We’re offering 10% off on all treks booked between now and Feb 5! So if you were thinking about a trip this summer stop thinking and start planning.

Just mention the blog or Facebook post and we’ll knock off 10%.

http://www.trekalaska.com/trips/

Hope to hear from you soon!

Heading up Canyon Creek

We did the Pyramid Peak route several times last summer. One of those trips was a group of seven  which is a bigger group than we usually do but it worked out well in this case. It was an international trip with a couple of Irish lads (Ian and Nial) as well as a young lady, Annie, from Switzerland. Serge and Andrea were a couple from Canada which left Judy and Ann as our token Americans in the group.

It was a diverse group which helped to keep things lively and interesting.

The drop-off airstrip on this trek is very small and very remote, so we had to fly in one at a time in a Super Cub. It’s a dramatic flight in and it was funny to watch each person get out of the plane and the first words out of their mouth was a variation on “that was amazing.” So the flight in definitely got five stars.

Because it took so long to get the group re-assembled on Canyon Creek, the first day was a pretty short and easy one. We hiked a few miles upstream along the creek and then made our crossing of Canyon Creek so we wouldn’t have to start our next day with a cold crossing.

Up the Ridge

We had a great campsite right near the water. At dinner time a rather cheeky ground squirrel came round to see if he could scrounge some food. He was totally unafraid of us and in fact would just not be scared off. He did manage to score a piece of pasta and gave our fettuccine alfredo a two paws up review.

A Well Deserved Break

Day two was a bit more strenuous and featured a big slog up the first ridge of the trip. But it was well worth the hump as we arrived on top to be greeted by clear skies and awesome views all around, especially of the University range.

There is a lot of flexibility in how we structure this route and generally we mix up the longer and shorter days. We got to one spot were we have camped before but it was pretty early in the day so I presented an option that I had always wanted to try.

There is a great spot to camp up on the ridge but the downside is that there is no water, so the only we to camp there is to haul water up the hill. Well Serge and the Milne brothers came to the rescue and volunteered to hump water. It was a great spot to camp for sure with nice views.

Summit Handstands!

The hike up the ridge to Andrus is always a highlight though some find it a little more exciting than they would like. It’s a sharp edge ridge-line that is pretty exhilarating. Ian and Nial had to celebrate our arrival at the top with their traditional summit handstand. The view from the shoulder of Andrus is one of the best of the trek and it’s always a treat when the skies are clear.

One of the big features of the last half of the route is the crossing and re-crossing and more re-crossings of Rex Creek. We had a big group so we split into two teams of four each for the stream crossings: team Mankini and team Magic Spoon. And each team had their own inspirational chant to help fortify and encourage us before venturing into the cold water. It really helped make an otherwise tedious number of crossings a lot easier and even fun.

One of the highlights for me was the last morning when the group presented a thank you gift including a made-in-the-field card. Thanks again guys.

So it was a great trek with a great bunch of people.

Can’t wait to see who shows up this summer!

Annie Enjoying the Spectacular Views on the Way Down.

The fall colors were spectacular.

I’m going to start with the last trip of our season – the Lake Clark, Turquoise Lake High Country Trek. There is nothing more fun than to take clients on an exploratory trip on a route I’ve never been on before. I get to remember what it’s like to be on a route where you don’t really know what lays ahead. Is that stream going to be cross-able? How steep is that pass? Will we be able to find a place to camp along the shore of that lake?

It keeps things interesting.

Part of the reason that we did the Lake Clark trip is that Rick and Janette had already done 3 different treks with me in Wrangell-St. Elias and as much as they love that area they were curious about Lake Clark. They had read Dick Preneckie’s book about his experience living on Twin Lakes and wanted to see his cabin as well has have a back-country adventure.

I had only been to Lake Clark once and that was years ago so I had to pull out the maps and scan for route ideas that would finish near Dick’s cabin on Twin Lakes. I found would looked like a workable high country route that started on Lake Telaquana. There were several spots along the way that I wasn’t sure what to expect but figured we would work it out as we went.

We hop on a commuter plane at Merrill Feild for the flight to Port Alsworth. Wow, what a flight coming in over the Tordrillo Mountains. What a rugged and totally forbidding terrain. I was glad we wouldn’t be trekking through that mess.

In PA we got into a couple of Cessna 206s on float which deposited us on the shore of Lake Telaquana. Fortunately we got some last minute beta about the hike up from the lake. What looked like a quick and easy jaunt up the ridge to some nice lakes proved to take a bit longer and involved some bushwhacking.

