My Park Story: Kristyn Whatley

James Whatley smiles as he stands in a mixture of lowland shrubs overlooking Upper Twin Lake.

Kristyn Whatley

Autumn's Simple Pleasures

"While walking down from Teetering Rock, I noticed my husband James taking a break from picking berries to admire the view of Upper Twin Lake and the surrounding area. His childlike laughter, as he let the autumn colors please his senses, is something I’ll never forget. This moment reminded me of my favorite Dick Proenneke quote, which was fitting since we had just visited Proenneke’s cabin."

Meet our "Through My Lens" Grand Prize Winner

Kristyn Whatley is from Mandeville, Louisiana; a city about 30 miles north of New Orleans with lots of bayous, swamps, and wildlife (no fuzzy bears, but plenty of alligators). Kristyn and her husband James came to Lake Clark in the fall of 2022. After submitting her photo "Autumn's Simple Pleasures" to the 2024 Lake Clark Photo Contest, the photo received high praise from the public and was selected as the overall winner of the contest.

Read below to learn more about their experience visiting Lake Clark National Park and Preserve and how she came about taking their grand prize winning photo.

James and Kristyn Whatley stand in front of a lake with two float planes floating in the water.

Kristyn Whatley

What drew you to visiting Lake Clark?

In the fall of 2020, my husband and I did some hiking and camping in Kenai Fjords and Denali National Parks and we fell in love with the Alaskan landscapes and wildlife. Before we even made it back home, we were talking about going back to explore some of the other National Parks. I decided that Katmai National Park would be our next Alaskan National Park when I was lucky enough to snag camping permits for the fall of 2022.

I didn't know much about Lake Clark National Park, but noticed that it was somewhat close to Katmai and figured we should also plan to visit this remote park if our finances and time off from work allowed. I consumed all of the information on the Lake Clark National Park website and bought "One Man's Wilderness" to read the story of Dick Proenneke. Before I even got past chapter 2, I was hooked! I knew that we weren't just going to try to go to Lake Clark National Park, we were going!

What was your trip itinerary?

We camped in Brooks Camp, Katmai National Park for 3 nights and had a lovely time hiking and bear viewing. On day 4 we had Lake Clark Air pick us up and bring us to Lake Clark Resort/The Farm Lodge in Port Alsworth, where we would be based for our Lake Clark adventures. On the way to Port Alsworth, our pilot flew over the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes.

When we arrived in Port Alsworth we checked into our room then headed out to explore Tanalian Falls and Beaver Pond.

The next day we hopped on a float plane and were dropped off at Twin Lakes. We met a Ranger who let us tour the Proenneke and provided incredible information about the cabin and the area. We hiked up to Teetering Rock, ate tundra cranberries and blueberries, and explored the area before grabbing our lunch bags to eat near Hope Creek.

On our final day in Port Alsworth we hiked up Tanalian Mountain.

On an overcast day, the many plants of Lake Clark still shine through their bright colors.

Kristyn Whatley

Reflecting back on your visit, what do you remember most about your trip?

Hiking in the tundra above Upper Twin Lakes was an experience I'll never forget. While the wildlife is absolutely incredible in Lake Clark National Park, the fall foliage against the shimmering turquoise lakes with jagged mountain peaks in the background was the real show-stopper for me.

What inspired you to take your winning photo and how did you choose it to be the image you'd submit?

My husband's child-like laughter inspired me to take the photo. I was picking berries on our way down from Teetering Rock when I heard it. When I looked up, I saw my husband giggling with excitement as he took in the view. I snapped the photo of him and to this day it is my favorite photo of him and my favorite photo from the Park.

Two spruce trees frame a staggering mountain that is reflected in the water below.

Kristyn Whatley

Is there more to the story of your image that we might have not seen?

Later that evening, we were talking about how incredible that experience was and how we both felt like we were in a painting. It didn't seem real. I showed him the photo again and he said I captured one of the happiest moments of his life (it's one of my happiest moments too!). We haven't been to all of the National Parks yet, but that evening, we both agreed that Lake Clark was our clear favorite so far.

The roaring waters of Tanalian Falls crashes into the rocks and river below.

Kristyn Whatley

What advice would you give to future visitors and photographers?

Just go! You don't need to book the most expensive wild-life tours or need a fancy camera to enjoy the park and to capture great moments.

I was on a budget, didn't book any of the wildlife tours, used just my iphone camera, and was still able to win the photo contest and have a trip so incredible that it earned Lake Clark the #1 spot on my National Park list!

I highly recommend visiting in the fall. Everyone talks about the National Parks in the Northeast when it comes to fall foliage, but Lake Clark National Park shouldn't be missed.

A special thank you to Kristyn Whatley for submitting their winning photo and sharing their story through this interview. To read the interviews of our other 2024 Photo Contest winners and see their winning shots, visit our Photo Contest page.

NPS Photo