After an incredible evening at the lodge and a thorough introduction to Lake Clark, we’ll load up the Cessna floatplane and take-off north into the heart of the Park. Arriving at Turquoise Lake, we will be greeted by one of the most spectacular views Alaska has to offer. We will stand in awe as 6000' of vertical relief towers above and to the east of our first camp; to the west, endless sweeps of tundra will beckon the hiker inside all of us. This glacial lake, nestled beneath the Alaska Range, offers some of the best hiking, wildlife viewing and bird watching in Lake Clark National Park, and remains one of our favorite places in Alaska to backpack and explore.

We'll spend the first couple of days hiking around Turquoise Lake exploring the powerful remnants of the massive glaciers that once filled this canyon. Here you’ll get used to the off-trail hiking in remote Alaska.  Out here, the only trails are made by animals! Whether we stand beneath 2000' waterfalls, walk on moving glaciers, or listen to the raw wilderness being shaped all around us, you will be mystified. Your sense of scale will most certainly be warped by the grandeur, and you'll forever carry that feeling with you.

We'll then load our backpacks and move camp a few miles south beneath the magical 'Sheep Lick.' This mineral lick is a favorite haunt for the majestic dall sheep and we'll likely see ewes and lambs frolicking in the area. Our camp here will be situated on a small clear stream high in the alpine tundra and solitude will be guaranteed. We'll hike to the sheep lick and beyond as we enjoy incredible hiking and majestic views of Twin Lakes, the Chilikadrotna River, and the Aleutian and Alaksa mountain ranges.

We’ll then descend into the Twin Lakes basin and set up camp for our final night at the mouth of Lower Twin. If you like to fish, this will be the time when you'll thank yourself for lugging the rod and reel. Arctic Grayling clog the river while the lakes abound with Arctic Char and Lake Trout. After enjoying the renowned beauty of Twin Lakes, meeting the park ranger stationed there and generally resting achy muscles, we'll all be ready for our pick-up.  This Alaska backpacking trip is not to be missed!

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 Lake Clark National Park,  you'll find that the areas we visit won't be found on any road map; out here there aren't any roads!

Bush Flights: Access to Lake Clark National Park is limited to air travel in a small airplane flown by an experienced bush pilot. This adventure includes internal bush flights between Anchorage and Port Alsworth and any floatplane flights necessary for  your itinerary. Have your camera at the ready, your trip begins here.  For most, this will be your first experience in a small aircraft – a memorable one to be sure.  The flight to Lake Clark takes you through the southern portion of the Alaska Range with towering peaks and tumbling glaciers right off the wing tips.  The 180 mile flight to Port Alsworth, Lake Clark National Park’s gateway community, takes approximately an hour and a half.  Your guide will meet you at the airplane as soon as you land in Port Alsworth.  You will then be taken to the lodge and your lakeside cabin, at which time you’ll have the chance to enjoy lunch and ample time to settle in and unpack.  You’ll then join your guide for a 5-mile hike to the spectacular Tanalian Falls along the only developed trail in all of Lake Clark National Park & Preserve.

Accommodations: Lodging on night one in Port Alsworth is included in your package.  You’ll be staying in a lakeside cabin in the bush community of Port Alsworth.  The property is both comfortable and picturesque, and the community of Port Alsworth (Population 100) offers a great portrayal of how people thrive in rural Alaska.  Prices are double occupancy. If you prefer your own cabin on night one you will be asked to pay a single supplement of $105.00.  The remaining nights will be spent camping in the wilderness.

The Experience: Up early on day 2, we’ll have breakfast at the lodge. 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. Most of our trips will involve a floatplane flight into the furthest reaches of this spectacular wilderness. 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 gear (tents, stoves, fuel, kayaks, dry bags, etc.), satellite phone,  and safety equipment.
• Trekking poles.
• Ground Transportation to Merrill Field on Day 1.
• Bush flight transportation from Anchorage to Port Alsworth.
• All internal bush flights necessary for the trip - See Itinerary for details
• Lodging on night one at a lodge on Lake Clark.
• Professional guide service at a maximum 4:1 client to guide ratio.
• All meals from lunch on day one through lunch on the final day of the itinerary.
• Storage for your extra travel items while in the field.

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 or Port Alsworth 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. Alaska’s national parks 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 granola and cereals,organic cowboy 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 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 Express 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.

Lake Clark National Park:

Why are so many of your trips in Lake Clark National Park?
Simply because we believe Lake Clark National Park to be the most spectacular and diverse park in Alaska. At over 4-million acres, this wilderness park has something for everyone - miles of coastline, active volcanoes, spectacular lakes, glaciers and ice-fields, wild and scenic rivers, stunning mountains, and very few visitors. If you seek solitude and the perfect Alaskan landscape, Lake Clark will not disappoint.

Where is Lake Clark?
Lake Clark and its surrounding 4 million-acre national park is located approximately 150 miles West-Southwest of Anchorage.

How do you get to Lake Clark?
Access to Lake Clark National Park is solely by small aircraft or, in some instances, by boat.

