BEAR CREEK CAMP, with monthly summer cabin rentals starting in 2020, is under new ownership.  Donna Catotti, a professional artist and Haines resident for over 30 years, will offer a unique living situation for summer residents in the outdoor guiding industry.  
     
“Before moving to Haines, I lived in the Sierra where I enjoyed backpacking and winter ski camping.  After graduating architecture school in 1973, my life revolved around 18-day river trips on the Colorado with Martin Litton’s Grand Canyon Dories.  As a customer in 1973, it changed my outlook on life.  By 1974 I was planning, packing, and cooking for 35, over wood fires for the privilege of being on the trip.
     
In the summer of 1987, after doing an April Grand trip together, I came to Haines to be with Rob Goldberg in Mud Bay, and all my river trips since have been private ones.  Fast forward a whole bunch of years.  I still enjoy x-c skiing, gardening, travel, and, of course, painting.  Rob backpacks the canyon every winter, and has a dory at Paradise Cove for oar powered subsistence fishing, crabbing, and shrimping.  In his spare time Rob builds guitars, violins, and cellos for a living.
      
Bear Creek Camp has been here longer than I have.  It is a bit old and funky, in a cool sort of way.  It used to be a hostel with daily rentals, NOT what I am most interested in.  With six or seven of the eight cabins, I hope to create an intentional summer community of like-minded individuals who care about the earth, recycling, and healthy living, guides who need a place to regroup between trips, a place to relax with friends, cook a meal, have a campfire, play music, do yoga or play badminton on the lawn.  In ‘the old days’, between Grand Canyon trips, the crew all lived in our vehicles in the ‘ghetto’ behind the boathouse in Hurricane, Utah.   We mostly just slept there under the stars as we didn’t have much turn-around time.  Bear Creek is a whole lot cushier and cozy.  Hopefully as fun and friendly!
     
Each of the 7 guide cabins is private, suitable for one, maybe two, with a heater, electricity, lights, beds, bedding, rug, dresser, small table, chair, coat rack, mirror, and shelf.  The men’s and women’s bathhouses have two toilets and two showers each, plus sinks.  The heart of every camp, of course, is the kitchen. The heated, fully equipped communal kitchen with all appliances and utensils, also has storage for each cabin’s dry goods, tables and seating, and a small library.  It is one I would be happy to cook and serve a meal in, and I reserve the right to drop off excess veggies from my garden.  We are adding a covered area onto the kitchen, near the campfire ring, for outdoor dining or smoking (not indoors please).  You will be expected to recycle, compost, and clean up after yourself every time.  The rules won’t be unreasonable and will be presented up front.
     
I hope to have cabins ready by May 2020.  Rental rates may vary from cabin to cabin, according to size and condition.  I expect them to be between $400-$500 a month for one, with $150 extra for an additional person.  This includes all utilities.  Garbage and recycling will be removed, dish towels washed, bathrooms, and kitchen floor cleaned weekly.  There is a vacuum to clean your own cabin.  I will ask for the first month’s rent, and $250 refundable damage and $50 cleaning deposit.
     
If you want to be on a notification list when cabins are ready for viewing or living, please email me at the address above, or just call.  I intend to be selective and will ask for references.  If you are interested to do caretaker or carpentry/handyman chores at Bear Creek, or gardening at my home in Mud Bay, for part or all of your rent, please let me know.
      
In addition to the monthly rentals, the #2 “family cabin” will rent out on a daily and weekly basis.  It sleeps six, one queen and two bunks, has its own bathroom and fully equipped mini-kitchen, as well as a small sofa, dining table and chairs, and covered deck.  Fire pit, horseshoes, and yard games available.
     
Our motto, ‘Live Well - Laugh Often - Love Much’.  Hope to see you at our Open House/Community Potluck as soon as we can get things up and going in the spring!  In the meantime you can check out a few photos at www.bearcreekcabinsalaska.com.