I love creating, improving, and taking care of Cooper Landing Lodge so people from all over can experience Alaska on their vacation. 2023 marks the five year anniversary of opening our cabins for people to enjoy while on vacation. When we bought the cabins they were nearly 50 years old and needed a ton of work. Every year we’ve updated and improved the property to make it a special place for generations to enjoy. This year we had three big projects that make our Black Bear and Brown Bear cabins more comfortable and enjoyable than ever!
FURNITURE
I worked with a furniture expert at Treeforms to create a warm and inviting design for our Black Bear Cabin. The new chair, pull out couch, live edge tables, bed, and dresser give our Black Bear cabin an updated look and feel. Now four people can sleep comfortably, two on the new Queen bed and two more on the modern Palliser Madeline Sofa bed. I love the sofa bed because there are NO pillows or cushions to throw off the couch as you unfold it. The top grain leather makes the couch soft to the touch and warm to snuggle into.
We said goodbye to our well loved white couches in the Brown Bear Cabin and replaced them with an inviting Gray Sectional from Thomasville. My two teenage boys immediately napped on it after a long day of fishing. Large groups love relaxing on the couch talking about their adventures. Other upgrades to our beloved Brown Bear cabin included putting carpet on the stairs and replacing the drop down ceiling in the kitchen.
RIVER ACCESS
The number one best feature of Cooper Landing Lodge is that we are right on the Upper Kenai River. We’ve always had river access via the floating metal dock behind our Brown Bear Cabin. However, visitors staying in the Black Bear Cabin didn’t have a dock. This required them to sneak over to the Brown Bear Dock when no one was around – or be really friendly with the other guests- so they could enjoy the spectacular views from the dock. Now BOTH cabins have private docks on the Kenai River.
In early August, Mike’s Welding installed the dock in front of our Black Bear cabin. It took two days. First, the stairs from the bank to the river were installed. The next day, Buck, from Mike’s Welding, launched the dock at the Cooper Landing boat dock, attached a small motor and motored 1 mile down stream. The day was sunny, bright, and perfect for a little Huckleberry Finn style rafting. The dock was attached to the stairs via a metal grate plank.
Now groups from both cabins will enjoy looking at rainbows, watching eagles soar, and trying to catch fish. We still encourage you to be friendly with the folks in the other cabin, but now you can simply wave from your own private dock
LANDSCAPING
In 2022, we removed about 120 pines killed by spruce beetles. Our property went from feeling like you were lost in the woods to feeling quite a bit more open. It was sad to lose those lovely trees. I’ve been working with Josh at Northwest Landscape since mid 2022 to help bring back the secluded, woodsy feel we had before. One goal was planting trees that are beautiful and not susceptible to bugs. Another goal is to create a memorable and relaxing space. We came up with a two phase project that adds a variety of trees and other native plants while improving visitors ability to use the outdoor spaces.
We now have cranberries, aspen, birch, spruce, larch, and more plants that I can’t name at the front of the cabins. Pathways were added to guide people from parking to the door, towards the river, and fire-pits. Boards are being milled from the tees we removed to create spaces for people to relax. I’m most excited about a sound garden we are creating around a tiny log shed that divides the driveway. It will feature wind chimes, water bells, and plants that rustle in the wind. This will be the spot to sit and look at Mt. Cecil and listen to the sounds of nature.
The second phase will take place in the Spring of 2024. Fire pits for Brown Bear and Black Bear will be changed up to take full advantage of the property. A shared space with grass for lawn games will be added – perfect for playing corn hole or chase. Finally, more trees and native plants will be added along the river. We are collaborating with Kenai River Center/Fish and Game to improve the river bank health. Studies have shown the correlation between a healthy river environment and an abundant fish population. We want to do our part to make the Upper Kenai River a World Class Fishing Destination for years to come.
COME SEE
I’d like to invite you to come and see for yourself all the improvements we’ve made. Book your cabin today before the best dates are taken. We are open from Mid May- Mid October. Peak Season is June 11 – August 20, this is the most sought after season due to it being peak salmon run times. There is always something to do in Cooper Landing no matter what time of the year you come. Check out my post about Activities to read about what to do. Download my Cooper Landing Destination Guide which is full of helpful information – such as a suggested 3-5 day itinerary of must do things. Keep up to date with what is happening on Instagram or Facebook.
