KATMAI NATIONAL PARK: The Valley of 10,000 Smokes

When you think of Katmai National Park, and the amazing quantity of Grizzly Bears that flock to the falls during the Salmon Run, rarely do you also think of Volcano's. BUT, Katmai National Park was originally formed as Katmai National Monument, specifically to protect the LARGEST VOLCANIC ERUPTION OF THE 20th CENTURY. In 1912 Mount Katmai blew, spewing ash tens of thousands of miles into the air, spreading ash as far away as Chicago and New York, and lowering the overall temperature across the planet by 1.8 degrees F for several days. Over the next decades multiple scientists would travel to the Katmai area to study this catastrophic event. Our journey began with the "Valley Bus", traveling 23 miles along the only road in the park from Brooks Lodge to the Three Forks Overlook Cabin/Visitors Center.

From Three Forks Cabin we set out along Windy Creek, crossed it, then headed south into the Valley of 10,000 smokes. After crossing the creek we found this mark in the sand, reminding us bears are free to roam every corner of the park...

There are technically no marked trails within the back country, but there are several "trail like trails" where people have walked before... Here we are following the awesome Lethe River, dug deep into the ash.

At several points the Lethe River cuts 30-50 feet or more deep into the valley, making it very difficult to cross with shear cliffs on either side.

At a few hard to find spots the river spreads and the cliffs shrink, allowing for a safe crossing at low water. The best time to cross is in the morning, since these waterways are glacier fed. The problem with these rivers is they are zero visibility due to silty waters, and since the soil/rock carves so easily, waterways can quickly drop from ankle deep to above neck deep.

Gretchen pioneered this technique, "why don't we use a tent pole to probe ahead of us as we cross together, ensuring we don't step off into the deep end..."

Here Mount Mageik overlooks the valley, also a Volcano, around 7000 feet in elevation.

Gretchen crossing the Valley enroute to the Baked Mountain cabin, some hikers compare the soil similar to walking across a kitty litter box, the ash is a very gritty sand, hard packed from wind and water over the last 90 years.

Finally after approximately a 14 mile hike-in we reached Baked Mountain Cabin, also an old USGS research camp; it was nice to dry out our clothes still wet from the creek crossing.
The finest Outhouse I have every seen; missing a door it actually opened with a magnificent view of Mount Griggs.

Mount Griggs, 7500 feet.

Sunset from Baked Mountain.

Gretchen inside Baked Mountain Cabin (shack).

As a result of the eruption, Novarupta, a vent alongside Mount Katmai blew millions of chunks of Pumice rocks all over the valley. Ranging from the size of marbles to the size of a suitcase, they are extremely light, and some even float in water.

Overlooking Mount Katmai and the Knife Glaciers.
Novarupta, vent from which the majority of the 1912 Mount Katmai eruption came from.
Our camp on Night Two, alongside the middle Knife Creek, less than a mile from Knife Glaciers. Panoramic view of Mount Katmai and Mount Trident in the background.

Gretchen on day Three, due to our inability to find a efficient crossing of Knife Creek to link up with the Ukak River and head back into Three Forks from the North, we cut back across the Valley and left the way we came in...

Not taking any marked trails or common routes, we think we hiked somewhere between 30-35 miles.

After several days of sunshine in the valley, we awoke to wind and clouds on our Third Day, not nearly as bad as some of the "Ash Storms" people had described to us, killing visibility and making it difficult to breathe without a bandanna across the face...
Gretchen getting organized at camp on our Third Night, nestled alongside Windy Creek, finally back into vegetation.

Our last creek crossing of the trip.