A Guide To Backpacking in Alaska
OVERVIEW
If you’re here, you’re probably thinking about a backpacking trip in Alaska either on your own or with a guide. This guide will cover all the things you should be considering: from location to route selection to bear protocol to booking bush plane flights (or not). Even if you’re a seasoned lower 48 on-trail backpacker, heading off trail in Alaska is a whole different thing. If you’re looking to do a guided backpacking or basecamp hiking trip, check out the expeditions we offer or reach out to chat. We run guided backpacking trips all over Alaska both on a scheduled and custom basis.
I’ve been exploring Alaska since 2013 and of all the places I’ve ever visited, it remains the most magical and awe inspiring. Alaska is truly a dream — the scale is unfathomable, the people few and far between, and the access to remote regions relatively easy via super competent bush plane pilots. Hopefully by the end of this post you’ll have everything you need to plan a successful and joyous trip.
This post is going to be a long one. If you’re just here for a specific piece of information, check out the headings and feel free to skip around. And if at the end you still have questions, feel free to dm me on instagram @indigo_alpine. I read every question and do my best to respond when I have wifi.
Let’s jump in…
SEASON
July though mid-August is prime time just about everywhere in Alaska. In May you’ll encounter snow at most elevations. Come mid-July (+/- one week based off seasonal and climactic variability) the bugs can start getting pretty gnarly in the Arctic. Come mid-August winter is already starting to make itself known at higher elevations and fall is setting in at lower elevations. September is a beautiful time to be below 4000ft but be prepared for possible winter conditions.
SKILLS FOR ALASKA
The main difference between Alaska backpacking and everywhere else is the lack of trails and the magnitude of the terrain. A backpacking trip up here is a completely different animal than 5 days on the PCT. I don’t say this to intimidate you. But you do need to be prepared or you’ll get tossed around. Even experienced Alaska backpackers often get very humbled by Alaskan trips. It just comes with the massiveness of the place.
Here are the most important skills you need to have for Alaska that you may not already have as an intermediate / experienced backpacker:
Competent reading and navigating via topographical maps even when there’s no trails, trail junctions, or buildings as landmarks. This includes orienting a map with and without a compass.
Competent navigating in complete whiteouts via compass and GPS (possibly for days on end).
Competent reading and assessing the risk of river crossings and understand multiple river crossing techniques.
Exceptionally dialed bear protocol techniques. A thorough understanding of how bear spray works and how to use it.
Competent navigating dry glacier and understanding and assessing hazard (for routes that require it.)
Exceptional self care and an attunement to the early signs of hypothermia.
I’m rarely one to discourage people. But it’s likely best to wait to self-guide a backpacking trip in Alaska until you have a significant amount of experience with on and off trail trips in the lower 48. If you’re already an intermediate to advanced backpacker and want to level-up massively, consider joining our Advanced Backpacking Course where you’ll learn everything you need to know to go backpacking anywhere on earth.
WILDLIFE
For a lot of folks, when they think of Alaska they think of bears… so much so that they’re unwilling to backpack out there. Here’s the thing… I’ve encountered dozens of bears in Alaska. I once even came literally face-to-face with a massive brown bear while bushwhacking through dense alder near Skolai Pass. After a moment of locked eyes he turned and bolted. But the only truly scary bear encounters I’ve had have been in the lower 48 where bears are more used to humans and more used to the occasional euphoric high of high-octane human food. So yes, AK has bears… but if you practice excellent camp management, use bear canisters, Ursacks, or electric fences, and have everyone carry bears-spray (or at least a few cans per group), and if everyone in your group knows how to act if you encounter a bear, you should be just fine. The only time i’m on high bear alert in Alaska is when i’m bushwhacking through dense alder, next to a loud river, with a stiff breeze blowing against me. In those cases I likely will yell “hey bear” once or twice a minute. I travel comfortably and get excited when I see bears from a reasonably safe distance.
Of course, there’s also all kinds of other wildlife — it’s one of the coolest parts of Alaska. Treat them with respect, dignity and space and you should be just fine. It’s nice here to note that Alaska has no poisonous snakes!
HELPFUL TIPS
Here’s some general (quite important!) tips to consider in no particular order…
Fly in Hike out: You definitely don’t need to use a bush plane for your backpacking trip in Alaska. There are plenty of options for road access (check out the eastern Alaska Range, the north side of Denali National Park, or the Talkeetna mountains for starters). That being said, if you’ve never flown through Alaskan mountains in a bush plane you’re missing something incredible. But bush plane flights in Alaska can be on par price wise with international flights on big airlines. One good option to experience the thrill but cut cost is to pick a route where you hike in and fly out or vice versa (personally I prefer the aesthetic feel of flying in and hiking out.) This can give you the experience of flying without breaking the bank. You don’t need to fly far to get to the middle of nowhere. And of course, the less distance you fly, the cheaper the flight will be. The main goal for me when incorporating planes is to get above the majority of bushwhacking and thus make my life significantly more pleasant.
