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Skier's and Bald Eagle Photographer's Paradise
| Sleeps | 4 |
| Bedrooms | 1 |
| Bathrooms | 1 |
| Space | 300 sq. ft. |
| Property type | cabin |
Overview
Lake-front Cabin With Queen Bed And Kitchen
Swan View cabins are located thirty miles north of Haines, Alaska, in one of the most breathtaking settings on the planet. The lake-front cabins sport awe-inspiring views of the lake and surrounding snow-capped mountains. The property sits right in the heart of the Chilkat Bald Eagle preserve. There is private access to the lake.
This is a nature lover's paradise. Bald eagles nest within sight, and trumpeter swans nest in the lake; rearing their young all summer and fall. For bird watchers, spring and fall migration brings a wide variety of bird species.
For photographers, the cabins are the perfect location for daily expeditions to the Eagle Preserve, the Chilkat summit and surrounding areas. It is a short drive to the Eagle Preserve Council Grounds, where thousands of bald eagles gather in the fall. Bear, moose and wolves live nearby. In fall and spring, opportunities abound for capturing the Northern Lights. Private guided photography expeditions are available.
The location is perfect for winter recreation. The cabins are located in a belt of drier and calmer weather, with more sunny days and better snow conditions than coastal Haines.
Snow shoeing, cross-country and back country skiing opportunities abound. Cross-country ski trails are maintained nearby, and the nearby Chilkat Summit and Chilkat Mountains offer unlimited mountain skiing.
For anglers, Cut-Throat Trout, Dolly Varden Char, Sockeye and Silver Salmon are plentiful in the waters of the lake. The nearby Chilkat River has excellent fishing, especially for Silver Salmon in October and early November. There is ice fishing on the lake in the winter.
The main cabin is winterized and stays toasty warm with a vented propane heater. It has a queen-sized bed, fully-equipped kitchen, and bathroom with shower. The cabin has an outdoor deck, excellent drinking water as well as a DVD player with a broad selection of movies. It also has a twin hide-a-bed couch for a child or smaller person.
Check-in time is 2pm and check-out time is 11am.
Children are welcome. Guided tours and canoe rentals are available.
About Joe Ordonez
Joe Ordonez has lived and guided in Haines, Alaska since 1987. Joe is an avid wildlife photographer, river runner, and skier. He and his wife, Edie, own Rainbow Glacier Adventures LLC, in Haines. Joe and Edie live at their house next door to Swan View Rental Cabins and look forward to serving as your hosts.
Joe Ordonez purchased this cabin in 2011
Why Joe Ordonez chose Alaska
Joe first saw this property when working with Walt Disney for the film, White Fang, and fell in love with it instantly. Twenty years later, it came available for purchase and we didn't have to think twice!
The combination of stunning views and lakeside access, were what originally sold us on this property. The property is at the end of a back road, so it is a peaceful spot. In the winter, the weather is colder than on the coast and there is little wind, making this a perfect place for skiing and winter recreation.
Joe is a wildlife photographer and guide, and is currently working on a book about the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve. The property abuts the Eagle Preserve, and its about a fifteen-minute drive to the Eagle Council Grounds, where thousands of bald eagles gather in the fall and early winter.
We love to explore and recreate, and it is great to be able to ski and ice skate out the front door on the frozen lake in winter, and canoe, kayak and fish the lake when it is not frozen. The nighttime views of the stars and Northern Lights are breathtaking.
What makes this cabin unique
Being up the highway, there is an 'interior' feel to the climate. This means warm summer and colder winters, with better snow. Driving from Swan View Cabins to photograph eagles is easy and safe compared to driving to the Eagle Preserve from town. Even in the dead of winter, it often rains in town and so to drive to the Eagle Preserve often requires driving from rain, through slush, to reach the Preserve. Swan View cabins are on the 'dry side' of the Preserve, so its a snap to drive from the cabins to the Eagle Council Grounds. Its nice to be there early before the other photographers arrive!
Map
Swan View cabins have easy access to the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve, the Chilkat River, and Chilkat Summit and the town of Haines.
Amenities
Haines Cabin Accommodation and Amenities
- cabin
- Guests provide their own meals
- 300 sq. ft.
- Check-in: 4:00 PM / Check-out: 11:00 AM
- Max. occupancy: 4
- children welcome
- pets not allowed
- non smoking only ...
- Lake View ...
- Lakefront ...
- Mountain View ...
- Rural ...
- Ski-In ...
- Water View ...
- Waterfront ...
- Adventure
- Away From It All
- Family
- Romantic
- Sports & Activities
- Tourist Attractions
- Heating ...
- Internet ...
- Linens Provided
- Parking
- Towels Provided
- Coffee Maker
- Dishes & Utensils
- Kitchen
- Microwave
- Oven
- Refrigerator
- Stove
- Toaster
- Dining Area
- seating for 4 people
- 1 Bathroom
-
Bathroom 1 -
toilet
,
combination tub/shower
- 1 Bedroom, Sleeps 4
-
Bedroom 1 -
1 queen
- One queen bed. There is a twin hide-a-bed couch as well for a small person.
- DVD Player
- Games
- Television
- Video Library
- Deck / Patio
- Kayak / Canoe ...
- Lawn / Garden
- Outdoor Grill
- wheelchair inaccessible
- restaurants
- zoo
- beachcombing
- boating
- eco tourism
- scenic drives
- sight seeing
- walking
- wildlife viewing
- cross country skiing
- cycling
- fishing
- freshwater fishing
- hiking
- ice skating
- kayaking
- mountain biking
- mountain climbing
- mountaineering
- rafting
- skiing
- snowmobiling
- whitewater rafting
Reviews
Exceptional!
