Imagine a valley where the lower 3,000 feet are like the rich green Scottish hills blooming with wildflowers, the middle 10,000 feet rivals the Grand Canyon with deep red towering cliffs, and the upper 3,000 feet is these massive snow capped mountains pouring glaciers down over the walls of the Grand Canyon. Each day will be an opportunity to explore a new place. Our hikes won’t be pre planned and they’ll all be off trail. The alpine nature of the place means we’ll be able to avoid most bugs and bushwhacking, but not all — a true adventure.
Wrangell St. Elias National Park is the largest protected wilderness on earth. It’s arguably the most striking park in Alaska. And we’re headed right into the middle of it. Perhaps no itinerary has ever endeavored to take in the park so in depth in so little time. On this expedition we’ll traverse the park by foot and by plane, taking in the macro views from the sky and noticing the smallest flowers on foot. We’ll split our trip between two epic and scenically different basecamps. Our basecamp will be well outfitted and in the mornings, afternoons and evenings our camp cook will prepare hot drinks and meals for us to savor.
What you get on this adventure:
What’s not included:
Here’s a list of the equipment you need to bring:
Group supplies, such as first-aid kits, cooking equipment, emergency communication devices, and others will be provided by your guide.
Dress comfortably and for the weather in clothes you can move in. We suggest bringing clothing appropriate for the season.
Alaska’s weather is notoriously varied; even in summertime, weather can be chilly and rainy. We’ll be living outside for the first half and spending most of the day outside for the second, so you should be prepared to camp and hike through all sorts of weather, ideally with a smile! Summer brings almost continuous daylight, so nights tend not to be much chillier than days, but temperatures could range from the low 30s to high 60s. Mosquitoes are actually not that bad, but expect to occasionally wear a mesh bug headnet.
Arrive no later than 4pm on day 1. Hotel check in is anytime after 3. The trip ends after dinner on Aug 17th. You could plan to fly home Aug 17th after 11pm but it’s likely best to spend the night in Anchorage and fly home on the 18th.
You will meet your guide at The Captain Cook Hotel Lobby at 5pm for orientation and dinner. You will do a complete gear check so you’re ready to take off in the morning. This will also be a great time for any lingering questions. After all the checks are complete, share a welcome dinner at 7pm at the Rustic Goat.
Five to fifteen miles may not sound like a lot, but hiking with a day pack, off-trail across the sometimes rough terrain is a far cry from an on-trail day hike. Your guides don’t expect anyone to be a super athlete to join the expedition, but a solid base of fitness (think: can you comfortably run / hike / walk 12 miles?) will make travel more enjoyable. Your guides can help craft a training plan for you if helpful. While you’ll try to keep packs light, you will travel with no porters or pack animals, so expect to carry a 10-15 lbs day pack each day.
Backcountry expeditions ask you to rely on each other and put group needs ahead of our own, an experience which can bring transformative lessons for all of us. Your guides qwill expect you to help with camp chores like cooking and tarp set-up, and count on you to set up your own tent (with assistance).
This expedition team brings decades of wilderness guiding experience and excellent risk management practices, yet part of the allure of wilderness travel comes from the very fact that they cannot eliminate all risk from the realities of moving through this landscape. You’ll encounter hazards such as grizzly bears, river crossings, and steep scree slopes.
57hours is committed to providing safe outdoor adventure experiences. We require all guides using our platform to have a COVID-19 safety plan and to make the details of that plan accessible to travelers. In most cases, group sizes will be reduced, guides will avoid overcrowded locations, and other safety measures will be met depending on the location and activity.
We also expect clients to respect local regulations and take measures to protect themselves, their guides, and the communities they’re traveling to. For more information on COVID-19 measures in Denali National Park, AK, please refer to the Official Site of the State of Alaska and the National Park Service’s guidelines for Denali NP.
As for all of the expeditions, your guides will carry satellite communication devices. In keeping with recommendations from emergency medical and rescue services, they will make conservative decisions.
Please contact us if you have any questions or require further information. We are happy to provide you with the most up-to-date information!
To secure your spot on this year’s tours, a 50% deposit is due upon booking. The remaining amount is paid by Feb 9, 2024.
Due to the extremely customized nature of this trip, all deposits and full payments are non-refundable after they’ve been received for any reason whatsoever. We strongly, strongly encourage rescue and travel insurance. Trip spaces can be given to someone else up to the last minute (unless the new person has severe dietary restrictions)), but no money will be returned.
