Crescent Lake is a 9 mile long by 4 mile wide glacier-fed lake. The lake is a beautiful torquise blue which is caused by rock flour also known as glacial flour. Glacial flour consists of fine-grained, silt-sized particles of rock, generated by mechanical grinding of bedrock by glacial erosion. Because the material is very small, it becomes suspended in the lake & river water producing this unique color.
Crescent Lake has numerous tributaries. Many of which are small streams leading to waterfalls pouring from glacial fields 4-5000′ atop the Chigmit Mountains. Large tributaries include the Upper Crescent River and its countless forks, braids and branches. This is an amazing place to explore as we are the only ones with access and intimate knowledge of this maze of meandering waterways.
Within a short boat ride from the lodge, you'll find the Lake Fork of the Crescent River. This begins as a slow moving river as wide as 300 yards in some places. The bottom is comprised of pea gravel and sand which create ideal spawning habitat for Sockeye Salmon thereby attracting bears and large schools of Arctic Char & Dolly Varden. This is excellent water for “walk & wade” fly & spin casting targeting aggressive, hungry fish. After a few miles of this idyllic water for fishing, kayaking, bear& wildlife viewing, the Lake Fork narrows into a classic Alaskan river. Here your adventure continues: utilizing our flat bottom boats with jet drives, our guides will transport you to that exclusive fishing hole or hidden hiking trail.
