Trip Report: Chilkat: Valley of the Eagles - November 2025

There are locations that feel like they’re built for photographers, places where every direction you turn reveals another moment begging to be captured. Haines, Alaska in late fall is one of those rare places. Our recent photography workshop there reminded us exactly why: the raw wildness, the cinematic weather, and the wildlife that dots the landscape. I was excited to be leading two back-to-back trips where we would photograph one of the biggest congregations of bald eagles on earth.  

November is not typically the time that most people would think of visiting Southeast Alaska. The crowds have left, cruise ships are gone, businesses are operating on limited hours, and winter is starting to settle in. Despite the challenges, November also happens to be the best time to see and photograph eagles.  Every year, one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world takes place right here along the Chilkat River. A late salmon run draws the birds from all over Alaska and Canada, resulting in thousands of eagles on the shores feeding on fish.  

This trip is really focused on one thing: getting the best bald eagle shots we can. The eagles are congregated in a small stretch of the river and so are we. We take our time, allowing us the ability to feel the movements and behaviors of the birds. Spending time with your subject is the best way to improve your photos and that’s what we intended to do.  

Our days followed similar patterns. First in the door at the Rusty Compass coffee shop for breakfast in downtown Haines. This excellent establishment would become a staple for both groups. After our breakfast and coffee, we would head north along the Haines highway to the small stretch of river where the eagles were densest. From there, it was all about being flexible and just feeling out where the best photo situations were. Was there an eagle close by on the tree? A few on the shore? Lets go and try it!  

Both of our departures featured lots of weather. We alternated between snow then rain, then back to snow again. At first, this may seem like a bad thing, but for this type of photography, the snow was perfect. The snowfall added a kind of magic you can’t plan for. Eagles flew against a backdrop of clean white, turning every frame into something refined and almost painterly. The frost covered trees provided the ideal setting for the perched eagle. A perfect combination of a beautiful landscape with a wild animal. When the eagles took off to fly in the falling snow, the backgrounds became mesmerizing patterns of falling snow. We quickly saw the advantage of the winter weather and welcomed the snowy forecast.  

Despite this trip being all about the bald eagles, we couldn’t help but notice the plethora of fresh bear tracks near the river every morning. Each morning there was new tracks, but no bear. In talking with the ranger, he seemed to think the bear was mostly moving at night. I cautioned the group that the tracks may be as close as we get to seeing one.  

Finally our luck shifted and we were gifted with a rare late-season encounter. A large male Brown Bear, likely the last straggler before winter denning. We saw him working the riverbanks for the final scraps of salmon. Seeing a bear in early winter with falling snow is a very unique and special encounter. 

He moved slowly, conserving energy, but still carried that quiet dominance only a coastal brown bear can. Snow dusted his back as he wandered along the river, sometimes stopping to sniff the air or turn stones with those shovel-sized paws. Against the muted winter landscape, he became a powerful symbol of the season’s end and a reminder that even giants must yield to winter’s approach. 

The group fell silent as we photographed him, each of us aware of the privilege of seeing a large healthy bear through the falling snow. In the end, both of the groups were treated to great sightings of this guy. What a great bonus to the eagles! 

Our last morning we drove up to the eagles knowing a big snow storm was on the way. We checked out the familiar river spots. There were eagles in their regular spots where we had seen them all week. We opted to try one more pullout that we hadn’t spent too much time at. Until this point, there hadn’t been too many eagles near this section of river. As we pulled up, we saw a huge mature eagle sitting on a stump just across the small river braid. It was a perfect perch with a nice distant and dark background.  Just as we got set up, the snow began to fall, creating one of my favorite scenes of the whole two weeks! A good lesson that needs repeating, it is never over until its over. We were all pretty stoked heading back home after that sighting. 

As we packed up and watched the snow deepen across the valley, it was clear we had witnessed the literal transition between seasons. The eagles would soon disperse, the river would mostly ice over, and the brown bear would dig into the hillside and vanish until spring. Thank you to all the participants of each group who made the trip great. Looking forward to the next adventure!