Alaska

on location: west ❖

heather swick

ALASKAN ADVENTURES Challenge your groups with active options in the wilderness

t’s no surprise that “Alaska” is the Aleut word for “great land.” Seasoned and novice adventurers alike can attest to the rich natural landscape, from the millions of lakes and rivers to the dizzying heights of Alaska’s steepest mountain peaks.

The great outdoors is Alaska’s claim to fame and most precious possession, and groups will find no shortage of day, week or multiple-week excursions to tempt the adrenaline junkie within.

Consider it the United States’ own rustic backyard—worlds away, but no passport required.

Living among the flora and fauna is one of the main draws of an Alaskan adventure trip. There are countless group tours to choose from, many of them complete with lodging or camping packages. Alaska Adventure Tours (travelalaskaoutdoors.com) and Cam-

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pAlaska Tours (campalaska.com), both in Wasilla, are set up to work with groups of 10 or fewer people. On tours ranging from one to three weeks, campers experience remote trails, glacier hiking, a soak in hot springs, fishing and animal watching. Each tour is unique in that weather conditions, animal sightings and the guides’ choices shape every experience. There are itineraries available for various interests, ages and difficulty levels.

Alaska Group Tours in Anchorage has a six-day trip for guests to raft, hike and boat their way through the Alaskan wilderness. Four days are spent in remote lodges surrounded by wildlife where adventure sports, fishing and mountain biking are available. (alaskagrouptours.com) Ecotourism, meaning traveling responsibly to natural areas and leaving

little or no impact during your stay, is central to any Alaskan trip. Alaska Wildland Adventures is known for its exciting travel packages as well as its diligence toward protecting the earth.

Alaska Wildlife Adventures offers two- or three-day lodge stay packages or six- to 11-day complete vacations.

The adventure trips include sea kayaking, hiking, rafting and fishing, but there also are many day packages to choose from, such as fishing and rafting. Each trip is operated out of one of four lodges. Add-ons are available for any lodging package. These include a full day at Glacier Bay National Park, trekking in Prince William Sound, bear viewing at Redoubt Bay Lodge on Big River Lakes, touring the cities of Barrow and Nome, and touring a long stretch of the Arctic Ocean coast. (alaskawildland.com) August 2011 45

Brian Adams and Jason Cannon/TravelAlaska.com

Kayakers explore the pristine waters of Ailik Bay in Kenai Fjords National Park (inset) and Prince William Sound .

Brian Adams/TravelAlaska.com

on location: west ❖

A guided river adventure from Haines showcases the untamed wilderness.

hours and are available in one- and two-person vehicles. Routes travel along old coal mining shafts, the Alaska Range and near the Teklanika River. (denaliatv.com) Glaciers are Alaska’s nature-made monuments, and they make for a memorable, serene backdrop for a hiking tour. St. Elia’s Alpine Guides offers half- and full-day glacier hiking trips throughout Anchorage. Both trips travel through the Root Glacier and the vistas of Mt. Blackburn. Glacial-hiking shoes, called crampons, are offered to each hiker. The half-day trip is ideal for beginners and families, while the full-day excursion is a bit more adventurous.

The chances of discovering an ice cave

Obtain Alaska visitor guides and itineraries – and contact groupfriendly suppliers directly – at leisuregrouptravel.com/instant-info

Frank Flavin/TravelAlaska.com

The benefit of a camping or adventure tour is that it includes a variety of outdoor activities. However, many companies focus on one activity.

Kayaking and rafting are Alaskan staples. The duration and difficulty of each course vary, so there is a paddling route for everyone. The Nenana River in Denali National Park is the most popular whitewater river in Alaska.

Nenana Raft Adventures has trips from a few hours to an overnight stay. (alaskaraft.com) Backcountry Safaris in Seward provides three different rafting excursions, one a three-day “Bear Glacier Adventure Camp” and two other sevenday trips. Groups also have the option of setting up a custom itinerary for the number and age range of people in attendance. Guests kayak near glaciers and waterfalls, and it’s common to see humpback and orca whales. (backcountrysafaris.com) For an out-of-the-water adventure experience, Denali ATV Adventures offers a dynamic experience for adult groups. Tours range from two to five

or blue pool for the first time are high. (steliasguides.com) In recent years, zip lining has become a much more mainstream activity for the average traveler. Alaska Canopy Adventures offers a three-and-a-halfhour zip line expedition through the Eagle Creek Fly Zone near the Tongass National Forest. The tour extends over eight zip lines and three suspension bridges, all ranging from 100 feet to 850 feet above the forest ground. From the tree platforms, groups often see eagles and bears. (alaskacanopy.com) A campfire under the midnight sun.

A rare glimpse at the aurora borealis.

Kayaking through glaciers hundreds of feet tall. Alaska is indeed an adventurer’s playground, equipped with some of the most ethereal natural wonders earth has to offer. Whether your group is seeking a pulse-pounding trip down a whitewater river or an afternoon fishing capped off with a dip in a hot spring, the Alaska wilderness, seemingly untouched by the modern world, is the perfect companion. LGT

ONLINE EXCLUSIVE For adventure travel ideas in Utah, log on to http://leisuregrouptravel.com /?p=24364.

46 August 2011

River banks in the Kenai Peninsula provide ideal sites for camping.

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