In Just 100 Days
by Tom Klein, Managing Partner
In just one hundred days our first guests in thirty-one months will land on the pristine waters of Scott Lake and taxi to our dock. They will get quite a reception from the Scott Lake Lodge crew, showcasing nearly three years of pent-up energy and good will. There will be a lot of familiar faces on the dock. Remarkably, nearly every one of our 2019 crew will be there to greet the 2022 guests. It will be a homecoming for the entire Scott Lake Lodge community: staff and customers.
The State of the Lodge
In terms of the lodge infrastructure, things could not look better; we certainly did not waste our opportunity to make improvements while the sun was shining over the last two Covid summers. The list of enhanced and new structures on the island is way too long to list here. Since we love surprises, we’ll just allow the island to do the talking. Suffice to say that the place will be ready for Prime Time on June 9 when our first group lands on Scott Lake. Since the last customer left in September of 12019, there have been many positive changes. We welcome a new float plane operator, Wings Over Kississing, with a large fleet of Beavers and Otters and many decades of experience flying the far north, to the Scott Lake Team. And we welcome a new charter operator, North Cariboo Air out of Edmonton, Alberta, our new hub. North Cariboo also offers a wealth of experience in the north and have the perfect planes for the two-hour 500-mile flight from Edmonton to Stony Rapids– beautiful Dash 8-300s, a wonderful upgrade in comfort and convenience compared to our prior charter aircraft. North Cariboo also will be providing a spacious and very pleasant lounge in their terminal, just a mile from the Edmonton Airport Main Terminal, for your pre-flight relaxation.
The island will be ready for you.
Covid Update
Well, there isn’t any big news yet, but by the time our season rolls around we are expecting a relaxation of current requirements. At this time visitors are still required to have been fully vaccinated (but not boosted) and present a negative test for entry into the country. BUT RECENTLY CANADA HAS AUTHORIZED AN OPTION OF A 24-HOUR RAPID ANITIGEN TEST INSTEAD OF THE 72-HOUR PCR TEST. This will be a very helpful change for our guests. Also, you will need to download and fill out the ArriveCan prior to your flight. There will be additional information on Covid requirements as we get closer to the season. Recently Saskatchewan has dropped all Covid regulations which will allow life in the lodge to be just like it’s always been, in a word–wonderful. Our team is committed to enhanced cleaning procedures and any appropriate precautions to ensure a safe and enjoyable trip north. We will monitor and report any new developments as they happen.
Getting to Edmonton
Another major change, and yes very positive, is our move to Edmonton, a city five times as large as Saskatoon with a significantly larger airport and many times more flights. At this writing flights are still not back to pre-Covid levels of flights, but we’re getting close. Currently, you can fly non-stop to Edmonton on United from Denver; on Air Canada from San Francisco, and on Alaska Airlines from Seattle. We expect that a non-stop from Minneapolis on Delta will be added within the next two months. Even without these direct flights, it’s an easy city to get to. Multiple US airlines fly into Calgary, Alberta and there are 22 daily flights from Calgary to Edmonton. We strongly encourage arriving the day before your Lodge arrival date. It is cheap insurance in case of any delays. Check out our recommendations – there is a lot to see and do in the Edmonton area.
Pre-Trip Information
Now is the time to get excited! Book your flights, buy that new lucky lure or tie some new flies. Your trip is coming up and we need some info from you. Please take a moment to fill out the Pre-Trip Planner in our Guest Portal. We appreciate your help in getting everything ready for your arrival.
Last Chance
While the place is full, this season has seen more cancellations and date movements than a typical year. Many of our 2022 guests booked way back in 2019 so some changes are expected.
Make sure you give our Sales Manager and guide extraordinaire, Jon Wimpney, a call at 306/209-7150 or email. He can definitely get you on the list in case one of those coveted spots become available.
