Alaska
Backpacking and Rafting Tours
Springtime
Tozi Mountains Backpacking - Rafting Tour
We
think this trip is a uniquefind among Alaskan adventures.
This is a region of Alaska that is way off the road system and
virtually unknown to travelers. Since it isn't a publicized destination
like a national park, the chances of seeing someone else on our trip
are almost non-existant. It is true wilderness - empty and wild, with
snowcapped peaks, clear, rushing rivers, peace, and a feeling of
limitless space.
The weather is dry and sunny in late May when we take this
trip, and there are very few bugs out. The views from the high tundra
ridges where we walk are spectacular, and with only an hour or two of
twilight, there's plenty of time to enjoy the long days.
You fly (by regularly scheduled mail plane from Fairbanks) to
the village of Tanana, where we meet you and ready ourselves for a boat
trip 35 miles up the Yukon River. We then backpack up through the
boreal forest, and break out onto the alpine tundra of the Tanana-Tozi
mountains, and hike out to a small, clear tributary river on the back
side of the range. From there we paddle in rafts for three days back
down to the Yukon River.
We may see migratory birds arriving back to their nesting
grounds, caribou calving, moose, black bears, and grizzly bears.
We'll supply all food and accomodations in Tanana and on the
trail, tents, rafts, and our guiding expertise. You supply a backpack,
sleeping bag, and clothing (we have a list of what to take). This trip
is strenuous and requires you to be physically fit, but it is well
worth it.
Length: 13 days
Dates: May 26 - June 6 for 2006,
2007, 2008.
Cost: $2475 - includes all meals
and accomodations in Tanana and on the trail, boat transport and guides.
Maximum group size: Six people
This trip, less than 100
miles below the Arctic Circle, is an in-depth transect of a
particularly mysterious, little-known mountain range, with weird
granite tors, bathe-able hot springs, and, on the boat portion, time to
experience fish camp life on the Yukon River.
You fly (by regular scheduled mail plane from Fairbanks) to
Tanana, and we meet you and take you up the Yukon River by boat to our
family's summer fish camp, where you'll be our guest. Our family spends
from June till September at camp catching salmon with a fishwheel, and
cutting, smoking and drying it for winter. We also keep our sled dogs
there in summer. We'll show you the details and a beautiful area known
as The Rapids. After a day, we then start our backpacking trek to the
Ray Mountains.
The Rays are one of the most inaccessible places in Alaska.
There are very few bush-plane landing spots, no road or river access,
and there is no obvious beaten trail to get in on foot. We have,
however found a kind of secret back entrance from the Yukon River over
ridges and along game trails that is doable on foot, and, once into the
mountains, there is good (though strenuous) walking through awesome
open alpine country, 5000 foot peaks from which it is possible to see
both the distant Alaska and Brooks Ranges on a clear day, strange shale
and granite outcrops, and a wonderful, rarely visited hotsprings to
soak in near the end of the trek.
We allow 17 days for this trip, including being picked up and
flown out by bush-plane back to Tanana. You need to be an experienced
backpacker in excellent condition, and be willing to endure some
bushwhacking, but you will be trekking into a mountain kingdom that is
really "off the map".
Length: 17 days; July 22-August 7
for 2006,2007,2008.
Cost: $2975 - Price includes all
food and accomodations in Tanana, on the river, and along the trail;
boat and bush-plane transport, and guides.
Group size: Minimum 2 people,
maximum 7 people.
