“USA 🇺🇸 Alaska ~Haines The Steve Kroschel Wildlife Center, 33Mile Roadhouse and Chilkat Eagle Peserve”

• August 6, 2023
• By Pen
• 0 Comment

The Steve Kroschel Wildlife Center ⬇️

Who else knows who Dr Oakley the Yukon Vet, is?

I have watched her reality series for going on 11 years; well actually I caught up, after returning from traveling and living overseas. Anyway, she’s an amazing veterinarian who has a heart of gold for the animals and she treats them all; wildlife and domestic.

From her series, I learned about Steve Kroschel and his Wildlife Center, because Dr. Oakley goes to Steve’s place when needed and they have aired some of her vet calls. on the series.
I knew one day, we would go to do this tour at the center.
Today was that day.

Dr Oakley lives in Haines, Junction Yukon, and has a small clinic there. She also has a clinic in Haines, which we also got to drive by and see. Dr Oakley spends so much time on the road system as well as in the air and on boats to get around to treat animals. She is quite amazing!

Anyway, Steve’s center is very unusual and kind of a hodgepodge series of pens, with creative interactive doors and windows that make the visit really fun. Steve, himself is quite a character and is very engaging. 

His Wildlife Center is not federally funded, and he relies heavily on meat/fish donations from the hunters and fishermen in the area. All the animals he cares for have a story and would not have survived in the wild, had someone not intervened to save their lives.

Steve also gives these 1.5 hour, (some) hands-on walking tours in the summers, for $65 pp to help make enough income for feed. In the winter, there can be 13 or more feet of snow, so no access.  

I don’t know how he does it! So much work, but he does have a lot of energy.

We were more than happy to contribute. We had a lot of fun!

It took us about 45 minutes to drive Jonah. The road is all paved, but there are some bad parts, just like the rest of Alaska

Every now and again a Grizzly comes through and can cause trouble destroying property to get food, before hibernation time.  Very humanely the Bear gets trapped and when they are moved 100 miles or more, away to be released, they do not come back 

“Moluna” is a Wolf. Her and her siblings were rescued as very young pups, when found alone and hungry in the wilderness. They have been jabs raised by Steve and his staff, and are only a year old. She will double in size, eventually, 

Steve Kroschel

Porcupine 

She comes when called, as long as you have food 

Part of a Wooly Mammoth Tusk. It was very heavy 

Moose

Steve Kroschel n me 

This is Molunas brother. His Wolf color is different than hers. He will also (more than) double in size.

Snow Owl 

Lynx

This is “Kitty.” She is 13 years old, now, and was orphaned when a stupid hunter, hunted and killed a sow with two cubs, instead of a male. The Hunter tried to save both cubs, but one got away. Kitty survived. Kitty was born on Kodiak Island and this is where the largest of all Grizzly Bears, reside.

Several Caribou were fun to observe and feed 

A miniature Badger lives here, but my photos didn’t come out

I hope you choose to visit this place, if you ever get to Haines, Alaska

https://www.kroschelfilms.com/

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After our tour, we were hungry for dinner. We had noticed a roadhouse, on the way in to Haines, upon our arrival from the Yukon, so we went looking for it.

We found it, not too much further up the road, from the Wildlife Center turn off.

33 Mile Roadhouse ⬇️

This was a very good choice for dinner, with great food and friendly staff

33 Mile Roadhouse is a popular restaurant located in Haines, Alaska. It is situated on the Haines Highway, which is a scenic route that connects Haines to the Yukon Territory in Canada. The restaurant is characterized by its delicious food, friendly service, and rustic atmosphere. The menu at 33 Mile Roadhouse features a variety of dishes, including burgers, sandwiches, salads, and seafood. Some of the most popular items on the menu include the halibut burger, the smoked salmon chowder, and the pulled pork sandwich. The restaurant also has a full bar, with a selection of beers, wines, and cocktails.
http://33 Mile Roadhouse | Alaska Handbook

Whale Skull 

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After our belly’s were full, we began to make our way back to The Whale. On the way, we stopped off at the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve. We had thought we would take a raft trip along the river, to view the Eagles and their nesting habitat, but having driven along this road a few times, we’ve actually seen more Eagles at the harbor next to our campsite, so we passed. It’s later in the season, so the baby Eaglets, May have already flown away. They do grow really fast.

Every portion of this preserve is used by Eagles at some time during the year, and from October to February, more than 3,000 eagles congregate here to feed on spawning chum salmon.

Home of the largest gathering of Bald Eagles in the world. Audubon played a prominent role in the formation of the 49,000-acre Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve, created in 1982 to protect Bald Eagles, salmon, and their essential habitats “in perpetuity.”

The preserve lies along the Chilkat River near Haines, Alaska.

Regardless of whether or not ones sees Eagles, this drive on this road is very pretty. The river is wide and obviously there are salmon to be found there, too. It keeps the Eagles and their babies well fed.

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One more stop was to find Dr Oakleys Vet Clinic in Haines. It ended up being a few minutes from the campground. Yup, looks like it does on TV.

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BTW, we were unable to find any premium gas for Jonah, as only regular is available, here. Regular is also at California is prices: $5.99 a gallon. Ugh. We are sure to put in an additive for Jonah. She can handle regular, but since VW engines run so hot, premium is preferred.

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We had a really fun day! The weather was perfect.
I love that Haines Alaska sports the totems around their town ⬇️

We could not have asked for more!