This five night, 28 mile outing will take us through lowland birch, spruce and cottonwoods from Little Coal Creek to Byers Lake, and over the tundra carpeted crest of the ridge itself. In addition to moose, caribou and bears, this route treats visitors to the most fantastic views of Denali (North America's highest peak at 20,320 ft), that Alaska has to offer!

This trip originates in Anchorage, Alaska. Getting to Anchorage is a snap. Alaska Airlines, your travel agent, or the carrier of your choice can easily arrange roundtrip airfare from the lower 48.  Once you land in Anchorage, your adventure really begins. For this trip into Denali State Park, you'll find that the areas we visit won't be found on any road map; out here there aren't many roads!

Transportation: We'll travel to Denali State park in one of our comfortable 15 passenger vans.  Our route will take us from Anchorage along the Chugach and Talkeetna Mountains and into Alaska’s breadbasket – the Matanuska/Susitna Valleys. From rural farmlands along the highway to the foothills of the Alaska Range, this drive will introduce you to Alaska’s real character. If the weather is cooperative, the views of the highest peaks in North America will fill the panorama.

Accommodations: Lodging on night one is included in your package.  We use a couple of the best B&B properties in Anchorage, and they are comfortable and conveniently located downtown.  Prices are double occupancy.  If you prefer your own room on night one you will be asked to pay a single supplement of $95.00.  The remaining nights will be spent camping in the wilderness!

The Experience: After checking into the B&B in Anchorage, you’ll meet our guides by early evening before an orientation dinner one of our favorite restaurants in Anchorage.  Upon returning to our B&B, we’ll pour over maps and discuss the route.

Up early on day 2, we'll have breakfast at the B&B.  We'll be on the road by 8AM, the trip takes approximately 4 hours.  Our first day will allow us to collect our senses, gaze at the surrounding beauty, and get a feel for the terrain we will be covering.  You will quickly become acquainted with our style of wilderness travel and camp etiquette.  Meals are planned to be sumptuous, filling culinary adventures of their own.  Because weight and packaging is critical, careful consideration is taken in planning and packing the ingredients.  You can be assured every meal will be something you may never have experienced in the wilderness.  We use organic and real food products when possible, and the very best freeze-dried and dehydrated ingredients available.

What’s Included:

• All group camping gear (tents, stoves, fuel, etc.), satellite phone and safety equipment.
• Trekking poles.
• Lodging on night one in Anchorage.
• Roundtrip van transportation from Anchorage to Denali State Park.
• Professional guide service for duration of trip at a maximum 4:1 client to guide ratio.
• All meals from lunch on day one through lunch on day seven.

What’s Not:

• Lodging in Anchorage prior to and after your adventure.
• Personal gear (sleeping bags, packs, rain gear, etc.) - See Equipment Lists.
• Trip cancellation insurance.
• Additional room nights in Anchorage due to weather delays.
• Alcoholic beverages.
• Guide gratuities.

Reservation Policy:

A deposit of $1000.00 per person is required to reserve a trip with Alaska Alpine Adventures. The remaining balance is due 60 days prior to the start of the trip. Reservations made within 60 days of the trip starting date require payment in full.

If the participant cancels a reservation earlier than 60 days prior to the starting date, the deposit will be refunded, minus a $500.00 administration fee. If the participant cancels within 59-31 days of the starting date, 50% of the trip balance will be refunded. If cancellation is made within 30-0 days of the trip starting date, there will be no refund of any costs. Alaska Alpine Adventures recommends cancellation insurance available through Travel Guard. Please call or email us for details.

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. That said, please arrive prepared with insect repellent and a head net to fend off any mosquitoes that are present.

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 we keep an exceptionally clean camp and 4 as a last resort we travel armed. Our guides carry 44 mags or shotguns. Most of Alaska’s national parks, excluding Katmai and Denali, allow for the use of firearms and our guides are thoroughly trained in firearm use. Again, using a gun is a last resort and thankfully we’ve never had to call one into service on a trip!

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. Breakfasts include pancakes, scrambles, various homemade granolas and cereals, French pressed coffee, assorted teas and hot drinks. For lunch we enjoy foccacia sandwiches, bagels and Alaska lox, hummus and toasted pita chips, and assorted wraps. We also have homemade snack mixes both salty and sweet and energy and candy bars available throughout the day. Dinners could include lasagna, pad thai, beef mole’ tacos, penne pasta with a roasted red pepper pesto, wild mushroom risotto, etc. And we ALWAYS enjoy one of Derek’s home baked desserts after dinner.

When would you require a deposit? and how much? Trip cancellation insurance? Can we get it through you?
We require a deposit of $1000 per person to officially reserve a trip. Really the deposit is due as soon as you’d like to book. That way, we have the trip inked in on the schedule and can begin the effort to coax others into joining the adventure. When you decide to book, we then generat e 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.

