Compare Alaska Hiking Plus – Wrangell-St. Elias by REI Adventures vs Alaska: The Great Exploration by Discover Corps

Day 1: Fly from Anchorage to McCarthy, in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park.

Meals: Lunch and Dinner

Flying time to McCarthy: 2 hours.

Our trip begins today in Anchorage, Alaska, where we meet at 8:30am at our host hotel. From the hotel, we transfer to Merrill Field for our scenic two-hour flight over the Chugach Mountains to the small town of McCarthy in Wrangell-St.Elias National Park. After introductions to our guides and a brief orientation, we walk down the road to the historic Kennecott Mill and ghost town and begin our exploration of the site. In Kennecott, we learn about the significant role that copper mining played in the park’s history and gain some insight into the hardy men and women who gravitated here to seek their fortunes. Dinner this evening is at the Kennicott Glacier Lodge where we spend the next two nights. Lunch and dinner included.

Day 2: Get out on the ice and take a hike on the Root Glacier.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Hiking: 7-9 miles (4 miles on dirt trail, 3-5 miles on ice) with approx. 300’ of elevation gain/loss.

After breakfast, we pick up our crampons in preparation for our day out on the incredible white ice of the Root Glacier. Our adventure begins with a two-mile walk along a dirt trail before we reach the edge of the glacier itself. Strapping on our crampons, we head out on to the ice and begin our exploration of the glacier’s crevasses, canyons, turquoise-blue pools and moulins. As we walk, our guides educate us on the basics of glaciology, giving us an even greater appreciation for the dynamic geological forces at work beneath our feet. Back at our lodge tonight, we enjoy a catered barbeque dinner with our hiking companions as our guides begin briefing us on packing for the next three nights of camping in the magnificent Alaskan backcountry. We head into the wilderness tomorrow morning!

Day 3: Fly into the park backcountry and begin our camping adventure!

Flying time: 45 minutes; hiking: 2-4 miles over varied terrain.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Comprised of over 13 million acres of pristine wilderness and containing some of the highest mountain peaks in North America, Wrangell-St. Elias is the largest national park in the U.S. Larger than Yosemite, Yellowstone and Switzerland combined, the park offers an incredible variety of backcountry destinations and landscapes to discover and explore. A 15-minute drive transports us to the McCarthy airstrip this morning where we board our aircraft for a short, exhilarating flight into the backcountry. We choose our specific destination based on accessibility of the terrain and current weather conditions. After touching down at our backcountry strip, we unload our gear, walk a short distance to a prime location of our choice and set up our basecamp for the next three nights. We take a warm-up hike this afternoon, enjoying the feeling of tranquility and solitude so hard to come by in this day and age.

Days 4-5: Take daily hikes from our basecamp. Explore the surrounding landscape.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Hiking: 4-6 miles daily over varied terrain with elevation gains/losses of up to 1,500’.

Waking up in a 13-million-acre wilderness playground affords us many activity options during the next two days. With our guides leading the way, we set out across the tundra and hike across this beautiful, rugged landscape, stopping along the way to search for and identify local flora & fauna and enjoy the scenery. Depending on our location, we may hike along ridgelines with views of towering snow-capped summits, ford some streams en route to a remote backcountry lake, hike alongside one of the many glaciers that flow down from the mountains, or climb small peaks for awe-inspiring panoramas of the Wrangell-St.Elias landscape. No matter the location, it’s hard not to feel humbled by the vast scale of this remarkable park. Back at camp, our guides continue to enlighten us on the ecology and natural history of this unique habitat and prepare delicious meals to keep us fueled throughout our explorations.

Day 6: Enjoy a final backcountry hike before flying back to McCarthy.

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Flying time: approx. 45 minutes; hiking: 2-4 miles over varied terrain.

