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Day Hikes, Packrafts and Photography
Anchorage Area Dayhikes
A Day To Spare? Walk in the Alaska Mountains.
Mild
On a scale of 1 – 5, five being the most challenging, two hiking boots is at the easier end of the spectrum.
1 boot = basecamp/dayhike easy
2 boots = easier backpacking trip
3 boots = intermediate level trip
4 boots = intermediate to advanced backpacking
5 boots = ask yourself are you really ready for this?
Expect whatever level you think might best fit you to be one level on our scale. Hiking here in Alaska is generally a step or three above what you’ll find in the Lower 48 states.
Realize that backpacking is never “easy”. You’re carrying from 35-50+ pounds on your back day after day. You’ll be hiking for a number of hours each day (varies trip to trip, day to day), and that’s not “easy” for most people.
That said, our “2 hiking boots” level should meet the need for most novice backpackers, and are generally what I recommend for families with younger kids, etc as well. Terrain challenges aren’t usually a problem, and the walking is somewhat more orthodox. You won’t be traversing 1 mile of steep sidehill covered in slippery rocks, or snaking through dense thickets of alder and willow.
Nizina Lake Packrafting
Walk On A Glacier. Packraft Among the Giant Icebergs. Hike to the Waterfalls. A Trip For Everyone
Easiest
On a scale of 1 – 5, five being the most challenging, one boot is appealing. Basically it means “You got this”.
1 boot = basecamp/dayhike easy
2 boots = easier backpacking trip
3 boots = intermediate level trip
4 boots = intermediate to advanced backpacking
5 boots = ask yourself are you really ready for this?
Expect whatever level you think might best fit you to be one level on our scale. Hiking here in Alaska is generally a step or three above what you’ll find in the Lower 48 states.
One boot is about as easy as we do here in Alaska. That doesn’t mean it’s easy; you’re carrying gear, and even on a basecamp trip you’ll find expending some effort required of you. And there is always the weather or some other adversarial element to contend with.
What you won’t find on a single-boot-rated trip is the difficult terrain challenges we see on our other ventures. No glacial moraines to deal with, or alder and muskeg, or sidehills to wreak havoc on your ankles hours on end.
Great option for starters, the older or the younger folks who want to see some astonishing remote wild country, without all the rigors or the more common backpacking adventures we undertake. You’ll love it.
Lakina River Packrafting Trip
Pack It In. Pack it Out. Come Paddle the Lakina River.
Challenging
On a scale of 1 – 5, five being the most challenging, four hiking boots is toward the tougher end of the course.
1 boot = basecamp/dayhike easy
2 boots = easier backpacking trip
3 boots = intermediate level trip
4 boots = intermediate to advanced backpacking
5 boots = ask yourself are you really ready for this?
Expect whatever level you think might best fit you to be one level on our scale. Hiking here in Alaska is generally a step or three above what you’ll find in the Lower 48 states. We might call something intermediate-advanced, and it may well be the toughest trip you’ve ever done in your life. Just understand that these metrics aren’t perfect.
You’ll find some good, easier walking, but also encounter sidehill or moraine and talus, or dense brush such as alder or willow.
The challenges aren’t generally so much in the distance we cover, or the elevation gain and loss. Most backpackers are surprised just how far we do go on a backpacking trip in Alaska. The challenges are in the terrain you’re walking over, and how well you adapt to those. Some people do great walking on boulders, and other people struggle to the very last stone. I can’t tell you how well you’ll do on a specific route, but we’ll do our best to work with you to match you with a trip that fits your experience and backpacking level.
Most people will call these trips tough. They just haven’t done the 5 hiking boot trips.
Intermediate
On a scale of 1 – 5, five being the most challenging, three hiking boots is smack in the middle.
1 boot = basecamp/dayhike easy
2 boots = easier backpacking trip
3 boots = intermediate level trip
4 boots = intermediate to advanced backpacking
5 boots = ask yourself are you really ready for this?
Expect whatever level you think might best fit you to be one level on our scale. Hiking here in Alaska is generally a step or three above what you’ll find in the Lower 48 states.
If you consider yourself up for an intermediate level hike, for example, assume that a trip rated intermediate here will probably be a bit tougher than you’re expecting; not impossible, but harder than you think. Intermediate level trips don’t mean you won’t be challenged, won’t struggle at times, and won’t have any easy sections either. On any trip you’ll probably find some easy sections, some harder, and some are challenging.
Also, understand that all these rating are so completely subjective that they’re not entirely all together practical. They’re a loose idea of how the trips might compare to one another, for some people.
Lastly, understand that even a trip we might rate as “intermediate” (3-4 hiking boots) may still have some difficulty at times. Weather changes things. There may be a tough steep climb on the route that takes a few hours.
