About Bear Paw Lodge
If you're thinking about staying at our lodge, you probably want to know a little bit about us! We're Dave & Wendy Doughty, and we met in Seward in 2002 while working with Kayak Adventures Worldwide. We loved the area, the people, and the work so much that during that winter we took over the business. We have such a great group of guides each summer, and get to meet so many wonderful travelers - it really is an incredible way to pass the season. We used to live at the kayak shop with all the guides, and in 2007, we decided it was time for us all to have a little more space. So, we found this amazing custom built log home just outside of town.
After living in the new place for a while, we decided we should rent it out to our kayaking customers as well as other travelers who are looking for a unique and truly Alaskan place to stay. So, we opened our doors to people from all over the world, and have had such a fantastic time getting to know our guests and sharing our little part of Alaska with them. It's been such a wonderful experience to share our home, and we really hope you'll come and stay with us!
The house was built by the previous owners over a period of 10 years. Everything is custom made: they cut all the trees down themselves, hand-peeled each log, and worked hard to put together this masterpiece of craftsmanship. The layout is perfect for visitors, with large common areas, a big deck and hot tub, and a very spacious kitchen.
Dave is originally from Minnesota, where he spent many years practicing Chiropractic and Acupuncture in his own business. He's always been an avid outdoorsman and athlete - climbing mountains and rock faces, canoeing, skiing, and doing races of all sorts. He has raised three sons, and is now a very proud grandparent of two little ones. His favorite time of year is when his kids come up in the summer to visit, and play in Alaska's great wilderness with him. Up here in Alaska, when he's not working you'll probably find him out hiking with the dogs, exercising, or out fishing.
Wendy's from Connecticut, where she was born and raised. After finishing college, she took off to travel the world for a while and do random jobs like working on a sailboat in the Mediterranean, nannying in the Swiss mountains, herding reindeer on South Georgia Island, doing geological research on Crete, and acting as photographer for a tsunami research team on Easter Island. Her only "real job" in life has been to work at National Geographic for a couple years... but then the big, wide world beckoned again. With Dave and the dogs, Wendy's happy to be settled down, and she enjoys the community and life here in Seward. You'll often find her working at the kayak shop office, but when she can steal a free day she likes to fish, hike with the dogs, practice her mandolin, and just get outside!
We hope you'll come and stay with us, and let us share Seward and this area with you. Please don't hesitate to give us a shout with questions or trip planning needs - we're happy to help, and look forward to hearing from you!