We break camp this morning before setting out on a final hike. By now we’ve become accustomed to hiking on tundra and navigating through the Alaskan bush but still relish the feeling of discovery, as though we’re the first hikers to ever walk across this land. Our flight back to McCarthy is scheduled for the early to mid-afternoon (depending on daily schedules and weather conditions) and we carry our gear back to the airstrip in time to greet the arriving aircraft. After landing back in town, we head to our cozy cabins, just a short drive from the airstrip, where we can freshen up and relax before dinner. Dinner tonight is on our own, providing an opportunity to try one of the small local eateries in McCarthy (we have the option to take a 30-minute stroll into town or take advantage of a shuttle provided by our guides). Overnight in private cabins for the next two nights.

Day 7: Jump into a packraft and explore a glacial lake.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Hiking: 3 miles with minimal elevation gain/loss; packrafting: 4-5 hours.

Today’s amphibious adventure is good fun for novice and experienced paddlers alike. With our one-person boats and paddling gear loaded in our packs, we hike for 45 minutes to our put-in spot on the shores of a glacial lake. After inflating our rafts and pulling on our dry suits, our guides teach us the basics of paddling this small, versatile watercraft before we set out to explore more of the lake and environs. During our time on the water, our guides provide additional instruction as we paddle around icebergs, alongside glaciers and through class II rapids (optional). After a full day of hiking and paddling, we return to our cabins invigorated by the day’s activity and ready for a final celebration dinner with our band of wilderness adventurers.

Day 8: Say goodbye to Wrangell-St. Elias before driving back to Anchorage.

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

After an 8am breakfast, we begin the scenic eight-hour drive back to Anchorage, stopping for a picnic lunch and at numerous panoramic viewpoints along the way. On a clear day, four of the park’s giant volcanic peaks, Mount Sanford (16,237’), Mount Wrangell (14,163’), Mount Blackburn (16,390’) and Mount Drum (12,010’) rise up from the surrounding plateau. An enormous still-active shield volcano, Mount Wrangell is twice as massive as Mount Shasta and is one of the largest active volcanos by volume in the world. As the peaks of the Wrangells slowly fade from view, we continue heading west, passing through the Matanuska-Susitna Valley and arriving back in Anchorage by 6pm this evening. Please do not schedule departing flights from Anchorage until after 9pm.

Day 1: Arrive in Anchorage

Meals: Dinner

Our Alaskan adventure begins in its charming city of Anchorage. Arrive into Ted Stevens International Airport (ANC) and meet your local Alaskan guide. We’ll get a brief introduction to the area before settling into our accommodations at a boutique inn in downtown Anchorage. Dine alongside locals at a brewhouse and get to know one another as we gear up for the week ahead.

Day 2: Learn about Alaska's History and Meet a Member of the Beluga Whale Alliance

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Today's adventure takes us to the Alaska Native Heritage Center. As Alaska’s largest living cultural center, we’ll get the unique opportunity to explore a village of authentic and traditional structures from Alaska’s many native cultures. We’ll also be treated to a range of performances including native dancing led by a community dance group, or athletes demonstrating World Eskimo-Indian Olympic Games skills. In the afternoon, enjoy a picnic lunch and guided hike into the snow capped mountains of the Chugach State Park. Stop along the way to discuss the stunning geography of the area while learning about Alaska history as you gaze over aerial views of Anchorage.

Before dinner, we’ll get a visit from a member of the Beluga Whale Alliance to discuss the declining Beluga Whale population of nearby Cook Inlet and their effort to sustain the species by volunteer driven data collection. Enjoy dinner with a view overlooking the Cook Inlet, named after Captain James Cook during his search for the Northwest Passage.

This hike is all abilities level and will be based on group pace with 3 different routes to choose between.

