Vern Humble grew up in Colorado and the Pacific Northwest enjoying a strong family tradition of hunting. His grandfather and father were rooted in the ranching and logging industry. As a result he spent many youthful hours working on farm jobs and roaming the wooded forests. Perhaps this was the basis for the thrill seeking experiences he sought and the life of adventure he pursued as an adult.

In 1964 Vern graduated with a Bachelors Degree from Lewis and Clark College in Portland,Oregon. He then entered and completed a graduate program. With a Masters Degree and a teachers contract in hand, he headed up the Alcan Hiway with his family bound for Alaska.

Vern spent several years living in Bethel and traveling to many other Eskimo Villages located along the Kuskokwim River and the Bering Sea, doing consulting work for the State of Alaska and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Now his early dreams of exploring the wilderness and hunting Alaska's Big Game Animals were being realized. Dreams that were being fulfilled by snow shoeing across the barren tundra at 20 degrees below zero hunting Ptarmigan, Snow Shoe Hares, and Fox. The first Fall he was a resident he chartered a 185 for a hunting trip to the Innoko River sloughs to stalk huge antlered Moose. It was the first and last time he ever shot a moose standing in two feet of water.

Braving the Bering Seas with the Eskimos from Nunivak Island to shoot a record book Walrus was beyond his imagination. He made one expedition to Southeastern Alaska that is etched in his memory. Clinging desperately to the side of the mountain he watched his goat pitch off of the cliff into a snow chute one thousand feet below. Its recovery was challenging to say the least. Assisting the Eskimos from Point Barrow as they cleaned and rinsed a creamy white Polar Bear hide in the Arctic Ocean was a joy. After shooting a beautiful white Dall Ram in the famous Wood River Country, Vern organized and undertook a second unforgettable safari there using a SnowTrac. He and several friends covered hundreds of miles on remote Alaskan wilderness trails in the Alaska Mountain Range taking some fantastic record book trophies. And ooh so many more expeditions that thrilled and pricked his adventurous spirit and spurred him on to further conquests in far away lands.

After a few years Vern settled with his family in Anchorage, where he worked as an administrator for the Anchorage School District. He continued his quest to explore the more remote areas of Alaska by buying a super cub and learning to fly. With his love of the wilderness and his desire to spend more time observing Alaska's big game animals, it only seemed natural to become a licensed hunting guide and to share these experiences with others.

In 1977 he purchased Rainy Pass Lodge from Bud Branham, one of Alaska's pioneer Master Guides. Bud was an early explorer and aviator who carved this Lodge from one of Alaska's most beautiful, breathtaking prime wilderness settings in the early 1930's. Over the years, Vern dedicated himself to making many improvements to the Lodge while continuing his quest for exploration. He trekked into many of the world's premier hunting areas such as Mongolia, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Macedonia, Central Africa as well as many others. With his depth of knowledge and experience in the hunting world and his dedication to provide clients with a quality Alaskan safari, Vern is able to offer the ultimate in wilderness adventure on a year-round basis.

In 2003, after 27 years of wonderful adventure, Vern turned the reigns over to a new generation of owners.  They are dedicated to carrying on the same high quality of excellence that Vern inherited from Bud Branham and now passes on to them.  Vern will continue to act as a consultant and to book hunts and outdoor adventure excursions for Rainy Pass Lodge.   In addition, Vern will continue to guide a limited number of selected hunters for Dall Sheep, Brown Bear, big trophy Moose, Caribou, Grizzly Bear, and Black Bear to areas that have a high game concentration for that particular big game animal.  Contact us if you’re looking for that big Brown Bear or trophy Moose for your collection.

Trophy hunting is featured at Rainy Pass Lodge. It is one of the few places in Alaska where one can hunt for six species of big game animals from one camp. These six animals are Dall Sheep, Grizzly/Brown Bear, Black Bear, Moose, Caribou, and Wolf.

Excursions are also taken during the winter and summer months from Rainy Pass Lodge on the historic, world famous Iditarod Trail. On the first week end of March, the Iditarod Dog Sled Race passes through the Lodge as more than 70 teams race toward Nome. This legendary event is known as "The Last Great Race". It is a race of endurance and triumph over hostile wilderness elements that commemorates the victorious race to take life saving serum to Nome, Alaska during the Diphtheria epidemic of 1925. In the summer, horse back trail rides are scheduled along the Iditarod Trail in some of the most magnificent and spectacular scenic country that the world has to offer.

On the Alaskan Peninsula, you can stalk in the shadows of ancient volcanoes for the huge Alaskan Brown Bear, one of the worlds highest ranked trophies. It is a joy to watch these big bears come out of their dens in May and plow through the deep snow as they travel to lower terrain. It is even more thrilling to hunt them at close range on the salmon streams in October.

It is Vern's goal and desire to help sportsmen and women from around the world live their dream, just as he has, by providing a quality Alaskan adventure that each deserves and should expect.