Denali & Prince William Sound

Denali & Prince William Sound Itinerary:

• Day 1

  Your trip begins today in Anchorage, Alaska. You can arrive at any time and transfer to our hotel independently. 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 Art & History and Alaska Zoo. Meals on your own today, hotel included.

• Day 2

  Preparing for our afternoon cruise across stunning Prince William Sound, we meet early in the hotel lobby for introductions.  As we head south from Anchorage en route to Whittier, we’ll stop at the Portage Glacier Visitor Center to view exhibits and a highly acclaimed film about the glaciers that continue to carve and shape the Alaska landscape as they expand and recede.  We’ll be on the lookout for our first glimpse of Alaskan wildlife as we board an Alaska State Ferry in Whittier for the two-hour crossing to Cordova, a small fishing town far off the beaten track (the local fishing fleet is the source for much of the prized Copper River Salmon catch each season).  Originally established in 1906 as a railroad terminus for the Kennicott copper mines, the town consists mostly of wooden buildings from much earlier eras.  Our home for the next two nights is the Orca Adventure Lodge, a cannery built in the 1880s and now renovated into a picturesque lodge.  Driving distance: 50 miles (1½ hours).  Breakfast, lunch included.

• Day 3

  Cordova is an undiscovered gem that offers scenic grandeur, bird watching and plenty of great hiking opportunities.  Today’s hike takes place in the Copper River Delta, through the massive Chugach National Forest.  First we’ll hike to pristine, glacial-fed Saddlebag Lake and enjoy a picnic lunch along the shore.  Then it’s on to the day’s highlight: our visit to Childs Glacier, which spills down the mountain directly into the Copper River.  As our guide prepares a fresh salmon bake, we’ll hear the glacier clicking and cracking.  With luck (and patience!), we’ll see it calve huge chunks of ice into the river in spectacular fashion.  Hiking: 6-7 miles. Driving distance: 90 miles (3 hours).  All meals included.

• Day 4

  For those ready for another temperate rain forest hike, we’ll make our way up the flanks of Mt. Eyak for a spectacular view of Prince William Sound, perhaps with soaring bald eagles in the forefront of our photos. By early afternoon, we’ll strap ourselves in for an exciting and scenic floatplane flight to Valdez where we set up camp for the next two nights. Hiking: 3-4 miles.  Breakfast, lunch included.

• Day 5

  We spend a remarkable day sea kayaking near Shoup Glacier to see Shoup Bay’s amazing wildlife, including seals, sea otters, eagles and occasionally whales. Our paddle takes us past icebergs, nesting Kittiwakes and eventually in front of the face of the glacier itself. Any trip member choosing not to kayak today may opt to take a scenic cruise to the Columbia Glacier or relax back at camp. We return to our campsite this evening for dinner, likely fresh fruit of the sea, and overnight. Kayaking: 6 hours. All meals included.

• Day 6

  Crossing Thompson Pass, we take an awesome hike above the Worthington Glacier with the Chugach Range looming all around us (with views that have been compared to the Swiss Alps). By afternoon, we continue towards the Alaskan “interior” past Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and finally to the Matanuska Glacier and our campsite for the next two nights. The Matanuska Glacier, the largest road accessible glacier in Alaska at nearly 4 miles wide and 26 miles long, is a breathtaking destination! Our campsite near the glacier will allow plenty of opportunities for hiking, exploring and photographing the landscape. Hiking: 5 miles. Driving distance: 160 miles (4 hours). All meals included.

• Day 7

  Today, we’ll strap on crampons for a trek on the ice of the Matanuska Glacier (no previous experience necessary). Spectacular views of surface pools, hidden lakes, ice towers, crevasses and ice caves will inspire the mountaineer in all of us as we learn firsthand about the powerful forces that these enormous rivers of ice have on the Alaskan landscape. After our trek, you’ll be free to take an optional raft trip down the Matanuska River or go on a hike up Lion’s Head, offering a different visual perspective of the massive glacier nearby. Three-hour (5 mile) glacier hike included. All meals included.

• Day 8

  This morning, we begin our journey to Denali National Park, first protected in 1917 as a game reserve. Stopping for lunch in the small town of Talkeetna, we’ll visit the Denali National Park Mountaineering Ranger Station where we can talk to a Mt. McKinley climbing ranger about the challenges mountaineers face climbing North America’s highest peak. If the weather is good, you can opt for a scenic flight around the mountain – a flight that has been called the most spectacular airplane ride on earth. By late afternoon, we’ll continue our drive to Denali National Park to set up camp along the Nenana River adjacent to the Park entrance. Driving time: 6 hours. All meals included.