Denali State Park:

Why go to Denali State Park?
With its jaw-dropping view of Mt. McKinley, its inexpensive access, broad array of flora and fauna and tremendous ecological diversity, the tundra-covered Kesugi Ridge in Denali State Park offers backpackers of all ages and abilities the chance to completely immerse themselves in a truly pristine Alaskan wilderness.  At roughly 325,000 Acres, Denali State Park offers some of the most accessible backcountry terrain in the state.

Where is Denali State Park?
Denali State Park is located roughly 100 miles from Anchorage at the convergence of the Talkeetna and Alaska Mountain Ranges.

How do you get to Denali State Park?
Denali State Park is accessible by van, train or small aircraft.  The park is split roughly in two by one of Alaska's major arteries, the Park's Highway.

Is transportation to Denali State Park included in the price of the trip?
Absolutely, our trips are all inclusive from Anchorage. All you need to do is get yourself to our B&B in Anchorage on Day 1 of your itinerary.

Where will you meet us?
Your Alaska Alpine Adventures guide will meet you at 6 PM at the B&B on the evening of night 1 for an orientation dinner and gear check. 

What time will we be departing on day one?
Your guide will pick you up this morning at the B&B at 8am. You’ll load into our passenger van and will begin the drive north to Denali. Your route will take you from Anchorage along the Chugach and Talkeetna Mountains and into Alaska’s breadbasket – the Matanuska/Susitna Valleys. From rural farmlands along the highway to the foothills of the Alaska Range, this drive will introduce you to Alaska’s real character. If the weather is cooperative, the views of the highest peaks in North America will fill the panorama.

Is Denali State Park a good place for viewing wildlife?
Absolutely. The park is home to grizzly and black bears, dall sheep, caribou, moose, wolves, and tremedous seasonal populations of migratory birds.

Itinerary:

Day 1: Your trip begins today in Anchorage, Alaska.  You can arrive at any time and transfer to our bed & breakfast independently.  We’ll be staying at the Susitna Place or the Copper Whale Inn, which are both located close to the airport and adjacent to downtown Anchorage.  Depending on your arrival time, the remainder of the day is at leisure to relax after your flight or to explore some of the city’s notable sites including the Anchorage Museum of History & Art or the city Park Strip.  This evening, you’ll meet your guide at 6pm and head to an orientation dinner at a local restaurant.  The orientation will include a discussion of the route, an introduction to our unique style of Alaska wilderness travel, a familiarization of the principles of Leave No Trace, and a conversation about traveling safely in bear country.  Dinner included.

Day 2: Your guide will pick you up this morning at the B&B at 8am.  You’ll load into our passenger van and will begin the drive north to Denali.  Your route will take you from Anchorage along the Chugach and Talkeetna Mountains and into Alaska’s breadbasket – the Matanuska/Susitna Valleys.  From rural farmlands along the highway to the foothills of the Alaska Range, this drive will introduce you to Alaska’s real character.  If the weather is cooperative, the views of the highest peaks in North America will fill the panorama.   After four hours on the road, you’ll arrive at Denali State Park’s Little Coal Creek trailhead.  Here we’ll load packs and begin the ascent into the high country.  In what is likely the most vigorous portion of the trip, the Little Coal Creek trail switchbacks almost 3000’ in roughly 2.5 miles.  Tonight you’ll camp in the tundra and sleep to the soothing sounds of the Alaska wilderness. All meals included.

Days 3-6: These days will be spent backpacking, day-hiking, and camping along the tundra- capped Kesugi Ridge and our route will take us past small lakes, tumbling creeks, across talus- covered slopes, and over rocky summits.  Part of what makes our backpacking trips so special is that we build in up to two layover days into each itinerary.  These days are reserved for long day hikes where you and your guide will explore the region with nothing more than a light day pack.  This allows us to maximize our time in the alpine country and cover as much ground as possible in the area.  It also allows ample time to recover from the more difficult days of moving camp with heavy packs or gives us a cushion of time should the weather present us with delays.  The Kesugi Ridge offers amazing day hikes and affords unparalleled views, not only of Denali and Mounts Hunter & Foraker, but also of the western Talkeetna Mountains and the Susitna and Chulitna Rivers.  In short, the Kesugi Ridge is Alaska’s finest trail-accessible backpacking trip. All meals included.

Day 7: This morning, we’ll break camp and will be on the descent to Byers Lake by 10am.  As you descend into the mixed spruce and birch woodlands, the unobstructed views afforded in the high country will be replaced by the shade of tall trees and the amazing diversity of the Alaska boreal forest.  We’ll return to the van by 3pm and will be back in Anchorage no later than 7pm.  Please schedule all homebound flights for after 10pm.  Breakfast & Lunch included.