Alaska

Arrival in Anchorage & Orientation

Leaving home far behind, participants are met by their leaders at the Anchorage airport. Our first destination is our campground on the outskirts of Anchorage where we spend time getting to know each other through introductory games and activities. The sun doesn’t set until close to midnight in Anchorage which gives us lots of time to introduce ARCC’s comprehensive leadership curriculum and discuss our personal and group goals for our epic Alaska adventure.

Backpack in the Shadow of Mt. Denali

From Anchorage we travel north to Denali State Park where we get our first real taste of Alaska’s famous wild landscapes and a front row view of Denali, North America’s highest peak at 20,310 feet. Composed of lowland streams, alpine tundra, and high mountain ridges, Denali State Park’s diverse landscape is the perfect setting for our first adventure. We take a day to make final preparations and discuss important leadership and wilderness components, and then don our backpacks for a five-day trek along wildflower covered ridges with panoramic views of the Alaska Range to the west and the Talkeetna Range to the east. As we hike we watch bald eagles soar over our heads and might also spot Dall sheep, moose, arctic foxes, and caribou in the distance. Gaining the ridge, we bask in stunning views, and if the skies are clear, we find the massive Denali looming over us.

Denali National Park & Whitewater Rafting

With more than 6 million acres of protected land and only one ribbon of road throughout the entire park, we immerse ourselves entirely in the wilds of Alaska – and at its heart towers Denali. Taken from the Tanana Indian word meaning “The High One,” Denali holds a special place in the hearts of many adventurers and those who have called these wildlands home for thousands of years. We board old school buses that the park service uses to shuttle visitors and travel the lonely road deep into the park watching the landscape turn from Taiga Forest to high tundra and snowy mountains. We learn about this unique and wild landscape from a trained naturalist and keep our eyes peeled for grizzlies and their playful cubs. We can step off the bus anywhere we like along the way to hike and explore, and then pop onto the next bus coming down the road to continue our journey.

Hiking in the park is fun, but next we explore the Denali landscape in a different way, from the waters of the beautiful Nenana River. We begin our day with a calm and scenic float through the Denali landscape but by afternoon we drop into the Nenana Canyon to tackle thrilling rapids such as “Razorback”, “Coffee Grinder”, and “Ice Worm”.

Glacier Travel & Ice Climbing

Braided glacial rivers, endless snowfields, jagged peaks, and ancient glaciers dominate the landscape during the next stage of our adventure. Partnering with a local guiding service we get the unique opportunity to explore the Matanuska Glacier while further building our technical skills. Through guided instruction, we learn the art of glacier travel and ice-climbing, including using an ice ax, tying specialty knots, and belaying your adventure partners. At night we make our way to our campsite and  watch the midnight sun reflect off a landscape of ice that we will never forget.

Prince William Sound & Sea Kayaking

Traveling south, we reach the blue fjords and protected waters of Prince William Sound. The Sound’s 4,400 mile coastline is a labyrinth of bays and estuaries and plays host to one of the richest marine ecosystems in the world. Prince William Sound is also the terminus for a number of glaciers that flake off into the waters, creating a surreal seascape of bobbing icebergs. Under the care of our professional sea kayaking guides, we spend our days exploring these extraordinary waters as we paddle alongside floating islands of ice, and we witness seals, otters, and whales playing not far from our boats.

Our journey comes to an end back in Anchorage where we celebrate our incredible foray into one of the most remote places in North America and with Alaska forever stamped on our hearts.