patterns that you can tie that will be effective for salmon, trout, grayling and pike. Yes, our guides do have certain go-to patterns that they find are consistently effective in most conditions throughout the summer. Please view our signature Alaska fly patterns page for more.
If we keep any salmon during our stay, do you pack and freeze our fillets? Is there an option for shipping our catch home?
Your personal fishing guide(s) will fillet, pack and freeze all fish that you catch. You then have the option of packing your fillets in an insulated foam fish box and checking it as luggage on your flight home, or shipping your fillets through a seafood purveyor in Anchorage. If you will be flying home right after your stay with us, we encourage option 1 as it is much more affordable option. Our lodge sells insulated fish boxes for $20 each. Simply pack, check and go. For more information on the fish packing and shipping process, please see our main fish processing page.
Where can a I find information on Alaska fishing regulations and buying licenses online?
Good question. Alaska fishing licenses can be purchased online on the Alaska Department of Fish and Game website. The ADF&G website is also consistently updated with up-to-date regulation information. Be sure to also see their "Emergency orders and news releases" for spontaneous changes to any printed regulations. For links to the ADF&G pages and more information, please see our Fishing resources page.
Reservations and Trip Resources
How can I book a trip securely online?
If you would like to book and/or discuss booking a trip with us, you can always call us directly at +1 907-355-7616, or email us at wildernessplacelodge@gmail.com. You can also simply fill out our secure online reservation form on our lodge contact page.
Can your share some information about Rust's Flying Service and our float plane trip to and from the lodge?
All of our trips begin in Anchorage.
For those visiting the lodge, access is only by float plane. Rust's Flying Service is our primary commercial float plane provider. We charter all planes that fly to and from our lodge with most departures leaving Anchorage at 11am and returning by 1pm. All guests fly to/from the lodge on either side of this 11am charter. Rust's is oldest, most experienced air taxi service in Alaska. You can learn more by viewing our float plane service page.
Do you have brochures that I can request be mailed to me?
Yes, we have new full-color booklets that walk you through the basic layout of the lodge, fishing trip packages and our adventure tour bundles. You can request a brochure by filling out our secure online form.
What should I consider when packing for my trip?
The first thing to consider is the weather. The second thing to consider is space and weight limitations on the float planes, helicopters, or whatever craft you may travel in as part of your trip package. It is always easier to pack light. But, pack intelligently. Therefore, we have created an packing list you must print out and use as a guideline when preparing for your journey to Alaska.
Adventures and Side Trips
What exactly are your "Adventure Bundles"
Our lodge has been a full-service fishing lodge since inception. Over the years we have had new demographics of guests including couples, families, kids, adventurers, photographers, nature-lovers and eco-tourists that have shown great interest in bundling other destinations and activities with their fishing and/or rafting experience while at Wilderness Place Lodge. Therefore we have created many unique adventure bundles to choose from. Or you can simply let us know exactly what you would like to do and we'll happily construct a custom package for you!
I see you have some "outpost cabins." What exactly are they?
We have two outpost cabins: The Pioneer Cabin Outpost and Solitude Island Retreat. These 'outposts' are off-grid lake cabins that groups of 2-4 guests can stay at for one or more nights. The cabins are comfortable, warm and fully-equipped. They are however off-grid and don't have plumbing or running water, so it is a true "glamping" experience. They are a great add-on to our lodge packages, or a stand-alone experience. Outposts are ideal for those interested in a place all their own, relaxation, peace, nature, kayaking, hiking, wildlife, photography and diy daily schedule. We fully cater your experience with food, water, beverages, beer/wine and other necessary amenities. For more, please see our outposts and glamping experiences page.
We are fishing at your lodge, but then have a few extra days in Anchorage following our time with you.
Do you have any suggestions for any cool trips?
Yes! For starters, you can consider spending a night at one of our outpost cabins on the way back to Anchorage as an alternative to staying at a hotel in Anchorage. If staying in Anchorage, there are some great flight-seeing and bear-viewing trips run by our flying service. You also have the option of a 1 night stay at the Knik River Lodge in tandem with an optional helicopter glacier trip. We already have a lodge/adventure bundle that features that experience. Or, you can choose to add that experience on to any existing trip. You also can simply just stay at Knik River Lodge rather than staying in the city. We can give you a quote on a private cabin there including round-trip shuttle from Anchorage. For full options, please see our side trips and add-on adventures page.