ALASKA BEST WILDERNESS DOGMUSHING, BACKPACKING, AND RAFTING

Alaska Backpacking and Rafting Tours

Springtime Tozi Mountains Backpacking/ Rafting Tour--

We think this trip is a unique find 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 existent. 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 accommodations 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 2009, 2010.

Cost: $2475 per person - includes all meals and accomodations in Tanana and on the trail, boat transport and guides.

Maximum group size: Six people

Yukon River / Ray Mountains Hot Springs Backpacking Odyssey

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 Ray Mountains 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 hot springs 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, 2009, 2010

Cost: $2975 per person - 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.