ratings explained
Here are some
Questions and Answers.
Each of our trips has been rated "1" to "4"
according to what conditions can be expected on the trip, with "1" being
the easiest and "4" being the more challenging trips. Keep in mind that
even easy trips may become difficult if weather conditions are adverse. On
all trips, guests help carry personal and group gear and, on sea kayaking
trips, help carry their boat up and down the beach (65-80 pounds for
two-four people). Most of our trips travel to remote wilderness locations
with no facilities of any kind, and evacuation may be prolonged and
difficult. More specific information can be found in each trip's detailed
itinerary.
Level "2" to "4" trips entail travel to remote wilderness locations
without facilities and walking over uneven and sometimes slippery terrain.
Easiest
Easy to Moderate
Moderate
Moderate to
Challenging
(Some trips are rated at level "4" due primarily to the length of the trip
in remote wilderness, or because a specific skill level is assumed, not
because they are extremely physically demanding.) |
Explore the
Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Wilderness in this active seven-day sea
kayaking journey. John Muir visited this area in 18 79
and wrote "the fjord is shut in by sublime Yosemite cliffs, nobly
sculptured, and adorned with waterfalls, fringes of trees,
and patches of flowers....gliding on and on, the scenery seemed at
every turn to become more lavishly fruitful in forms, as well as more sublime in
dimensions - snowy falls booming in splendid dress; colossal domes and
battlements and sculptured arches of a fine neutral-gray tint, their
bases laved by the blue fjord water..." Because this area is pure
wilderness, you will see it just as John Muir saw it: an Alaska
Yosemite, without crowds or gift shops!
We will glide through narrow fjords
with 3,000-foot high cliffs and cascading waterfalls flanked by lush
virgin forests. Extreme tidal action provides a
mineral rich up-welling that attract fish, marine mammals and sea
birds. We paddle the iceberg-studded waters to the spectacular Dawes
Glacier. We will take hikes, with no trails to restrain us. The
wildness is so complete, at times we will feel like Muir - a true
explorer. This can be a fairly strenuous trip, and although no
previous kayaking experience is necessary, participants should be in
good shape and be eager for an active vacation. Begins and ends in
Juneau.
Slide show from guest John Wall
Trips are scheduled such that the
first trip follows this itinerary and the second travels in reverse.
Day 1 - We board a charter boat
for a scenic cruise down the Inside Passage to Endicott Arm Fjord.
Watch for whales and other marine mammals, especially as we enter
Endicott Arm, where an underwater glacier moraine creates
nutrient-rich up-welling currents. We may see huge icebergs that have
survived their journey all the way out from the Dawes Glacier at the
head of the fjord. As we cruise up Endicott Arm, the scenery changes
dramatically as we enter a vertical world of granite cliffs and
glacier-carved cirques. The granite walls of the fjord tower over us,
with waterfalls cascading down on either side. Upon nearing the head
of the fjord, we offload our kayaks and begin paddling to our first
campsite in the stunning wilderness.
Days 2-4 - We continue our
exploration of this incredible landscape by sea kayak and on foot. We
may hike up a newly-formed valley on the far side of the fjord, just
recently uncovered by the receding North Dawes Glacier. We'll paddle
through iceberg-laden waters, many of them dotted with seals hauled
out for a rest, as we make our way to North Dawes Inlet.
Days 5-6 - We explore the
wondrous Ford's Terror - a spectacular fjord accessible only through a
narrow passage off Endicott Arm. Rushing tidal currents and whirlpools
prevent us from entering when the tide flows in and out. We must wait
for slack water to enter this paradise. (Seaman H.R. Ford didn't wait,
back in 1889, and found himself terrorized by the rushing tidal
waters!) Both brown and black bear can sometimes be seen roaming the
narrow beaches and tide flats. Mountain goats have even been sighted
on this rugged coastline.
Day 7 - After a final morning
of paddling or hiking, floatplanes arrive inside Ford's Terror and
take us on a truly spectacular return flight to Juneau in time to
shower and gather for a no-host dinner at a local restaurant.
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