Khutzaymateen Grizzly Reserve

[Alan Milnes]

Our trip to Northern BC/Yukon started with a 4 day boat trip into the Khutzaymateen Inlet and Grizzly Sanctuary. We flew from Prince Rupert into the reserve in a vintage De Havilland Beaver aircraft on floats. We were met by the Afterglow, a 60 foot fibreglass boat that sleeps a maximum of 8 guests with three crew. Oceanlight Tours is the boat owner and I highly recommend them for trips to Haida Gwaii (where we first travelled with them), the Khutzaymateen and the North Coast of BC. The bears were plentiful and readily viewed from a small zodiac operated by the Afterglow Captain/bear guide.

 

[AlanLichty]

Sounds like quite an amazing journey with some seriously nice opportunities for wildlife photography. Good trip for carrying around a long lens for shots like this one. How far away from the bear were you while shooting this?

 

[Alan Milnes]

Sounds like quite an amazing journey with some seriously nice opportunities for wildlife photography. Good trip for carrying around a long lens for shots like this one. How far away from the bear were you while shooting this?

Hi Alan, Definitely a place to see grizzlies! The closest we were to the bears was approximately 5 metres as in this image for example. I was using a 100-400mm 4.5/5.6 Z Nikkor S lens which was excellent for the variety of distances we experienced viewing bears around the inlet.

 

[JimFox]

Hey Alan! It's been a while, it's sure great to start off 2025 with you back!

What a super cool image. Love the way it's eating the grass! Great posing, and from you description, what a fun trip as well.

I don't think I have heard of the place you mentioned. I know of the popular spot in Alaska that everyone goes, but don't recall hearing about this one in the Yukon.

 

[Alan Milnes]

Hi Jim, great to be back, thanks! Like so many of us Covid kicked the hell out of traveling and, for us photographers, photography. Didn’t do much photography for a number of years. Now, back at it.

I am a refugee Jim……..from Fred Miranda. A select few there are great and a select few are…….( too polite to say it!)

 

[Jeffrey]

Nice image Alan. I did the same trip on 2009. Same boat I believe. We first stayed in Prince Rupert for a few days to photograph bald eagles at numerous locations. The Khutzaymateen is one of the most remote and pristine places to be. The water level changes from the tides was amazing!

 

[Alan Milnes]

Nice image Alan. I did the same trip on 2009. Same boat I believe. We first stayed in Prince Rupert for a few days to photograph bald eagles at numerous locations. The Khutzaymateen is one of the most remote and pristine places to be. The water level changes from the tides was amazing!

Hi Jeffrey, happy to hear that. In 2009, you were likely sailing on Jenn Broom's sailboat. We did a trip to Haida Gwaii in 2022 with Jenn and Oceanlight Adventures. The winter before our trip their sailboat was in drydock for some repairs and was destroyed in a fire. The Afterglow 1, their replacement, is a nice boat but is powered by two Volvo Penta diesel engines rather than wind and sails.

 

[Joe Colozzo]

another great bear portrait