5/5 -
(7 traveler reviews)
Loved it...
Our stay was great, the most relaxing trip we have had. I understand why no pets are allowed because there are 2 stick fetching black labs who kept us entertained all weekend and included in the price. Thanks Joe and Edie
Aboslute Beauty, Peaceful, Seclusion.
Arriving at Joe and Edie's cabin in late October was a winter wonderland. The road to the property was baked in snow but easily accessible even with my little rental car. The cabin and their home is at the end of the road. When I got out of the car I was greeted by friendly neighborhood dogs, one of which is a large black Lab who just wants to play with you. I loved it! The fog was thick but as I sat on the deck of the cabin I could hear the trumpets of the Swans nearby; once the fog lifted there was a breathtaking view of the lake, swans, and snow capped mountains. The cabin has everything you need even food that prior guest leave behind. I began each morning with coffee on the deck then the day viewing the hundreds of eagles; ending the evening sipping a glass of wine or single malt scotch on the deck listening to the swans. Thank you Joe and Edie for providing such a beautiful place. I travel mostly alone and like privacy and though they live next to the cabin they left it up to me to reach out if I needed them. Thanks again for your warm hospitality.
Beautiful location!
We had a great stay at Joe's cabin. He told us we were the first crew to squeeze four people into the cabin, but it worked out quite well, it was all we needed! We snowshoed around the lake, and checked out the Eagle Reserve which is very close. Most of our time was spent outside, so the space in the cabin was never an issue. The backdrop of mountains to this cabin is incredible. If you want a mountain getaway, this is a great place to go. Joe is very friendly, he had the cabin warm and ready for us when we arrived, and assured us if we needed anything he was there to help. Overall it was a great weekend trip!! I would definitely recommend this cabin.
Great location for photography trips for bald eagles
I travel a fair amount in my photography work. Location is key. These cabins were ideally located for the main areas to photograph the eagles, meaning it was easy to be among the first on location first thing in the morning. The cabin is modest, but fully equipped. I stayed in the first cabin and it had room for two, though a third, possibly fourth could sleep on the floor (other cabins may hold more). Full kitchen, with pans, plates, etc. with spices and condiments. Bathroom was adequate. The cabin sits on the edge of a big pond, that sits in a bit of a valley with mountains around. There were some swans on the lake when I was there. Very nice view. If you are not expecting/wanting all the refinements of a big city or luxury hotel, this may well be perfect for you; it was for me. I stayed warm when in the cabin - it was easy to get it too warm. I loved being so close (a few miles) to the main areas for capturing images of the bald eagles, as I often wanted to start different mornings from different spots, and it made it easy to beat the crowd, thus get a particular starting spot for each day. I hope to return to the area and this location will be my first choice.
Great little cabin in a wonderful location—
I arrived in Haines in November 2013. I stayed in this delightful cabin for two nights and it was perfect.
The cabin is above all— comfortable, make that comfortable and cozy. The temperature dropped to 0°F the night I arrived and I was snug as a bug in a rug. No drafts and perfectly comfortable. In the morning, I awoke to the sight of a lovely lake and skim ice forming. Very scenic and calming.
The bed is very comfortable and there is enough room to move around. As usual, I travel with everything I own (or so it seems). I was able to spread out and take advantage of the space. The kitchen is small, but well appointed. The bathroom is nice as well. The property was spotless, nicely furnished and impeccably maintained.
The owners live in a house just a few hundred feet away and were attentive and most helpful, without being intrusive (a perfect combination). As a tour operator in the area, the owners are a wealth of knowledge on Eagles and on everything else there is to know about Haines and the surrounding area.
The location is within the Eagle Preserve, so you get this wonderful feeling of being isolated, yet it is only a few miles past the prime viewing areas for eagles. It is much, much closer to the eagle viewing area than it is if you stay in town.
I would strongly recommend for anyone wanting to visit Haines and get a small, nice, comfortable and cozy cabin in the woods— by a lake. You cannot go wrong.
Winter Wonderland in Haines, Alaska
My husband and I stayed here during our first winter trip to Haines, AK in 2012 to photograph the eagles gathering the week before the Bald Eagle Festival. The cabin was cozy and warm and Joe and Edie were excellent hosts. It was far enough off the beaten path to be secluded but still within a short driving distance of all the places we wanted to be. We ended up hiring Joe as our photographer/guide for 3 full days. He is a wealth of knowledge and his credentials are impeccable. We learned so much from him in those 3 days that our photography went to a higher level. We left better photographers than when we arrived. I would recommend this cabin to anyone staying in the area. I would also recommend Joe as a personal photographer/guide. In my husband's and my opinion, he is the best...very personable and, again, a wealth of knowledge. A stay in Haines is not complete without a visit to 33 Mile Restaurant for one of their famous hamburgers and the Bamboo Room for the magnificent halibut. Definitely stay with Joe and make use of his expertise. We will definitely repeat the trip many times in the coming years!!
Photos
Rates & Availability
- Available
- Unavailable
Additional information about rental rates
| Refundable damage deposit | $100 |
| Tax Rate | 8.0% |
The rates above are for the main cabin, which is available year-round, except December and January. There are two smaller summer cabins on the property, with bathrooms but no kitchen. This could be a perfect arrangement for a family with kids. The adults could stay in the main cabin, the kids in the small cabins. Please contact owner for details about these cabins. Check-out is 11am and check-in is 2pm.
Owner's Cancellation Policy
- 50% refund if canceled at least 7 days before arrival date.
- 100% refund if canceled at least 14 days before arrival date.
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