We woke up to a ceiling around 2,800ft that got lower to the north, the direction where Matt was flying in from. Soon an Arctic fog bank rolled in, it started raining, and you couldn't see outside the valley. This ...Read More
Our instructions were to head towards the Kavik River and find a place to land. ...Read More
We were packed up and on the go by 9am. We were a mile into the tussocks when we decided to scrap our route and cut across to the mountains. We were sick of walking on tussocks and figured that ...Read More
Hiking through possible tussocks with heavy packs...Boo! Another day of packrafting it is! ...Read More
Just before 9am the rumble of a prop enters the valley in the west. I get up, get outside the tent. Ready to welcome Eric to camp, they pass high overhead and then proceed to disappear to the northeast, heading ...Read More
9:30am camp was packed and I was ready to move. I was also still thirsty from the day before. I was only about three-quarter miles from Cache Creek. Going at a calm pace it was fine. ...Read More
I had a long day ahead of me. I had camp packed and ready to go by just after 8am. I headed down Fire Creek which would appear out of the stream bed and then disappear sometimes for lengths ...Read More
Seeing as it was Sunday I figured I would sleep in a bit. Feeling guilty for not being there, I wished my daughter a happy birthday via inReach, got up and got going at 10am. I headed over to the ...Read More
With it being decided that Fire Creek was only practical route out given the size of our loads I decided to get the ascent over with. I packed up camp and headed up along the creek. Upon entering the ...Read More
It was foggy when I got woke up on July 20, 2023, and finished moving everything into the 2006 Toyota Sequoia. I felt a bit guilty driving a big SUV 800 miles north with only one passenger, especially when the ...Read More
First off for all the trolls and poo-pooers out there. Do I believe I am the first human to lay eyes on the glacier? Seeing as the land has been inhabited for thousands of years, no. As the "discover" of ...Read More
Every year, throughout the year, people come to Alaska looking for wilderness adventures. Many will consider their experiences outside Alaska of whatever adventure they wish to pursue equal to those they plan to do while in Alaska. Yes, you can ...Read More
There are over 100,000 glaciers in Alaska, predominantly in the Southeast, Southcentral, and Central regions, spanning approximately 75,000 square kilometers of the state. Of these glaciers, only about 600 are named, and even fewer are studied in extensive detail. Because ...Read More
This is intended to be a list for those who will be staying at Denali Basecamp, not for those making summit attempts on Denali or any of the major peaks in the vicinity. ...Read More
If you're considering skipping Fairbanks and staying south of the Alaska Range you might be considering driving the Denali Highway. A 135 mile long dirt road with a gas station near each end and only one along it. ...Read More
We get a lot of people asking for help in planning their trip to Alaska so we present the following; ...Read More
First off is Valdez worth visiting, it's a long way down a dead-end road? If you traveled to Alaska to see what you thought Alaska looked like, then yes. (To see what Valdez has to offer check out the ...Read More
Believe it or not many people do not know what a glacier is or that there are different types of glaciers. ...Read More
The Chugach front range contains many tantalizing looking ski lines. However, many of them are rarely in skiable condition. During some years, snowfall is light. Other years, howling winds or rain clean the snow away as soon as it ...Read More
Life's to short to put off seeing the world. Year after year had gone by and the stories of all the snow and terrain Alaska had to offer only built up. It was time to check it out and experience ...Read More
Will this shirt be too warm? Where's my helmet? Oh my God there is a mouse nest in my climbing boot. Getting ready for ice climbing after years away from the sport was not relaxing. Still, the ski terrain was ...Read More
New Check out our interactive map of Thompson Pass for easy navigation. ...Read More
I have never gotten over the miracle of pulling fish out of our opaque waters. The milky, multi-colored water running through our glacial streams looks so eerie and lifeless. You can't see anything below the surface. And yet, one ...Read More
The Valdez Trail of 1899 is a gem, but I only rarely see other people on it. It takes you through a series of different ecosystems from mossy forest to alpine tundra. The trail is generally kept in ...Read More