Anan Creek on July 16, 2015

We will be in Ketchikan on July 16th. As many of you know, this is a very expensive excursion ($500 per person). Carlin Air and Island Wings are the two I have contacted. I'm looking for input from anyone that has used either of these companies about this same time. If you know of another company, I would like to hear that input also. I know we are early and I know there are no guarantees. What do you think our odds are of seeing bears??

You're not early; you're visiting during the peak period which is why permits are required. Trips start mid June but permits aren't required until July5 :

http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/tongass/home/?cid=fsbdev3_069306

If you look thru the 2014 trip reports in the STICKYs above you'll see reports from JozieRhodes and Mollanjake who visited Anan during the first week of July. They included photos as well.

I have had Island Wings booked since February for August 9 next year. I emailed them recently and was told the permits are issued October 15. I would have preferred going a week or two earlier but the couple that are accompanying us could not go then due to their business. Everything I checked seemed to say salmon would be running then so I am hopeful we will see some bears.

I have flown with both of the above companies, long standing excellent vendors. I also highly recommend Southeast Aviation.

You are not too early to book this location. You are peak. Close to 100% sightings of black bears. Browns are another story and need a different location for better odds.

Another vote for Southeast Aviation. We used them on 7/19 of this year. I think I called around this time and got our confirmation notice back mid-November after the lottery. You are booking transportation as stated earlier not a flight-seeing. They called and left a message on my cell prior to our arrival since we got in an hour early to call them as soon as we disembarked. They came and picked us up an hour early which gave us an extra hour to watch the bears. Obviously everyone's results will vary but we saw 10-15 Black bears and 2 Brown bears. It was truly a once in a lifetime trip. If you would like to see pictures they are here

Another vote for Southeast Aviation. We used them on 7/19 of this year. I think I called around this time and got our confirmation notice back mid-November after the lottery. You are booking transportation as stated earlier not a flight-seeing. They called and left a message on my cell prior to our arrival since we got in an hour early to call them as soon as we disembarked. They came and picked us up an hour early which gave us an extra hour to watch the bears. Obviously everyone's results will vary but we saw 10-15 Black bears and 2 Brown bears. It was truly a once in a lifetime trip. If you would like to see pictures they are here

For not being a flightseeing trip, you really got some beautiful photos from the air!

I booked about a year in advance for this excursion. It was the best excursion I've ever done on any vacation. See my blog below for the trip details and pictures.

http://hoosiergirl34787.wordpress.com/2014/09/28/bears-and-salmon-the-circle-of-life-continues/

Thanks for sharing your wonderful pictures. We're in the process of planning an Anan trip for next year.