With a maximum of 6 guests and 2 expert wilderness guides, this eco-tour combines a fantastic floatplane ride with a wilderness hike in North America’s most majestic national park. Your flight will take you from Talkeetna to Glacier Rock Lake, nested between Backside Glacier and the Ruth Glacier within the vast roadless area of Denali National Park that is only accessible by floatplane.  After circling through the Great Gorge of the Ruth Glacier your Alaska float-plane will touch down on Glacier Rock Lake. After a thorough safety briefing and Denali orientation from your guides, you’ll grab trekking poles, a light daypack, and an energy snack, and begin your journey up into tundra country.  A lush green hillside will beckon you to explore higher vistas for incredible views of the ice-aged landscape and Alaska's biggest mountains.  Throughout the hike, you will learn the secrets of this land; your guide will talk about the geology, biology and history of the area and teach you skills needed for off-trail hiking in Alaska. You’ll finish the hike at our base tent for wild Alaska smoked salmon, reindeer salami, a selection of gourmet cheeses, and a glass of wine! Celebrate the peace and solitude that can only be found when you and  your small-group are completely immersed within the 6-million acre wilderness of Denali National Park.

Trip Cost: $495 plus $10 National Park fee (minimum 2 guests, max 6)

Trip Duration: 4 hours including transfers

Trip Includes:
    •    Round trip float plane flight
    •    Expert guide
    •    Trekking poles, and light snack includes

Guide to Client Ratio: 6 Clients to 1 Guide
 

The Fine Print: You will need to bring your outdoor clothing and personal gear. Tours may vary according to weather conditions. K2 Aviation has been flying for over 47 years and operate a safe, reliable service. We will combine groups to ensure minimum if requested.

Denali Day Hike Payment:
Required in full at time of reservation.

Cancellations:
Weather cancellations are 100 percent refundable if weather is not flyable.

More than 48 hours;  payment 100 percent refundable.

Less than 48 hours;  no refund of trip costs.

Gear list and Important Trip Information:
Please note that some items will be supplied by Alaska Alpine Adventures; other items you will need to provide yourself. The checklists below contain all of the clothing and gear required for the day-trip offered by Alaska Alpine Adventures. By following them, you should find yourself well equipped for your adventure. We are always happy to discuss equipment needs with you, so please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions.
 

What to Bring:
Living by the tenet of “Hope for the best, plan for worst, and probably get something right in between” has served us quite well and often seems to sum up the Alaska experience. Environmental comfort levels will vary from person to person, so please select your clothing accordingly and use the following checklists as a guide. It must be stressed that the items listed (or your own favorite substitution) are MANDATORY and must be in your possession when you head into the field.
You Provide:
    •    Rain gear Quality waterproof/breathable jacket & pants. ***A limited supply of raingear will be available if you do not have proper raingear for the adventure.***
    •    Layer clothing: 1 mid-weight long sleeve synthetic top 1 pair synthetic hiking pants (convertible hiking pant / shorts OK) Fleece or synthetic/down fill jacket.
    •    1 warm hat synthetic/wool 1 billed hat
    •    Fleece or wool synthetic glove liners
    •    Personal medications
    •    Sun screen/lip protection
    •    Camera/film
    •    Binoculars
    •    Insect repellent
    •    Refillable water bottle
    •    Day Pack
A small daypack – big enough to carry a water bottle, rain gear, extra layers and any personal effects you may need during the course of the day (camera!) *** We’ll have daypacks available if you need to borrow one! ***

Everyone asks:

What about the mosquitoes?
In case you've heard horror stories... the number of mosquitoes is greatly dependent on hatching season and annual weather conditions. While we are bound to encounter some mosquitoes during the course of our adventure, their numbers have not generally presented major problems on past trips in these specific areas.

Will bears be a problem?
Alaska is bear country! There are both grizzly and black bears in most of the wilderness areas of Alaska we visit. We love seeing bears in the wild and it really is one of the most thrilling experiences common in Alaska backcountry travel. With that said, traveling safely and taking precautions to minimize a negative encounter are things we take very seriously. In addition to being subject to our thorough bear safety orientation, you’ll also see that we take many precautions when traveling in Alaska’s wilderness – 1 all of our food has been packaged to minimize odors – we vacuum seal most of our fresh ingredients and sauces, we pack our food in bear resistant food canisters, and we store our food well away from camp. 2 We make noise when we’re hiking in thick brush or when we’re hiking in windy conditions to minimize surprise encounters.  3 Our guides carry bear spray on all of the hikes throughout the adventures.

What kind of food might we expect?
Our food is excellent – in fact it is something that clearly differentiates us from our competitors. We have spent the past decade fine tuning our backcountry menu. We'll provide delicious snacks for the hike,  and upon returning to our base tent, you'll enjoy wild Alaska smoked salmon, reindeer salami, a selection of artisan cheeses, and a glass of wine!

When would you require payment? Trip cancellation insurance? Can we get it through you?
When you decide to book, we then generate an invoice that we send by email. You’ll then have the option to pay the deposit by mailing us a check, calling us with a credit card number or by using a Visa, Master Card, or American Experss on our secure online payment system. As for trip cancellation insurance, Alaska Alpine Adventures is licensed to sell Travel Guard - an industry leading insurance product designed specifically for adventure travelers. Please contact us for details, or click here to obtain a quote.

Ultimate Denali:

Why have you chosen these specific destinations for your Multisport Adventures?
Alaska Alpine Adventures has been hiking, kayaking, rafting and exploring Alaska's national parks and wildlife refuges for over 10 years.  Glacier Rock Lake and the adjoining Backside Glacier provide amazing access to enjoyable hiking and unparalleled views.  With Mt. McKinley less than 13 miles to the North and the Ruth Glacier to the south, the options are endless.

What national parks will we be visiting?
You will visit Denali National Park.

There is a significant distance to Glacier Rock Lake, how will we get there?
We have teamed up with K2 Aviation in Talkeetna for this exclusive day trip into Denali National Park.  We'll access Glacier Rock Lake via floatplane - a ride that has been called the “greatest flight on the planet!”  K2 has been operating for over 47 years, and their pilots are the best in the business.

Is transportation included in the price of the trip?
Absolutely, the trip is all inclusive from Talkeetna.

Where will you meet us?
Your Alaska Alpine Adventures guide will meet you at K2 Aviation in Talkeetna prior to the departure.