My wife and I just returned from our stay at the remote Caribou Lodge and found it to be a great place to enjoy the Alaskan tundra, great views of Denali, bear sightings and fantastic food. This was our second visit to this wonderful Lodge that is run by two amazing Alaskan’s, Pam and Mike Nichols. Mike does the guiding and great story telling while Pam takes care of the guests’ other needs. She is a fantastic chef and it is certainly impossible to decline any of her cooking, especially her biscuits and gravy! Their son Aaron, who had just got out of the Marines after a stint in Iraq was also home and was a big help to all of us. This time we brought my son with us who had an amazing time trekking across the tundra with Mike and Pam while my wife and I hiked off by ourselves. The fall colors were spectacular and the blueberries were ripe, sweet and juicy. We saw both brown (grizzlies) and black bears during our travels and even spotted some right from the lodge while eating breakfast. The cabins were very nicely appointed and it was even great to have some heat when there was a heavy frost. My wife enjoyed helping with the feeding of the “mushers” and wanted to bring one of the dogs back home with us. This remote lodge is in an idyllic setting and the hosts really know how to look after their guests. The float pane trips to and fro with Albert at the controls was also an enjoyment as the tundra was at its peak color and looked as beautiful from above as it did on the ground. We are already planning our next visit to Caribou Lodge

Caribou Lodge was a fantastic experience for our family of four. It is not luxurious; but it is certainly not roughing it either. And it is very comfortable. Mike and Pam are fantastic hosts (and that's exactly what they are, your hosts). You eat dinner at their dining table, pass the time in their living room and talk to them as they work in the kitchen (and pitch in if the spirit moves you).

We were looking for a true Alaskan experience. We had had a week on a cruise ship and found the lodge in both a guide book and on the internet. We flew in from Anchorage (which is longer than the short hop from Talkeetna).

We stayed for four days and the weather was excellent for two of them (which is good for Alaska). The view of Denali from the ridge above the lodge (a 45 second walk) is absolutely spectacular. If you have good weather quickly (do not hesitate) have Mike or Pam set up a flighseeing trip around Denali. It is an unbelievable experience--like being in a National Geographic special and relatively (for that sort of thing) inexpensive.

The food is great. Home cooked meals. Not exactly what the cardiologist ordered, but it is only a few days and a great excuse to eat hearty food.

There are just three cabins (and a loft), so the capacity is limited to 6 or 8 guests.

We had real adventures while we were there. And Mike and Pam are the best. I am a city slicker, not particularly favorably disposed to guns, but they need them and use them in the bush. And with the right people and the right environment it all felt right.

Us city people need to get a bit of courage up. No indoor plumbing, but the outhouses are clean and nicely decorated. (Mike says the fact of outhouses keeps the wrong people away). No electricity in the cabins, but there are gas lights and gas heaters (the propane, like everything else, is flown in).

This was a unique experience, and I suspect we will be back. I am not sure what more we could have asked for.

Caribou Lodge is a short plane hop and light years away from the tourist environs of Talkeetna, just above the timber line on Boomerang Lake (ask the pilot to show you on the map). The cabins, lodge, bath house and outhouses (no indoor plumbing here) are scrupulously clean and the hospitality generous. A 2-minute climb up the hill behind the lodge gives you a ringside view of Denali. Pam makes you family as soon as you step on the dock, and Mike is a superb hiking guide. You'll see whatever wildlife decides to come by (this isn't a zoo, after all), and experience the lay of the land up close and personal (blueberries in August are superb!). If you want to go where your legs can carry you and unwind in the stillness of the Alaskan bush, do try out Caribou Lodge. If you want Alaska to parade by you, stick to the tourist buses and watch CNN.

We love the Caribou Lodge. We first went there when we lived in Key West, Fl. and have since moved to Ak. Yes, they do have outhouses.....But it is a fly-in lodge out in the wilderness....it is not a zoo....Sometimes you see lots, and sometimes not so much. I have seen a wolverine...for several minutes at a time...., numerous birds, moose,wolf tracks, and yes, they have sled dogs which is the most incredible way to see the country in the winter. We go up now to get away "from the big city" and to look at the northern lights and the stars.....And, of course, Denali....Not to mention the company and the food. Pam bakes all of her own bread, and the food is bountiful and great. This is a wilderness lodge, not a spa resort....I wish I were there right now.