Greetings from Trek Alaska and McCarthy!

Seasons greetings to all. The new year is underway and even though we are buried in snow here in McCarthy, it's already time to start thinking about next summer and the trekking season.

We have the 2012 calendar of trips posted on the website. These are our scheduled group trips that are ideal for solo travelers and couples who want to join a larger group. Groups of three or more can operate as private trips which means they can be scheduled around your timetable. So take a look at the calendar and start making plans. The season in Wrangell-St. Elias is very short so there is a lot of pressure on lodging and other resources with rooms selling out by late winter for the busy period from July through August. It's definitely not too soon to start planning.

 

Featured Treks - Fan Glacier to Skyscraper

Our treks cover a wide range of difficulty and duration ranging from an easier 4 day base camp to a ultimate challenge, 9 day super adventure. So this edition I want to feature two trips that cover the two ends of the spectrum

Fan Glacier - 4 Day Base Camp

This is our shortest duration trip and probably the easiest in terms of physical challenge. The Fan is one of the few, true base camp trips that we offer. We spend 3 nights at the same camp which is only about an hour hike from the landing strip. We then spend several days exploring the area but with just light day packs so the focus is on enjoying the terrain not humping heavy loads.

But easier terrain doesn't mean that the trip is lightweight in terms of adventure and views. The two main hikes we take are up the ridge to the south which features a truly spectacular view of a snow covered cirque. The other is a day spent hiking out on the Fan Glacier.

We have found this to be a great choice for families or anyone wanting an Alaskan adventure but one on the less challenging end of the spectrum.

Skyscraper Route - 9 Day Ultimate Challenge

And on the other end is the Skyscraper trek which truly our ultimate adventure. This is a very rewarding but also very challenging route. We've almost made it an invitation only trek.

The reason we are so selective about who we take on this route is that most folks just don't understand that "challenging" in Alaska means something different than challenging in the Sierra range.

Being up for a challenge does not necessarily mean you should sign up for the most difficult route possible. There are some steep accents and descents on the route as well as some serious bushwhacking and one very demanding river crossing.

So the challenges are there but so are the rewards. There are stunning views and terrain like nowhere else in the park. And the solitude is absolute. A real highlight is camping at the summit of Surprise Pass where we have views of Mt. Wrangell and Drum off in one direction and Blackburn in another.

If you're still not scared off then check it and get in touch with us soon. There has been a lot of interest in the route for this summer and we will likely only do one trip on the Skyscraper this summer.

 

Summer 2012
That's it for now. We're starting to get a lot of inquiries for this summer. So if you are thinking about a trek give us a call and we can help you select the best trek for you.

Look forward to hearing from you.

Till next time...

Greg Fensterman
Trek Alaska

 

Picking Your Perfect Trek - Trek Comparison Matrix

Easier to Moderate	Moderate to Strenuous	Strenuous	Extremely Challenging
Steamboat Hills Skolai Pass Donoho Glacier Trek Iceberg Lake Hidden Creek	Iceberg Lake Skolai to Wolverine Nutzotin Highlands	Seven Pass Pyramid Peak	Wrangell/Skyscraper

For more on any of these trips click on the links to see the detail page or give us a call. 907.554.1088

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

Till then.. happy trails!

Greg Fensterman

info@trekalaska.com    -     www.TrekAlaska.com - 907.554.1088

Trek Alaska
Box MXY, #46B
Glennallen, AK 99588