Is transportation to Lake Clark included in the price of the trip?
Absolutely, our trips are all inclusive from Anchorage.

Where will you meet us?
Alaska Alpine Adventures will provide a shuttle to Merrill Field on the morning of day 1.  Your guide will meet you at the airplane when you arrive in Port Alsworth - the gateway community to Lake Clark National Park.

Who will I be flying with and what time will we be departing on day one?
You'll be flying with Lake and Peninsula Air. On occasion we also use Lake Clark Air. Both air taxis are located at Merrill Field. We usually schedule our departures for 11am on day one. You need to arrive at Merrill Field one-half hour before your scheduled departure.

Where is Merrill Field?
Merrill Field is located just east of downtown Anchorage.  “Bush” flying is an adventure in and of itself and variable weather conditions may cause delays. We will try to keep you informed of any changes or delays as they occur. Remember to please be ready at least 45 minutes before your expected departure.

Who was Dick Proenneke?
Dick Proenneke lived on Twin Lakes, in the heart of Lake Clark National Park, from 1968-1998. He resided in a small hand-hewn log cabin on the South shore of the upper lake near Hope Creek. Dick, who has been called a modern-day Thoreau, was a prolific writer and photographer. His cabin, which we visit on a number of our adventures, is a testament to his simple lifestyle and a reminder of his dedication to wilderness and conservation.

Is Lake Clark National Park a good place for viewing wildlife?
Absolutely. Lake Clark has been called Alaska's epitome and Little Denali, though at 4 million-acres and roughly the size of Switzerland the term little doesn't really apply! In addition to seeing all 5 species of Pacific salmon, the park is home to grizzly, coastal brown, and black bears, dall sheep, caribou, moose, wolves, and tremendous seasonal populations of migratory birds.

Itinerary:

Day 1: Today you’ll fly from Anchorage to Port Alsworth – one of the most stunning bush flights in Alaska. After meeting your guide, you’ll check into our lakeside lodge on Lake Clark, spend the afternoon hiking to Tanalian Falls, and finish the evening with an orientation/welcome dinner at the lodge. Lunch & Dinner included

Day 2: A hearty breakfast at the lodge will be followed by an early AM floatplane flight to Turquoise Lake.  This 30 minute flight will take us over the 50-mile long Lake Clark, the spectacular mountains of the Aleutian Range, and into the heart of the national park.  We’ll make camp on the shore of Turquoise Lake, and stand in awe of the azure water and surrounding peaks.  We’ll then take light packs and explore the surrounding mountains.  Based on weather conditions, our guide will decide which of the many hiking options will be best for the day. Whether it’s climbing Crag Peak, hiking up the Grand Canyon of Turquoise Lake, or making our way across the Mulchatna River for a view from the north, our day will be filled with breathtaking scenery, remarkable hiking, and astounding solitude. All meals included.

Day 3 - 4: We’ll pack up camp on the third day, hoist our packs, and begin the trek to Sheep Lick Valley; our home for the next two nights.  We’ll trade the wide-open expanses of the Turquoise Lake drainage for the intimacy of our river camp, nestled in a glacially carved valley below the sheep lick.  While the hike to the Sheep Lick Valley is strenuous and includes a climb of 1500’, the hiking itself is on a carpet of open and dry tundra.  Glacier erratics litter the landscape and views of the surrounding mountains are simply astounding.  By the end of Day 3, you’ll be accustomed to real Alaska backpacking and comfortable hiking and exploring this incredible wilderness region of Lake Clark National Park. All meals included.

Day 5: Today will be dedicated to exploration; we look to the surrounding peaks for inspiration and head out on another day hike that’s bound to tire our legs and leave us in awe of Alaska’s beauty. All meals included.

Day 6: After another great breakfast, we’ll again hoist our packs and begin the ascent out of the Sheep Lick Valley.  We will be rewarded for the efforts of our climb with spectacular views of Twin Lakes and the Chilikodrotna River, an aquatic highway stretching to Bristol Bay.  We’ll descend out of the high country and through the boreal forests, making our camp on the bluffs standing watch over Lower Twin Lake. All meals included.

Day 7: After a leisurely morning, we’ll pack up our gear, and await the arrival of our floatplane.  If weather and lake conditions permit, we'll make the quick flight to Dick Proenneke's cabin at Hope Creek.  We'll then spend 1-hour on the ground at world famous Proenneke site where you'll have the chance to truly experience the legacy of one of Alaska's most respected wilderness legends.  We’ll return to Port Alsworth on Lake Clark by early afternoon. After showers and a celebratory lunch, we’ll tally up our wildlife sightings, and revel in the adventure that we will never forget.  We’ll then pay an afternoon visit to the Lake Clark National Park visitor’s center where you’ll have a chance to purchase maps and postcards. You’ll then board an afternoon charter flight to Anchorage.  If you are departing Alaska on this day, please schedule all homebound flights for after 9PM.  Breakfast & Lunch included.