| Wrangell - Saint Elias Glacier Expedition Guided Sea-Kayaking Adventure | |
TRIP RATING  ratings explained  LOCATION View Map DURATION 8 days/7 nights ACTIVITIES 7 days easy to moderate sea kayaking and hiking. ACCOMMODATIONS 6 nights camping, 1 night hotel LAND COST 2007 $1890 + tax (6-10 members) $2090 + tax (4-5 members) $800 charter Flights DATES 2007 July 1-9 July 13-21
Here are some LEVELS Level "2" to "4" trips entail travel to remote wilderness locations without facilities and walking over uneven and sometimes slippery terrain.
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 West
of Glacier Bay, at the foot of the 18,000-foot Mount Saint Elias, lies
the remote and spectacularly beautiful fjords of Icy Bay. Along this
stunning coastline of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, we spend 9
days paddling and hiking in pure discovery. The moving glaciers have
left vast ridges, open meadows and wide beach flats in its stead.
Witness the steep fjords, tumbling waterfalls, massive glaciers and
towering peaks found only in the Wrangell-St. Elias Range. Bears,
mountain goats, moose, wolves and seals live in the area along with
unique birds including Aleutian terns, jaegers and swans. This is our
most remote and rigorous trip. Be prepared for adventure!
The coasts of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park feature a large set of fjords off the Gulf of Alaska called Icy Bay. These were created just last century during a rapid retreat of the glaciers that now lie at the head of the fjords. The backdrop is the St. Elias Mountains, the highest coastal mountain range in the world. Mount St. Elias has a sea level to summit rise of 18,000 feet in less than 10 miles, making it the highest vertical rise in the world (Everest, by comparison, has a base to summit rise of only 12,000 feet). This expedition is the most rigorous trip we offer. Participants must be in good shape, possess an adventurous spirit and have an explorer's curiosity to see new country. Itineraries vary, and some days might involve long paddles or difficult hiking. The weather can be unpredictable. Though temperatures usually stay above 50 degrees and may get into the 70's, storms off the Gulf of Alaska can hit us with strong winds and driving rain. On nice days there isn't a more spectacular setting in all of Alaska! Begins and ends in Yakutat.
DETAILED ITINERARY: Day 1 - Meet in Yakutat, Alaska. Pre-trip meeting and lodging at Glacier Bear Lodge. Day 2 - Incredible bush plane flight over Yakutat Bay and the Malaspina Glacier to Icy Bay. Unload and assemble folding kayaks> Introductory kayaking lesson. Day 3-7 - Kayak and hike, and camp in remote Icy Bay in Wrangell St. Elias National Park, often referred to as "mountain kingdom of North America." Nature and our own desires dictate the itinerary. Most days you'll be kayaking from one extraordinary camp to another and drifting among the icebergs watching birds, seals, porpoises and the unending jaw dropping scenery. You'll stay at some camps for two nights to allow for all-day hikes into the hills and valleys above the fjords, where you may spot bears, mountain goats, moose, wolves and coyotes. Day 8 - Break down kayaks and board bush planes for an awesomely scenic return flight to Yakutat, Depart Yakutat. E-Mail Request: Wrangell - Saint Elias Glacier Expedition
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