Bear cans for free from NPS: Don’t want to fly with your bear canister or don’t have one? Most NPS ranger offices will rent them to you for free. Better yet, buy an Ursack.
Fuel & Bear Spray: Check your pilot’s website or call them ahead of time to make sure you can bring the fuel you’re intending to bring. Every operation is a bit different. For instance, some companies won’t allow isobutane canisters at all. If the only stove you bring is an isobutane one your SOL. Some companies only allow you to bring DOL approved isobutane brands (MSR, Snowpeak, Primus). Oftentimes you can buy your fuel right from the flight company for a bit of an upcharge. Pro Tip: Keep your fuel and bear spray separate when packing your bags… your pilots will likely want to pack them (or at least the bear spray) outside the plane… if you packed your fuel at the bottom of you pack… bummer.
InReachs: InReachs have changed the game in the last few years. They’re awesome for any trip, but for fly-in trips they’re nearly essential. Sure, I’ve done trips without the capacity to talk to the pilot and make adjustments to the itinerary, but you’re leaving a lot up to chance and it’s more stressful. Important: Make sure you get a textable number or email address from your pilot before you go into the field… it may be different from their main company phone number. SPOT devices are hardly useful in my opinion. For the remoteness of Alaska, you should at bare minimum have a Personal Locator Beacon — but these are much less versatile than something with actual two way communication capabilities.
Alaska Layering Systems: If I could count the number of times people have told me: “I swear 55 degrees is colder here than at home…” Bring primarily synthetic clothing and enough of it. It can rain 20 days straight in Alaska. If your trip happens to fall in the middle of those 20 rainy days well then the soonest you’re going to dry your clothes is when you get to the laundromat after leaving the mountains. Really. I’ve been there. After enough rough rainy trips I now almost exclusively use synthetic gear in AK including a bulky larger-than-life synthetic sleeping bag. Don’t let forecasts dictate what layering system you bring on the trip with you. Consider rubber rain gear (instead of GoreTex and Showa style fishing gloves. In my opinion, hypothermia is the biggest umbrella risk to backpacking in Alaska. It’s likely you’ll go on your trip after reading this and think i’m hella dramatic. Some of you though will go on your trip and thank me every other minute for saving you from being absolutely miserable.
Backpacking Mileage (and measuring properly!): The average group can cover about 5 miles per day off-trail backpacking in Alaska. Of course that can vary dramatically. I’ve had days where it has taken me sixteen hours to bushwhack 1.5 miles and days where I’ve covered 40 miles. But most groups will cover between 4 and 8 miles per day. A decent rule of thumb is to take your personal average on-tail mileage and cut it by 2/3rds. When measuring your route mileage with online software (Gaia, CalTopo, etc.) make sure you add 15-20%. In reality, no one walks through the alaskan wilderness as straight as the lines we draw on topo maps. In reality you’ll be crossing back and forth across rivers and zig zagging around thickets of alder to find the easiest walking. If you don’t add 15-20% to your electronically-measured mileage you will have a much bigger trip than you’d intended. I learned this the hard way so many times before finally changing my ways.
Rescue Insurance: Alaska is remote. Any rescue could cost you tens of thousands of dollars or might be completely free — there’s no set standard in America. Lots of policies you’d think would cover your rescue actually don’t. On personal trips, I have a pretty high risk tolerance, but I still choose to have legit rescue insurance year round.
For a super thorough run down about remote rescue insurance and my specific policy recommendations (that will actually cover you), check out our rescue insurance post.
CHOOSE YOUR ZONE
DENALI NATIONAL PARK
Home to Denali aka Mt. McKinley standing tall at 20,310 feet. This place is where most people’s minds go when they think Alaska. The park can definitely get crowded with tourists, but the second you step foot off the main park road you’ll most likely be alone for the duration of your trip. Denali has everything from boggy tundra to massive glaciers and the weather can be wild and changeable. If you’ve never backpacked off trail, this can be an intimidating place to start.
In Denali NP you really have two main option for where to go: the North side and the South side.
The North Side
{Note: The Denali Park Road is closed at mile 43 due to a landslide. The closure is expected to last through 2026).
The North side is where nearly everyone goes when they visit Denali and is accessed by the 100 mile long Park road (you can’t fly into the backcountry). Most of the season, this road can only be accessed via public bus (private cars aren’t allowed). Even more exciting: you can only reserve backpacking permits a day in advance and permits are offered on a first come first serve basis, so when you show up at the backcountry office you should be prepared for anything. Thankfully, the folks at the office are incredibly helpful and will be able to offer lots of ideas with the zones that are available. But don’t show up with a set route and expect you’ll be able to follow your itinerary as planned — it’s very possible your intended itinerary won’t be available in part or in whole.