Day 3: Ride a Glass-Top Train to Seward & Explore Kenai Fjords National Park

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Rise early for an adventure down the Alaskan coast. Hop aboard the Coastal Classic train and venture from Anchorage to Seward in style. Often ranked as the top ten train rides in North America, you’ll wind along Turnagain Arm, where the steep mountains of the Chugach Range plunge directly to the sea before entering into the backcountry wilderness. Take in the panoramic vistas of Alaska’s beauty under the glass dome ceiling railcars. This 4.5 hour scenic ride will offer plenty of photo opportunities of wildflowers, rivers, and possible wildlife sightings so be sure to keep your camera handy! Arrive into the quaint, fishing town of Seward where you’ll go from train to boat for an afternoon of wildlife and glacier viewing in the remarkable Kenai Fjords National Park. Keep an eye out for whales, porpoises, puffins, sea otters, the stellar sea lion, and more as we cruise through Aialik Bay towards the mighty Holgate Glacier, an actively calving tidewater glacier. We will spend time in front of the glacier to watch for calving, where giant chunks of glacial ice break off and crash into the water. The tour is fully narrated by a National Park Ranger

Day 4: Join the Alaska Sealife Center for a Puffin Experience before a Dog Sled Tour Through the Wilderness

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Wake to the sounds of fishing boats departing for the day and views of towering Mt. Marathon and Mt. Alice outside your window. Today we will head to Alaska’s only marine rescue and research facility, The Alaska Sealife Center. You’ll have the opportunity to learn about how the center is protecting marine wildlife through rescue and rehabilitation. Go behind the scenes with researchers and learn about a range of animals from stellar sea lions, ringed & spotted seals as well as the giant pacific octopus. Join staff in a privately led deep dive into the characteristics and traits of a puffin. Learn first hand why their bright orange beaks change colors during the year and how they’ve earned their nickname, clowns of the sea!

In the afternoon, visit a local homestead kennel for a look into Alaska’s Iditarod dog sledding family, The Seaveys. Get to know their beloved team of huskies, a tether-free environment, and how mushing runs deep within the family line and their way of life. Your adventure begins with a 2-mile dog sled ride. Feel the power, excitement, and energy of these amazing sled dogs as they are harnessed to comfortable wheeled sleds on this hour and a half dog sled tour. Mush through the Seward Alaska wilderness to the base of Resurrection Mountain and along Box Canyon Creek.

Day 5: Head to Homer & Meet with the Alaska Center for Coastal Studies for "Belly Biology"

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

After breakfast, we will hit the road and head to the other side of the Kenai Peninsula stopping along the way in the old gold mining town of Cooper Landing. We’ll arrive in Homer and visit the Wynn Nature Center at the Alaska Center for Coastal Studies, whose mission is to protect the unique marine and coastal ecosystems of Kachemak Bay through science-based environmental education and stewardship. Get to know the 150 acre wildlife corridor with a habitat that includes spruce, black cottonwood, and alder trees and is the epicenter for a range of birds from the Black-capped Chickadee to the Orange-crowned warbler. The preserve is located on top of a bluff 1200 feet above Kachemak Bay. After touring the grounds, head down to the Homer Marina with a trained naturalist guide as you explore marine invertebrate life living on & around the Homer Harbor Docks in an activity called, belly biology.

Day 6: Visit a Local Oyster Farm

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Rise for a delicious breakfast followed by some free time to explore the small shops & cafes on the boardwalk along the Homer Spit. In the afternoon, we will board a boat for yet another engaging ocean experience. This time we will explore Kachemak Bay stopping at a local oyster farm to enjoy a tasting! Learn about ocean research by participating in a plankton tow, viewing them under a microscope and using an underwater remote operating vehicle to explore the ocean bed and all the creatures that call this place home! We’ll stop at the secluded Peterson Bay Field Station & visit Intertidal Creature Touch Tanks. Later in the evening, we’ll come together for a memorable Farewell Dinner to cap off our great Alaskan adventure!

Day 7: Explore the Homer Spit before Returning Home or Continuing to Denali

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Enjoy a relaxing final morning in Homer. Head into town for souvenir shopping or beach combing along the oceanfront. In the afternoon, we’ll drive back to Anchorage for evening flights out. Those who opt for the Denali Extension will bid the rest of the group farewell and take a domestic flight from Homer to Anchorage then onwards to Denali National Park.