The top of the ridge is very indistinctly rolling country and in the thick fog we almost walked right by our half mile long lake.

We wanted adventure and that’s what we got.

One of the highlights was fishing at Turquoise Lake where we layed over for an extra night. We had fresh grayling for dinner both nights.

One of our high ridge camps - amazing!

One of my favorite campsites was this high camp near some ragged peaks. The hike out the next day started in bitter cold rain but by the afternoon turned sunny. A friendly red fox trotted along near us for part of the hike up the next ridge.

Our camps alternated between high ridge camps and lake-side spots. Besides the fish, one of the nice things about the lower camps was the chance to have an evening fire. We always dug a pit in the sand for it and then buried it in the morning to leave no trace of our fires.

We saw a brown bear up really close one day and also some Dall sheep so it was pretty good for critter spotting.

Everyone was looking forward to seeing Dick’s cabin at twin and that did not disappoint. There was a park volunteer who stays at a nearby cabin. He was a friend of Dick’s so we got a guided tour and the inside scoop on ole Dick. The cabin is quite the work of craftsmanship. I do think however, that the gravel floor was probably a tad cold in the winter. Heck it was probably cold in the summer.

All in all it was a great adventure with lots of surprises but none that we couldn’t handle. In fact I liked it so much that I have put the trip on the regular roster for summer 2011.

Dick's cabin on Twin Lakes

A friendly trail companion

Sometimes rugged, always breath-taking

We had good weather for the most part and except for the last day what rain we got was at night. The first night we camped along the moraine edge of the Root glacier which offered great views of the day’s hike. We could see Kennicott across the ice.

The following day we hiked across the Donoho landmass right under Donoho Peak. We set up camp near the Gates glacier where we stayed two nights. Our third day was spent exploring the Gates glacier which is always a fun time. One evening we had a bushy tailed fox stroll through camp.

Our last night out we camped on the ice of the Kennicott glacier. It got really winding as we were cooking our dinner. The wind changed directions and pulled the tarp guy lines right out of their rather formidable anchors. We thought we were in for a cold and blustery evening but then suddenly the wind died and the temperature went up about 15 degrees. So instead of diving into the tents we walked around taking some photos in the evening light.

The hike out on the last day was a bit soggy but it was a great group and it would have taken more than a little rain to dampen our spirits.

All in all it was a great kick-off to another summer in the Wrangells!

Here’s short clip I took just last week off the north slope of a ridge above Eagle River. A young couple was taking advantage of the great snow conditions for an easy ski down.

One of the things I love about Alaska is that you can get to a place like this in less than an hour from town. The trail head is a 10 minutes drive and then to get to where this is shot takes about an hour of hiking depending on conditions.

Yeah life is grand.

And just when you think it can’t possible snow again this season… it does. Just a few days ago we got a big snow fall. Went up into the hills for my evening hike and found that there was 4 inches of fresh white stuff on the ground. Whoa.

There were places where the snow was only a few inches deep, but there were also spots where someone (sans snowshoes) had postholed thigh deep!

But don’t worry, if you’re heading to Alaska for a summer trip it will all be gone by the time you get here. No really, it will

Spectacular views of the Stairway Icefall and more – Donoho Glacier Trek.

Treks are Filling Up!

Just a quick update on trips scheduled for this summer.

If you take a look at our calendar page you’ll see that there are several trips that are sold out.

If you’re interested in a trek this summer book now to avoid disappointment.

Featured Trip – Donoho Glacier Trek

Currently scheduled trips include: June 9-13, 16-20, 23-27

Check the calendar page for availability.

The Donoho trek is one of our most popular for many reasons.

For many folks this trek hits the sweet spot in terms of cost and duration. It’s a 5 day trek that won’t bust your vacation budget.

The reason it costs less than our other treks is that there is no bush flight to access the wilderness. Most of our treks require fly-in access and pickup. But for the Donoho trek we just start hiking out of the historic Kennicott site and just keep going over glaciers and land to some of the most amazing terrain and spectacular views to be found in the park.

Glacier Exploration

The big focus on this trip is exploring the fascinating and varied world of glaciers. Most people are surprised to discover that glaciers are not just flat sheets of ice but a richly varied environment with a terrain all their own. We spend time hiking across the Root, Gates and Kennicott glaciers and exploring features such as melt pools, crevasses, fins and more. Your guide will teach you about how glaciers are formed, advance and ultimately recede.

