Eska Falls - Alaska Landscape Photography
I’ve always wanted to visit Eska Falls. The problem was getting there. It’s miles to hike out to the falls, and with my knee problems, hiking that distance just isn’t an option for me. My husband has a Bronco, and he loves any excuse to take it off road. So, one morning, we loaded up with a group of friends and headed in the direction of Eska Falls. Getting there, however, is an adventure all by itself.
There’s a massive mud pit along the trail that pretty much everyone eventually has to surrender to. One by one, each driver would slowly pull into the mud, already knowing exactly what was about to happen. Stuck. Then our buddy waiting on the other side would hook up the winch and pull them through. One vehicle after another, we repeated the process until everyone finally made it safely to the other side. And the mud pit wasn’t the end of it. The trail to Eska Falls definitely isn’t for the faint of heart. There were large rocks to navigate, rough sections of trail, and plenty of moments where I was very glad I wasn’t the one behind the wheel. But eventually, after all of that, we made it. Eska Falls.
It was one of those places I had wanted to see for a long time, and there was something pretty incredible about finally standing there after the journey it took to reach it. And then the day took a turn none of us expected. While we were out there, one of the guys in our group had a seizure. Someone called LifeMed, and before long, a helicopter came all the way out to us. The crew landed, checked him out, and he ultimately refused transport. They loaded back into the helicopter and flew away. Standing in the middle of the Alaska wilderness watching a medical helicopter take off was definitely not something I expected when we left the house that morning. It was a reminder of just how quickly an adventure can turn into an emergency, especially when you’re miles away from easy access to help. By the time we finally made our way back home, I was tired, muddy, and very happy to walk through my own front door and be home with my family.
Would I go to Eska Falls again? I don’t really want too. The mudpit that started the day was enough for me. The waterfall was beautiful up close, but it was quite the experience getting there.
It was beautiful, wild, slightly ridiculous, and very Alaska. But if you spend much time exploring remote Alaska—whether you’re hiking, hunting, fishing, snowmachining, or taking your vehicle down trails, having a plan for an emergency matters. Adventure is part of what makes living here so incredible. Just make sure you’re prepared for the unexpected. Stay safe, bring a winch, travel with good friends, and enjoy exploring Alaska.
