Greetings to my fellow Taku Lodge friends, We arrived at the lodge two weeks ago today, and I am happy to report that place is still here! We had a very cold and windy winter, but things have calmed down and are warming quickly. Every year travel back to this remote we open the Taku Lodge in the spring. This year we arrived my ski plane as the river is thoroughly frozen. This week we are between the thaw in a unique period where the ice is not strong enough to land a ski plane, but not broken enough to land a floatplane. There are always unique aspects to our little piece of heaven. There also seems to be different issues resulting from the conditions of the past winter. This years lack of snow and freezing temperatures have frozen the ground to a depth of about 2 feet. Although we winterize all our waterlines, we had a few broken lines, and a frozen fuel line. These are relatively normal issues, which are now fixed and flowing freely. We were happy to see that the only damage to any of our buildings was a small broken window in our generator shed.
The Taku River valley is as beautiful as ever. The quiet peaceful serenity, towering snow covered mountains, and of course the magnificent Hole in the Wall glacier are all reminders of how lucky we are to be in such a majestic environment. We are working hard to get the place ready for all our visitors to come and enjoy this same connection with the wild Alaskan wilderness. Half of our docks have been dug out and sitting on the river ice waiting patiently for open water and the arrival of the first Wings Airway’s float plane. I hope this first Taku Lodge report of 2011 finds all its readers well, and we are looking forward to seeing all of you soon to enjoy this special place with us!
~Michael Ward, Taku Lodge Manager
Plan to bring my whole family (other side) again this year in August! Can’t wait!
We look forward to your visit!!
Gregg and I will be visiting the lodge again this summer, only this time instead of my bringing my side of the family, we will be bringing his two brothers and their wives. When it is all said and done, it is possible we may need an entire float plane to ourself! Looking forward to the visit…and the food!
Hello Alice! Make sure to come in the office and say hello before your flight. We recently established the Pilots Club honoring our many returning visitors. We have a pin for you symbolizing your VIP Membership!! We always feel so honored to have friends, or what we consider extended family, coming back to our little place in Alaska! Now we want to honor YOU!!! Welcome to the club! We look forward to your visit! ~Holly and the entire Wings Airways/Taku Lodge family
Loved this lodge and the food…please forward recipes or
tell me where I may purchase recipes of Taku Lodge
Hello Kathleen! Our season is about to begin and then we will be enjoy the food again as well! Im ready! I have included one of my favorite recipes for you below. You can contact the Taku Lodge gift store to order the whole cook book that includes all of the delicious recipes and even more from friends and family! You can contact them at takukids@aol.com. Enjoy!!
Famous Taku Lodge Herb Biscuits
4 cups flour (we use bread flour)
¾ cup dry milk
2 tsp. Baking powder
2 tsp. Salt
½ cup parmesan cheese
1 level tbsp. each:
thyme
parsley
tarragon
basil
(or use your favorite seasoning)
½ tbsp. garlic powder
1 cup butter (very cold)
Approx. 1 ½ cups water (very cold)
(be careful not to add too much water)
Preheat oven to 450°
Place all ingredients except butter & water in mixing bowl,
cut butter into mix (so pieces are no smaller than a peanut)
Make a well and add cold water. Work enough to make a slightly sticky dough.
Place dough on floured board. Fold, turn it over and fold again.
Do this about 8 times. You may need to add a little flour between
folds if the dough is too sticky.
Pat into a square about 1 inch thick, cut into square biscuits or use
a round biscuit cutter.
Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes.
These are best served hot.
Be creative and make tasty bacon and cheese sandwiches with these!
My husband and I visited the lodge last year in August. We will be seeing you again in a couple of weeks. Our daughter and her husband will be witrh us this time. Their first time to Alaska. We hope they love it as much as we do.
Hello, my parents operated the lodge for a number of years in the 1940′s, Eleanor and Royal O’Reilly, I was raised there for more than
4 or 5 summers, I have many memories of the lodge, all good ones, I remember my Dad saying ” God smiles on this land ” and I have always believed that, I am glad to see that it is still open to the public, years ago I heard rumors that the State took over the land.
I am 64 now and working in Bothell Washington, I still have the Taku Lodge Album here with many photographs, including Mary Joyce, moms good friend and of coarse the huskeys. My wife and I say Hi
and wish you all well.
Hello Daniel! What a treat to hear from you! The current owners of our Lodge are Ken & Michelle Ward and they can be reached through their son Michaels e-mail address: Mike@TakuLodge.com He is now Managing and carrying on a great love for the Taku Lodge. We are always eager to hear stories from the past and see photos. We often come through the Seattle area and would love to take you to lunch and compare notes! Looking forward to hearing from you!
Hi all, that sounds terrific, let me know when you are in Seattle next , mabey we can arrange lunch, my wife and I are eager to meet with you and we will bring our Taku albums and a few good bear stories.