Old Harbor on Kodiak Island, Alaska

It's where snow-capped peaks rise from the rugged shoreline, brown bears forage for food, Sitka blacktail deer browse the sandy beaches and whales frolic on the deepest parts of the harbor. Old Harbor, Alaska, is a destination unto itself. It's a step back in time, a place where modern-day contrivances take a back seat to rugged individualism and the great outdoors the way it was meant to be enjoyed.

Most people arrive here in search of huge king salmon, halibut, ling cod and assorted rough fish. Others come for the blacktail hunting or a chance to catch a glimpse and photograph the majestic king of Kodiak Island, the brown bear.

The city has a history as storied as the landscape itself. The Aulutiiq people first settled near here more than 7,000 years ago. The city's population, which is mostly native, still honor many of the traditions of their forefathers and unlike most tourist destinations they eagerly share them when asked, explaining the songs and dance that are passed on to this day by village elders.

In 1784 Russian Grigori Shelikov visited the site in his fleet's flagship, the Three Saints. The first Russian colony in Alaska was established here shortly after, but in 1788 a tsunami destroyed the remote outpost then known at Three Saints Bay. The natives and Russian settlers also apparently didn't get along too well, because the site of a battle between them was recently discovered nearby at Refuge Rock, although little is know about the incident.

When the colony was reestablished by the Russians nearly 100 years later it was known as Staruigaven, or Old Harbor in Russian. The village didn't escape the wrath of the Good Friday earthquake in 1964, either. Although no one was killed when it hit, only three buildings remained intact-two homes and the Three Saints Russian Orthodox Church, where people gathered until help arrived after a long delay.

As fishing Mecca's go, Old Harbor is small and out of the way. When the census of 2000 was taken, the village's total population was 237 people, living in 111 houses. The city covered 21 square miles on land, and another 6 of water. The only way to reach this destination is by water or you can take a small plane and land on the dirt runway.

But once you get there, you'll never want to go anyplace else. The weather's Alaskan fickle, but the warming Pacific currents keep things bearable, even in early Spring or late Fall. There's nothing quite like battling a 50-pound King salmon on board a boat bobbing in the north Pacific's currents and tide, on a deck covered in ice. The photos say it all--rugged Alaskan coastline, incredible fishing and breathtaking scenery found nowhere else.

People would pay plenty just to ride out to the fishing grounds, too. Boats routinely stay toward the shoreline, in the shallows to avoid colliding with the huge number of whales playing in the harbor. It must be the plentiful food found there, or maybe they're just putting on a show. Regardless, schools of the big, water-borne mammals can be seen at dawn, dusk and even in the middle of the day rolling in the water and waving their tales as you pass by.

Close to shore you get a good glimpse of the diminutive Sitka blacktail deer too. They're often seen on the few sandy beaches looking for food and the odds are good you'll see at least one massive brown bear-an animal whose ferocity, some claim, is worse than the polar bear. The population of both mammals is huge in this area and it's not uncommon for a brown bear to go on regular trash raids in Old Harbor.

Accommodations are sparse, with a single bed and breakfast and another lodge. The roads all end at the city limits, but periodically a fishing charter will dock giving those on board a great glimpse of the genuine Alaska, far from the city lights of Anchorage or Fairbanks.

Halibut are plentiful, ling cod and various rough fish can be caught here, but it's the salmon that's king. If you're looking for a destination away from the crowds, where you can enjoy the outdoors without civilization's din and land a lot of lunkers, Old Harbor is the place for you.