Advanced Backpacking Course

We'll share one of the most beautiful AirBnbs in Anchorage to start our trip. Our AirBnb provides a great place for trip prep and a cozy spot to hang out before entering the backcountry.

We’ll gather, meet, and get everything sorted for our morning departure.

Note:

We do sometimes switch up AirBnbs so it may not look exactly like the photos shown.

We love using AirBnbs for the homeyness over most Anchorage hotels. But it's hard to nearly impossible to find AirBnbs that have 8 beds. We aim to have each person get their own bed. It's possible depending on trip size and whether or not there's any coouples that 1 - 2 people may need to sleep on their camping mattress. This will be done on a first come first served basis. Anyone who needs to sleep on their camp mattress will get $100 back from us.

Backpacking in Alaska is no joke! We’ll be hiking 4-7 miles per day off trail across scree slopes, over mountain passes, and through the occasional but notorious thick Alaskan alder. That being said, if you’ve backpacked a bit before and physically prepare before the trip, you’ll do great! If you’re an expert backpacker you’ll still find this to be a rewarding and at times challenging trip. Guests will be expected to practice excellent self-care, pack and unpack their own packs, setup and breakdown their own tents, and carry a portion of group equipment. All the challenges of off-trail backpacking are overwhelmingly worth it for the splendor, the views, and the deep knowing in your gut that you did something powerful and profound.

The price includes accommodations on the first and last night in Anchorage, all bush flights / trains / jet boat rides in and out of the mountains, all breakfasts and dinners (except for the final night), all group supplies—cooking equipment, water treatment options, group shelters, bear canisters, toilet supplies, emergency communication devices, maps, GPS, first aid kit, National Park entrance fees, and the support of your experienced and trained instructors.

The price does not include travel to Anchorage, transportation to the AirBnb at the start and end or to Merill Field (if a second Uber is needed), travel insurance or rescue insurance (both recommended), or gratuity for your guides (10-20% of the trip cost recommended). The price doesn’t include personal gear— backpack, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, layers, rain gear, personal bowl, personal eating utensils, headlamp, and personal toiletries. If needed some of this gear can be rented for an additional fee. The price also does not include the cost of lunches. On our trips lunches are really just extended snacking throughout the day. By not having long elaborate sit-down lunches we allow more time to experience new terrain. Guests are expected to provide their own snacks / lunches — we will provide you with guidance for how to plan for proper amounts and keep the weight low.

We limit all our trips to 8 clients. If your trip has more than 6 people you will have 2 guides.

Meals will be delicious backcountry cuisine. We’ve spent a lot of years in the backcountry and we like to eat well! That being said, we also don't love heavy packs. Our meals strike a balance between dehydrated backpacker food and gourmet fresh — in that balance are delicious meals without crazy weight. We can accommodate most dietary restrictions. Please reach out with questions. We will supply all the breakfasts, dinners, and occasional desserts for the trip. We ask guests to pack their own lunch snacks. On our trips lunch is between when breakfast ends and dinner begins — snack away!

Any expedition in Alaska requires flexibility, patience, and a big sense of adventure. We always try our best to follow our itineraries as written, but rarely do. That’s part of the fun of it! Alaska weather is always changing and shifting and we will always respectfully honor what the weather allows or doesn’t allow us to do. We get the incredible luxury of flying into these beautiful places, but with flying also comes a need to defer to the conditions. Sometimes flights may be delayed for a day or more as we wait for an appropriate weather window. Trip itineraries may also shift due to group skill, pilot availability, or any number of unforeseen circumstances. Please come with an open mind, a spirit of enthusiastic adventure, and a willingness to see where the trip takes you. We do not offer refunds or cover incurred costs when trips have to be rerouted or itineraries changed due to weather or other circumstances out of our control.

If arriving by plane you will want to fly in/out of Ted Stevens International Airport. Please plan to arrive in Anchorage no later than 5 pm on Day 1 and book your flights for no earlier than 11 pm on the final day (if flying out the night we return.) If flying out on Day 11, book your flights for whenever you want.

We have people come on our trips by themselves all the time! There’s nothing like travel through remote wilderness to build community.

Indigo Alpine Guide trips are most often run by the owner Jack Bynum and his closest and most trusted friends. All the people who work for IAG have over a decade of experience guiding trips in the most remote places on earth, have wilderness medical training and advanced guiding certifications.

For the Advanced Backpacking Course, Instructors will be women or queer respectively.

You may cancel up to 120 days before the scheduled travel date and receive a full refund minus a $500 per-person service fee. If you cancel between 120 and 60 days of travel, there is a 50% cancellation fee. Within 60 days of travel, there is a 100% cancellation fee. We highly recommend purchasing travel insurance.

We always encourage folks to purchase trip cancelation insurance in addition to the mandatory medical evacuation insurance. We require that you have at least $200,000 in medical evacuation insurance. Your insurance policy should cover hazardous sports and we recommend that your policy cover search and rescue. Since we cannot confirm each client’s policy individually, it is your responsibility to make sure your policy will cover you while you participate in your activities of choice on the expedition.

For US citizens, we recommend Global Rescue. You will have a choice of purchasing it with or without the cancellation coverage–so make sure to select the one that gives you the coverage that you need. Other commonly used companies include World Nomads and Squaremouth.

You are welcome to seek out other insurance options, as these are only recommendations. When selecting a policy, please make sure they insure all the activities you’ll be participating in (many don’t include roped climbing, skiing, mountaineering, etc).

Nope, sorry :( This trip is for intermediate and advanced backpackers looking to challenge and grow their skills.

If you've never backpacked before, check out some of our other trips or we recommend starting on trail in the lower 48 to get your footing.