Overland Travel

But it’s not all ice travel. We cross the Donoho landmass and visit the Donoho Lakes as we pass directly under Donoho Peak. These lakes are filled by melting glacier water from the Kennicott and Gates glaciers.

Bears, Bears, Bears!

Everyone wants to see a bear in Alaska and Wrangell-St. Elias has plenty of them. But the Donoho region has always been on of the best areas for spotting bears in the park. Black bears and grizzlies are frequently seen on this trek. But not to worry – we’ve never had a problem and one of the first things your guide does is teach the crew about bear safety and bear encounters.

Duration – Difficulty

This trip falls right in the range that many people are looking for – a 5 day trek of moderate difficulty. There may be some occasions where you will be challenged but overall the difficulty is moderate.

Early Season

Another advantage of this route is that it becomes free of snow much earlier than some of the more remote, higher elevation areas in the backcountry. Because of that we are able to offer this trek in June and have even occasionally done late May treks for private groups.

Featured Trip – Iceberg Lake

Ridge line campsites in the Iceberg Lake valley.

This is another 5 day trip that is packed with amazing views and adventure.

Iceberg Lake is in the more southern part of the park, and that means glaciers. The Iceberg Lake valley is close to the Bagley ice field which is one of the largest non-polar ice fields on the planet.

This trek is done as a combo type trip – part base camp and part backpacking. We get the best of both worlds on these loop trips. We get to see more terrain than we would if we base camped in the same spot the whole trip, but we don’t have to carry full packs every day.

We begin by heading down the valley towards a glacier. The edge of the ice is always a nice spot to stop for lunch and get some instruction
from the guide on how to put on crampons and travel safely over the glacier. We take our time with the crossing and explore.

Once across we clamber over a bit of rocky moraine and part way up a ridge to find a campsite with great views of the entire valley. We usually spend most of the next three days exploring different parts of this ridge – and it’s not enough to do more than scratch the surface of what this area has to offer.

There are lots of options up on the ridge so we settle on an itinerary that suits the group. Possibilities include heading up a nearby scramble peak, exploring some nearby lakes, hiking along the ridge or if we’re ambitious we could drop down over the other side of the ridge for a look at the next valley.

Bears are frequently seen in the valley and occasionally even wolverine.

Currently scheduled trips include: July 7 – 11, July 16 – 20, Aug 22 – 26

Check the calendar page for availability.

If you want a moderate trek with jaw dropping views this is a good one!

———————————-

Trek Comparison Matrix

For more on any of these trips click on the links to see the detail page or give us a call. 907.350.3710

Well that’s it for now. See you next month.

Till then.. happy trails!

Greg Fensterman

info@trekalaska.com -
www.TrekAlaska.com – 907.350.3710

Trek Alaska

PO Box 771862

Eagle River, AK 99577

The ceremonial start of the race takes place in downtown anchorage. This used to be the start of the actual race but having the race begin in Anchorage was problematic so the official start point was shifted to Willow. The ceremonial start is now just for the TV cameras.

The next day all the teams reassemble at the start near Willow and things get under way for real.

There are lots of places near the start where the race route is accessible as it crosses several frozen lakes and makes its way into the more remote bush.

Lots of folks set up along the first mile or so and make a party of it. Setups range from elaborate digs with big sponsor tents and BBQ grills to small knots of  people huddled around tiny fires.

A lot of people set up in the middle of the lakes but it’s cold and windy out there so our group found a nice spot nestled in some trees and well out of the wind.

A stack of old pallets formed the base for a pretty huge bonfire. Some one brought along a deep fryer and we cooked up not one but two turkeys. Great eatin out in the cold let me tell ya. Finger licken good!

But of course the reason we were there was to cheer on and encourage the mushers as they headed out on the trail to Nome. We had a list of the mushers so we were able to identify the teams as they approached. Calling out the mushers by name was a nice personal touch.

It took a few hours for all the teams to go by… including a Jamaican musher. Wonder if he knew the guys from the Jamaican bobsled team. I just hope they weren’t Jamaican dogs.

We all had a great time cheering them on, eating hot turkey and drinking cold beer. It was just about getting dark when we finally packed it all up and made our way back to the cabin. My friend and I got a little bit lost errr… turned around on the way back. Too many trails and all those lakes look alike. But finally we made it back to the cabin.

I’ll definitely be back out there next year.

