Like everyone else I've been running around getting ready for the holidays and so here I am trying to get out one more newsletter in 2007. Okay, one of my excuses is that the last few weeks I've been busy answering email from all the folks interested in treks for next summer.

Last month I promised a write-up of the Mt. Wrangell/Skyscraper Traverse. Interestingly enough there has been a lot of interest in that trek recently. I'm advising everyone to book early on that one since it's only on the schedule once this summer and only has a few spots left.

Click here for Wrangell/Skyscraper - Part I of the story.

I love chatting on the phone with people about their Alaska plans and helping them select the trip that's just right for their experince level and offers just the amount of challenge they want without exceeding their comfort zone.

If you've never done an Alaskan backcountry trek, then realize that it's going to be notch or two up from what you've done elsewhere. For example, one of the most common questions about a trek is - how many miles do we cover? I always tell people that it's not the mileage, it's the terrain that counts.

If you're hiking on a nice trail in the Siearras then doing 10 miles in a day would be pretty easy. But in Alaska that might be from two to three days of travel depending on the terrain. So when you look at the trip stats don't judge a trek by its mileage.

To help put our range of treks into perspective here is a rough comparison of how they line up on the strenuosity scale. How difficult a given trip feels depends a lot on how good your conditioning is, but this will rank them in relative order of effort required. Some trips appear in multiple categories because those trips can be done in more than one way. That's especially true of base camp trips.

There is a trek for all abilities, it's just a matter of picking the best match for you.

For the most part, if you are in good physical condition then you'll do fine on most of our trips. Our treks are meant to be an adventure with some challenges, but we help you to select just the right amount of challenge.

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

Summer seems far away with Christmas a week away. But our most popular trips fill up early so start thinking about reservations as soon as you're clear of the holidays.

The Seven Pass and Pyramid Peak trips are perenial favorites, and for good reason - these are great extended treks for those seeking a taste of deep backcountry Alaska. Iceberg Lake is also very popular and we expect those trip to go early as well.

Well that's all for now.

Everyone have a great holiday!

Till next time .. happy trails!

Regards,

Greg Fensterman

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