• Day 9

  Denali National Park is a certain highlight of everyone's visit to Alaska!  More than 650 species of flowering plants poke out from the thin layer of topsoil above the permafrost and 39 species of mammals survive the long, cold winters. We take a park service shuttle bus (tickets provided) on a “North American safari” into the heart of this incredible wilderness with the hopes of encountering some of its unique flora and fauna. The park road we travel down is closed to regular vehicle traffic after the initial 15 miles so the shuttle provides the only way to visit the park’s amazing interior. All meals included.
  
  Denali National Park: Over six million acres in size, Denali provides our best opportunity to view Alaska wildlife such as moose, caribou, romping grizzly bear, Dall sheep and wolves. We’ll also see many species of plants, flowers and shrubs that blanket the Tundra, and perhaps even catch a glimpse of massive Mount McKinley, the tallest peak in North America (20,320’).

• Day 10 

  After breakfast, we'll put on dry-suits and life jackets and prepare for our river rafting adventure down the Nenana River. You can opt for the Canyon Run, which has a series of Class IV rapids, or the Scenic Run, which is a more moderate Class II or III. The rest of the afternoon will be left free for hiking, "flight-seeing" or perhaps just relaxing and enjoying the sights and sounds of this magnificent park. All meals included. 

• Day 11

  Driving south from Denali, we pass through the Matanuska Valley, returning to Anchorage around 5 p.m. Please do not schedule any flights out of Anchorage prior to 8 p.m. Driving distance: 240 miles (5 hours). Breakfast, lunch included.

Although we do our very best to adhere to the schedule listed above, this itinerary is subject to change for numerous reasons beyond our control including weather, road and terrain conditions. On rare occasion, floatplane flights cannot operate due to inclement weather in which case our groups will travel from Cordova to Valdez via ferry. Some of our hikes are over trail-less tundra and actual daily hiking mileage may vary. 

Note on driving times: On 4 days, driving times range from 3-6 hours. There are numerous breaks for hikes, photo stops, etc., scheduled throughout the drives.

If you are traveling alone and specifically request single accommodations, you will be asked to pay the full single supplement noted on the trip itinerary. If you wish to share accommodations, we will assign you a roommate if one is available. If a roommate cannot be found, you will be asked to pay a reduced single fee, which is half of the full single supplement. Please be advised that there are a limited number of single rooms/tents available on most departures.

Accommodations and meals as noted in the daily itinerary; all van transportation; guide leadership; group cooking and camping gear including tents (bring your own sleeping bag/pad); entrance to Denali National Park and shuttle bus ticket; ferry from Whittier to Cordova; floatplane flight from Cordova to Valdez; kayak tour of Shoup Glacier or Columbia Glacier scenic cruise; Matanuska Glacier hike and Nenana River rafting excursion.

Airfare to Anchorage; 1 lunch and 4 dinners (budget approximately $120); sleeping bag/pad; insurance; alcoholic beverages; gratuities; optional excursions; items of a personal nature.

This trip is rated as Moderate [3]. It is not necessary to be an expert hiker to participate in this trip, but you should enjoy hiking and feel comfortable spending 3-6 hours on trail during most days. To maximize your enjoyment of the trip and to avoid sore muscles, we suggest beginning a regular exercise regimen at least 2 - 3 months prior to departure. Recommended exercises include hiking, jogging, cycling and/or swimming. The better shape you are in, the more fun you will have. Get out on those hills if possible! The kayaking trip to Shoup Glacier and rafting trip on the Nenana River are suitable for beginners.

Temperatures during the summer months in Alaska are generally pleasant during the day (60 - 80° F), but can drop into the 40s and 50s at night. Late August departures may encounter daytime temperatures in the 50 - 60° range, with nighttime temperatures in the high 30s. Although sunshine may be abundant, at least some rainfall is a strong possibility during any month, and you must be prepared for weather extremes that vary greatly from day to night, and from region to region as you travel through the state. Proper raingear is essential.

This trip is subject to the booking information set forth in the current REI Adventures Reservation Information. Please read this information carefully and call us if you have any questions. A full gear list and pre-departure information is sent upon sign-up. We highly recommend the purchase of travel insurance through REI Adventures. If coverage is purchased within 21 days of your initial trip deposit, the 'Pre-existing Conditions Exclusion' is waived (certain exclusions apply).

We look forward to having you join us for the trip of a lifetime! Why wait? Space is limited, reserve your adventure today.

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