Amazing views from the ridge leading into Solo Lake in the Nutzotin Highlands.

Summer’s Coming!

Just a quick update on trips scheduled for this summer.

The end of July is getting very busy and many trips are already sold out. There are Seven Pass, Pyramid Peak and Skyscraper treks that are all completely full. There are some space left on a late July Skolai Pass trek but otherwise that time slot is all but closed.

There are still trips at other times during the summer with spaces remaining however. Take a look at the calendar page to check availability. But this is the time of year where things can change quickly however, and a trek with 2-3 open spots can be sold out a week later. The end of March and early April is usually a very busy time for bookings.

If you have a group of friends and are wanting to schedule a private trip then you should definitely call us soon so we can work your group into the schedule.

If you’re planning a June trip you should make your plans very soon.

Featured Trip – Nutzotin Highlands (aka, Horsfeld Highlands)

It’s been a while since I spotlighted this route and it deserves a special mention.

	Lovely walk on a ridgetop

This is a terrific route for an early season trek. A lot of folks don’t realize how late summer arrives here in Alaska and especially in the mountains. In the backcountry of Wrangell-St. Elias for example we don’t usually start doing deep backcountry routes till the first of July when the snow is melting out of the passes. There may still be a bit of snow in the high passes but it’s not a problem.

But I often get folks wanting to do a trip in June and the choices are more limited then. But the Nutzotin route is perfect for that time of year. It’s in the northern region of the park so you might assume that it gets more snow and melts out later but it’s just the opposite – the routes there are clear before most others in the southern part of the park.

This is also a great choice for someone who wants an extended backcountry adventure but within the moderate range of difficulty. We spend 8 days on our hike from Horsfeld to Solo Creek but we don’t carry packs every day. We usually layover once or twice along the way so that we can do some local exploring with lighter loads.

Moose, bear, Dall sheep and caribou have all been spotted on the route so it’s a good one for wildlife. I even spotted a wolf along the way once, just before he scooted over the ridge and out of sight.

The trek covers a nice variety of terrain and ranges from wide open tundra to some sweet ridge walks. My favorite is the walk down the last ridge just before solo creek. We get some amazing views of Mt. Sulzor, Bona and their ice and snow capped neighbors. And the last time I was up there in late June that ridge was covered in buttercups in bloom.

The route begins in the tundra near Beaver Creek and then we head up into the higher country. There is a spot around day two that I am thinking of staying an extra day this time to allow for a bit of exploring.

We travel up and over a couple of ridges along the way so we will get our exercise, but none are super steep. Always great views waiting on top too. There is an interesting canyon that we cross about midway that is a neat little spot and a great lunch stop.

So if you’re looking for an early season trek that’s adventurous but not extreme and has good wildlife potential then this is definitely the one.

We are offering this trip just once this summer – June 27 to July 4, so if you’re interested you should call soon. The fourth is always sold out at the hotel in McCarthy.

Near Wolverine Mt. on the Skolai to Wolverine route.

———————————-

Trek Comparison Matrix

For more on any of these trips click on the links to see the detail page or give us a call. 907.350.3710

Well that’s it for now… happy trails!

Greg Fensterman

It was a much easier drive than my last trip out. It was a lot warmer and the road had just been graded so it was in primo condition. They had gotten in there with a dozer too so even the glaciers had been blasted out! When the road is in such good shape it’s really nicer to drive in the winter than it is in the summer.

I pulled in around 4:30 so still a good amount of daylight left to sled my stuff the short distance to the cabin, stack up some firewood and just generally get situated. Temps were not much below freezing so warming up the cabin was a lot easier then it had been at -18.

The next day I piddled around a bit and got some supplies out of my storage shed in preparation for the main reason for my visit – a trip out to my property across McCarthy Creek. Still had a bit of daylight left when I was done so I clicked into my skis and skied down the road which was in perfect condition for skiing. Saw a couple of snowshoe hares, some ravens and an eagle.

Next day I loaded up the gear sled, strapped on the snowshoes and headed out to the property. Well I first drove to the footbridge and parked, then started walking from there. The road was in good shape all the  way out to where the trail cuts off the Nizina Road and I made surprisingly good time.

Once off the Nizina the fun began. I knew exactly what to expect but still, after even 15 minutes of breaking trail through knee-deep powder I was trying to remember why it seemed so important to do this. It was pretty tough going. I’ve learned from prior experience that they way to do it is to first break trail with snowshoes and then come back for the sled. If you try to break trail and haul at the same time the sled just keeps tipping over and you go a bit insane.

