Funny Farm (Haines)

The Funny Farm is probably the most wonderful lodge in all of Alaska – for snowboarders, skiers, mountain bikers, hikers and anglers alike. It sits about 40 kilometers (25 miles) outside of Haines in the »Chilkat Valley«, roughly one kilometer from the heliskiing base of Alaska Heliskiing. In winter it's the hub of the heliskiing scene.

Bruce Bauer runs the Funny Farm according to his very own philosophy: »At home in the vastness, nature and wilderness of Alaska«. Here you don't stay as a guest but as a friend among friends – right in the middle of the big Funny Farm family. The main house was recently rebuilt after it burned down three years ago. The huge living area has ten-meter (33-foot) ceilings and an open kitchen where everyone gets together – whether you're on full board or self-catering. The double, triple and quad rooms are cozily furnished and can be booked by groups or individuals.

The Funny Farm is especially popular in winter, during »heli season«, when ski touring, snowboarding, snowkiting, snowmobiling and dog sledding are on the daily agenda. That's when it becomes the starting point for every trip – and even on bad-weather days, when the heli has to stay on the ground, people meet up here to hatch new plans, swap stories or just hang out with like-minded folks. It's guaranteed never to get boring!

Lots of pros from the ski and snowboard scene ride in this spectacular terrain. The Discovery Channel film crews love to set up camp here when they shoot in Alaska, as do other big-mountain film production companies such as »Poor Boys« or »Adrenalin«, who come to shoot commercials and films with the pro athletes. So there's a good chance you'll end up chatting with one or two heliskiing pros over a relaxed evening.

There's always something going on at the Funny Farm in summer too, because that's the time for hiking, mountain biking or fishing in this stunning region. Bruce is a former fisherman and something of a local character in Haines. He always knows what's going on with the fishermen down at the harbor. And he's happy to lend his fleet of bikes to mountain bikers.

Pro athletes, families, film crews or other companies – Bruce and his family are happy to welcome every guest, and guests quickly become friends.