Stunning alpine views - Mt. Blackburn on the Wrangell/Skyscraper trek.
In this issue:
Some thoughts on the summer
Revised Calendar
Moderate treks: Iceberg Lake
Moderate treks: Skolai Pass
Out of the Bunker and Into the Mountains:
The other day I compared reservations with this time last year and things are looking pretty good. We're on track for an even better season than last year.
I recalled a conversation I had with a client recently. His attitude towards the current economic environment was that he had planned for his Alaska trek this summer, he had the money set aside and by gosh he was going to do it. He said he knows that some people are sort of hunkering down and not wanting to make plans with so much uncertainty in the air. But he refuses to take a "bunker mentality." Economies go up and down he said, but he needs to have a bit of adventure in his life.
I couldn't agree more.
That conversation tied in to some comments made by a guest on NPR last week. He was talking about some research he had done concerning what gives people satisfaction in their lives. He found that most folks got more satisfaction by spending a certain amount of money on experiences rather than things. Experiences, he said, left people feeling revitalized and invigorated and the satisfaction lasted long after the experience was past.
I was glad to hear that since we have a wilderness full of unforgettable experiences just waiting for you here in Wrangell-St. Elias. I hear from past clients all the time, sometimes years after their trips and just thinking back on their adventures makes them feel good all over again.
New Calendar
We upgraded our calendar page and the new graphical design makes it a lot easier to see what treks are available throughout the summer. These are the group trips which are great for solo travelers. If you have a family group or a group of friends then we can schedule a private trek just for you at pretty much anytime during the summer.
We also added a couple of new group treks for August including our featured treks this month - Iceberg Lake and Skolai Pass.
Last month I talked about some of our more strenuous treks. This month I want to highlight a couple of the treks that fall into the moderate range.
Iceberg Lake Base Camp / Loop Trek
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. Most people
are surprised to find how varied the terrain of a
glacier can be. 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 spend two days exploring that area before moving our camp to another spot.
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.
Here's an extra treat. I put together this narrated presentation for a corporate client. You can't get to it off any menus on the site, just this link. It gives a nice overview of Iceberg Lake and includes some McCarthy shots.
Skolai Pass Base Camp/Loop Trek
The Skolai Pass trek is another of our combo loop type trips.
We follow a similar strategy as with the Iceberg Lake trek and usually have two camps and then day hike around the area.
There's a lot to see in this region. We usually head out the first day and set camp near the Russell Glacier. After dropping our packs we will want to make a short hike down to the glacier for a close up view of this very rugged ice. We usually get a little carried away with picture taking here.
We often set one of our camps in Chitistone Pass which offers some amazing views of hanging glaciers as well as a very good chance at spotting dall sheep as well as caribou. Bears of course are always a possibility.
There are so many options in this area that it's easy to customize each trip to the interests and abilities of the group. Some times after we set up camp we'll take off on a side hike for the more ambitious while others might be content to kick back in camp and enjoy the views.
On some trips we do a short side hike on the last day to get a look at the Hole-in-the-Wall glacier as it spills out of the top of the mesa.
Up close at the edge of the Russell Glacier in Skolai Pass.
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And that's it for this month. If you're thinking about a trek this summer then give us a call soon and let us help plan your Alaskan Adventure.
Till next time... happy trails!
Greg Fensterman
Trip Matrix
info@trekalaska.com -
http://www.TrekAlaska.com - 907.350.3710
Trek Alaska
PO Box 771862
Eagle River, AK 99577
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