The worst part of it was that I forgot to fill up my water bottle. It was actually a pretty warm day to begin with but breaking trail was hard sweaty work. I had to keep eating snow to keep from getting totally dehydrated. At last I made it to my destination on my property and the first thing I did was fire up the stove and start melting snow!

Setting up camp was a pleasure with the warm temps and sunny skies, though making a good tent platform on bottomless powder is not easy – it just won’t compress or consolidate. A pair of cardinals stopped by to keep me company while I set up my tent and got my camp all squared away.

The next morning was just what I was hoping for and I was able to accomplish what I came for. I wanted to see where the sun rose and set at this time of year and where light fell on the property and how much. I am finalizing the sighting of the cabin that I will begin this summer and what to figure out the precise orientation and facing of the structure. Just about have it nailed down now.

Mission accomplished, I packed it up after a cup of hot cocoa and headed back into McCarthy. The trail was well formed by now and had set up a bit during the night so it was much easier and faster getting out.

Spent another night at my friends cabin and then hit the road bright and early the next morning. All in all a great trip to McCarthy – as always.

1. Define what sort of adventure you want.

Do you want to do day hikes from a comfortable lodge or spend 8 days hiking through rugged wilderness? How long do you want to be in the backcountry? How hard do you want to work? Are there special features that you want to include in your adventure? The better you are able to define what you want the easier it will be to sort through the many offerings of numerous Alaska adventure providers.

2. Determine your total overall itinerary

Start by knowing how many days you have for your total vacation door to door. It takes the better part of a day to fly to Alaska depending on your home city. Then you may spend the good part of another day getting from Anchorage to your wilderness destination. So if you are wanting to do a 7 day trek be sure to add on several extra days to allow for transportation.

3. Research the area

If you decide you want an adventure in a particular part of Alaska determine the logistics of getting there. Becuase of the great distances and low population density in Alaska there is not much public transportation around the state. Car rentals is a popular way to get around. Some areas have shuttle services but probably not on a daily basis. For example there is a van service that operates between Anchorage and McCarthy, but it only runs twice in each direction per week. So you would might to take that into account when selecting a trip.

4. Research tour operators that you are considering

Most companies have a lot of information on their web site so dig in and get as much background as you can. How long have they been in business? How big is the company – bigger doesn’t always mean better and might mean that the service is less personal. Do the guides have wilderness first aid training? What about emergency communications in the wilderness? Does the operator have a physical presence in the area you will be visting or do they operate out of the back of a van?

One great way to evaluate the service of a tour operator is to send off emails with questions. Do you get a prompt and detailed reply within 24 hours, or does it take days to get a reply that is perfunctory and doesn’t address all your questions?

Most tour operators have a Facebook page which is another great way to check them out.

Ask for references from past clients and guests.

5. Book early for the most flexibility and trip choices

When you’re shoveling snow it might seem that summer is forever away. But don’t make the mistake of waiting till spring arrives to start making summer plans. The longer you wait the fewer choices you will have. Any tour operator has limited guide and other resources. Within any given time period there is a limit to how many trips they can operate. Don’t wait till April to call up an adventure provider only to find that a given time slot is now sold out.

Hotels and rental cars can also become sold out for peak periods from mid July through August.

6. Know what you will need to bring

An adventure tour operator should provide a detailed list of what they will provide and what you need to bring. Start getting your gear together early and don’t wait till the last minute to head to the gear store. Boots especially need to be purchased well in advance and broken in.

	This is one you need to be in top shape to take on: Skyscraper Trek

7. Get in shape for your adventure

The degree of fitness required will depend on the demands of the trip you select, but even easier to moderate adventures will be more enjoyable if you are in good physical condition. And if you are going on a more demanding trip then you will want to more training. If you are taking an aggressive wilderness trek you should try to spend some time hiking or running on steeper hills if possible. Log some trail time carrying a fully loaded pack in the months before your trip.

8. Get travel insurance

Understand the cancellation policies of a tour operator. Early cancellations usually involve refunds in varying amounts but at some point a cancellation will not include a refund. In most cases, travel insurance covers non-refundable payments should you have to cancel your trip at the last minute for any reason. Always ask questions and read the fine print before purchasing insurance.

Those are a few tips and things to consider when planning your trip. If you have any questions about logistics for your Alaska trip just give us a call.