TERRAIN
Big turquoise lakes, alpine tundra, alder trees, river beds, mountain passes.
PLACE
Lake Clark National Park | The ancestral and unceded territory of the Dena’ina Ełnena.
EXPLORE
8 Days, 7 nights
Min 4, max 4 guests
High Route Fast Packing
High mountain passes, abundant wildlife, 4 epic bush plane flights, and fast paced adventure. Lake Clark National Park is the least visited park in the country — but only because it’s hard to access. If you like to get off the beaten path, like really off the beaten path, and explore terrain few humans have had the privilege of experiencing, come backpacking with us. This is real rugged adventure.
Alaska has it all and this trip is no exception: beautiful open tundra, gnarly tussocks, just enough bushwhacking to write home about and the most beautiful mountains you’ve likely ever seen! We’ll be moving fast, but the plentiful summer light will offer us time to relax as well. And to top it off, this year we’re ending our trip at the super incredible Windsong Wilderness Retreat.
Is This For You?
Alaska backpacking is full on. There are no trails or established campsites. A mile here generally feels like 4 miles of trail in the lower 48. But with that challenge comes the overwhelming reward of this landscape — to feel small in the scope of things, to feel animal, human, wild.
This is a fastpacking trip meaning we’ll be covering up to 10 miles per day. It doesn’t sound like much… but 10 miles off trail in AK can feel like a mini marathon. Participants should be physically fit for the adventure and willing to pack light!
MOMENT BY MOMENT, DAY BY DAY
DAY 1
DAY 1
THE ADVENTURE BEGINS!
We meet in Anchorage, check our gear, then head out on a gorgeous bush-plane ride down the wild coast of the peninsula. After a stop for lunch on Lake Clark’s shores, we fly again, this time in a float plane over snaking freshwater rivers and sprawling snow-capped mountains into the remote wilderness of Lake Clark National Park. The plane will drop us off at the shores of Telaquana Lake, bid farewell, and then that wild sense of awe and a bit of fear sets in — here we are, self supported for the next 7 days.
DAY 2 - 7
DAY 2 - 7
From our camp on the shores of Telaquana Lake, we eat up then head up, up and over our first mountain pass, across scree fields and boulders, out onto the tundra, watching for herds of caribou, eagles soaring, and brown bears fattening on the literal millions of salmon choking the rivers and streams. We’ll take advantage of the long daylight to cover lots of ground.
Our route rises in broad tundra, through broad valleys and sweeping views out to the horizon. In the evenings we’ll rest our bodies, rejuvenate, read, and play cards around the fire.
Before we know it we’ll drop out of the mountains to the shores of Twin Lake and the doorstep of Windsong Wilderness Retreat — a magical escape grandfathered into the National Park.
DAY 8
DAY 8
THIS MOMENT IS ALWAYS BITTERSWEET.
On this trip we have the incredible luxury of staying at the Windsong Wilderness Retreat. We can take hot showers, get toasty in the sauna, swim in the lake, take a small skiff to go see Dick Proenneke’s Cabin, and take a break from backpacker food. Two nights here gives us the opportunity to relish the wild with a bit more creature comfort and to come back to Anchorage refreshed and ready to reengage with the busy world.
An early wakeup will have us ready to be picked up on the shores of Twin Lakes and whisked to Port Alsworth and then on to Anchorage.
NOTE
The Alaska Factor
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.
WHERE WE SLEEP
“I suppose, too, I was here to test myself. Not that I had never done it before, but this time, it was to be a more thorough and lasting examination. What was I capable of that I didn’t know yet? Could I truly enjoy my own company for an entire year?”
Epic Views, Light Packs
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Our first 5 nights will be spent camping. We’ll set up next to lakes, glaciers and streams with wildflowers and sunsets just out the “front door.” We cary light tents — but trust us… we only bring the best in weather and bug proof shelters.
Windsong Wilderness Retreat
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Our route through Lake Clark will drop us down out of the mountains to Twin Lake — massive and glowing with color. On the shore — practically invisible if you’re not sure what you’re looking for we’ll find our new luxurious home for the next two nights. Windsong is a world away from everything, but provides just enough creature comforts to make it incredibly special. We’ll sleep inside, cook delicious hearty meals, heat up in the sauna, take warm showers, put on clean clothes, visit Dick Proenekes cabin, and have some time to take in then quiet majesty of the place before returning to the loud and busy world of Anchorage.
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING
BOOK THIS ADVENTURE
Step 1. Send us a quick note with what you’re interested in. Step 2. We’ll get back to you to discuss your trip.
Step 3. Fill out some info and send a trip deposit. Step 4. Adventure :)
BOOK TELAQUANA TRAVERSE
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FIND OUT MORE
Have questions? Reach out below or text / call us.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Check out the FAQ’s below, or text or call us at 845-661-3008 to talk it through! Or send us an email. We love hearing from folks.
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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.
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The price includes all bush flights to and from Lake Clark, two nights stay at Windsong Wilderness Retreat, breakfasts and dinners in the backcountry, all group supplies—cooking equipment, water treatment options, group shelters, bear canisters, bathroom supplies, emergency communication devices, maps, GPS, first aid kit, National Park entrance fees, and the support of your experienced and trained guides.
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The price does not include travel to and any accommodations in Anchorage, travel insurance or rescue insurance (both recommended), or gratuity for your guide. 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.
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Due to the super special nature of this trip we’re limiting it to just 4 guests.
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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!
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If arriving by plane you will want to fly in/out of Ted Stevens International Airport. Please plan to arrive in Anchorage prior to Day 1 and book your flights for no earlier than 8 pm on the final day. It is prudent to add a day in Anchorage on the tail end just in case we cant fly out of the mountains due to weather.
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We have people come on our trips by themselves all the time! There’s nothing like travel through remote wilderness to build community. Our prices are based on double occupancy. If you’re traveling alone we’ll ask you to pay a one time solo - travel supplement of $200 to cover our extra costs.
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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.
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You may cancel up to 120 days before the scheduled travel date and receive a full refund minus a $300 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.
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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).
STILL HAVE QUESTIONS?
We love talking to folks about their questions, concerns, ideas and dreams…anything is up for conversation. No pressure to book just because you reach out.
