The engine roars, the bush plane shudders; it's take-off time. The world outside begins to crawl by, then it goes faster, faster, before dissolving into a blur of hurtling colors. Then you're up, up, leaving the ground in a dizzying pitch and, within moments, you're sailing toward a range of distant mountains.
There is a sense of exhilaration as you leave civilization behind. A lifetime of adventure dreams in remote Alaska has taken wing.
Encompassing more than half a million square miles of wild land -- mountain ranges and tundra plains, 3 million lakes, 100,000 glaciers, 3,000 rivers and thousands of miles of raw forests -- Alaska is an enormous place. Yet for all of that space, fewer than 15,000 miles of maintained roads exist. Which is, of course, part of this wilderness state's charm.
Trouble is, the lack of roadways also makes for certain restrictions. Elbow room and the lion's share of rivers, lakes and scenic backcountry lie beyond the ken of whitewalls and asphalt. If you really want to get around in Alaska, to break free and see the best unpeopled places, then sooner or later you must fly.
Since one out of every 64 residents is a registered pilot, finding someone to fly you around Alaska is not a difficult task. In fact, Alaska boasts six times as many pilots per capita -- and 14 times as many airplanes -- as the rest of the nation. The most difficult part of getting started is figuring out what you want to do, where you want to go and then shopping around for the air taxi that best suits your needs for the best price.
Air taxis are available in all of Alaska's major cities and villages. Many offer flightseeing packages in fixed-wing aircraft or helicopters that range from one to several hours and may include aerial tours of local glaciers, coastlines, or even close-up views of volcanoes or great mountains such as Mount McKinley.
Most flightseeing charters provide standard packages tailored to highlight sights of local interest. For passengers, this keeps planning simple. Many operators happily carry out custom flightseeing trips for those who have particular sites or destinations in mind, as long as these are arranged in advance. Prices vary according to the aircraft used and passengers are normally charged by the hour.
For those planning extended wilderness adventures -- fishing, floating remote rivers or camping in isolated regions -- it is best to research trips early. This is the time to study maps and make decisions.
Consult air taxi services in the region you plan to visit and ask if planes can land at your desired drop-off point. Also, consider how much gear you will require and find out if your pilot will need to make more than one trip to transport your party and equipment to your destination. The logistics and total cost of your trip hinges on these factors.
Many fly-outs to Alaska's remote regions start in smaller communities called "jump-offs."
For instance, Dillingham would be a logical jump-off point for a float trip on the Goodnews River -- along with many other area rivers -- in Southwest Alaska. To access the Goodnews, most travelers fly major airline jets to Dillingham from Anchorage, then step aboard previously chartered Bush planes from there.
In some cases, more than one community may be within range of selected fishing waters. A USDA Forest Service cabin you've chosen to visit on the north end of Prince of Wales Island in Southeast might be roughly the same distance from the towns of either Petersburg or Wrangell. Price comparisons between air taxis in each community might reveal that one outfit offers a better price.
Alaska's wilderness is awesome and complete. Forget your bug dope (or toilet paper, fly reel, etc.), and you will be stuck for the duration doing without. Packing for a wilderness fly-out, whether a day trip or two-week expedition, requires care, organization and deliberate planning.
Cargo capacity in bush planes is finite; what you bring will be based on necessity, weight and bulk. Find out before you start packing what type of plane you will be taking. Ask about the payload and compute by the size of your party the weight and bulk of your gear and the total number of days you expect to be out. This will determine, in part, whether you bring a cooler of fresh food or pack a week's worth of freeze-dried dinners. Again, if you have the money, a plane can always be chartered for more than one trip.
Equipment and food should be stored in compact, preferably waterproof, packages. Rubberized "dry bags" are popular, but traditional canvas duffel bags also work -- just line them with double-strength trash bags, or seal clothing and other dry items in large ziplock bags.
Pains should be taken to see that pick-up times and locations are understood by both your party and the pilot. It's not a bad idea to leave your plans with a third party back home. If for some reason you are late, that party can contact your air service to see what the problem might be. If you're weathered in for a day or two, the third party can spare unnecessary concern by calling friends or family members.
Alaska's weather is a whimsical phenomenon, a corollary of nature beyond the pilot's control. Which is to say there are no clocks in wilderness Alaska. You fly when you can. Frustrating as waiting for hours, or even days, in a flight service office lobby can be, no amount of complaining or wishful thinking can make conditions improve. Better to come expecting delays in departures and pickups. If the weather is good, most pilots are timely. If not, a good book, a deck of cards or a portable fly-tying kit can make down time more tolerable.
Alaska is a big, beautiful, wild place. When you hop into a plane or a chopper for an hour or for half a day, you're going to see things you've never seen before. And, perhaps more than anything else, you're going to land with a new perspective regarding how incredibly huge this last, great wilderness is.