Basically the North side is split into travel zones and each zone has a max number of people who can camp there in any given night. If you’re set on a particular route — you might well be able to complete it as long as you are willing to adjust your daily mileage to pass through zones that are fully reserved and camp in zones where permits are available at the time of booking. Check out our deep dive guide on backpacking Denali if you want some helpful pointers on navigating the park permit system.
For some people this process is intimidating and annoying, but I think it’s a special piece of the adventure. How often do you show up to a backpacking trip really without any surety of where you’re going to go?
Anderson Pass And McGonagal Pass are notable standouts in the park, but really, the whole place is beautiful so I’d encourage you to just go and find out. My one word of warning: the lowlands (and even a lot of the midlands) in Denali are boggy tundra that is downright exhausting to walk on. On one trip my achilles tendons became wildly inflamed because they were being repeatedly hyperextended by the bog. So my recommendation is to just show up and see what’s available but do your best to get above the boggy tundra and stay above the boggy tundra. Because the park bus will pick you up anywhere along the park road and because it runs regularly in the summer, you can easily plan to start your trip at one location and end it at another and this is definitely what I’d recommend.
The South Side
The South Side of Denali is a whole other ball game for backpacking. Generally, very few non-guided parties go backpacking in this side of the park because the terrain is massive and, other than a 3 week walk in through alder, is only accessed via bush plane landing either in the Dutch Hills, on snow covered glacier, or on the Whale’s Tail. The Dutch Hills are foothills of the Alaska Range and could offer an incredible trip — but you won’t really feel immersed in the big mountains in the way that you do on the North Side or on The Whale’s Tail. Landing on glacier is great — but requires you to bring and know how to use mountaineering gear. Things get heavy fast with this approach. The Whale’s Tail is definitely the most epic backpacking you can do in Denali and one of the most incredible trips in Alaska — but you’re unlikely to convince an air service to fly you in unguided. If you’re interested in this area, we offer two guided trips to the Whale’s Tail each year and custom trips for groups of 4 or more.
Getting There: From Anchorage you can drive or take a bus (about 6 hours), take the Alaska Railroad (about 8 hours), or fly with Denali Air (about 1.5 hours).
Once you’re at the park entrance you’ll want to stop by the backcountry permit office. From there you can take the NPS public bus. Get off anywhere along the way based on your route.
For people comfortable with glacier travel or wanting to explore the Dutch Hills you’ll want to head to Talkeetna. Talkeetna Air Taxi and K2 Aviation can land on just about any snow covered glacier out there conditions permitting. Sheldon Air Service can get you into the Dutch Hills and surrounding areas.
Permits: Get your backpacking permits at the Denali National Park Ranger Station in Healy or Talkeetna.
Popular Known Routes: Anderson Pass
Helpful Tips: The more you can stay above the boggy tundra the better.
Want some more info?: We wrote an in depth Denali-specific planning post. It’s got lots of information that isn’t included here.
Want to join a guided trip? Trips in Alaska can be a lot to plan and prepare for. On guided trips we take care of all the logistics and you’ll be led by guides with decades of experience. Our Denali Whale’s Tail trip is truly epic.
LAKE CLARK NATIONAL PARK
Lake Clark National Park is the least visited national park in America… only because it’s really hard and expensive to get there. So few people go out into the wilderness of Lake Clark there’s endless opportunity to have massive country entirely to yourself. The vast majority of folks travel between Turquoise Lake and Twin Lake, with some folks venturing further north to Telaquana Lake. Maybe 1 or 2 % of people venture out to explore other parts of LCNP like the Revelation and Neacola Mountains. The relatively low elevations by Alaska standards (high points around 9000ft) mean a longer season and the possibility of connecting long routes by traveling over dry glaciers (glaciers without snow on them). We offer custom guided backpacking trips from Telaquana to Twin Lake and throughout LCNP each summer.
Getting There: Take a chartered flight with either Lake Clark Air or Lake and Pen Air to Port Alsworth. Then hop on a float plane with The Farm Lodge to the lake of your choice.
Permits: none needed.
Popular Known Routes: Turquoise to Twin Lake
Helpful Tips: Definitely ask your pilot for any info on game trails from the lakes into the higher country. Telaquana, Turquoise and Twin lakes (as well as many others in the park) are below treeline. Knowing where the game trails through the trees are can save you a world of hurt.
Consider staying at The Farm Lodge or the Windsong Wilderness Retreat while you’re out there.
One Man’s Wilderness (the book and the PBS special) about Dick Proeneke is a wild insight into Lake Clark homesteading.
The LCNP visitor center in Port Alsworth will rent you bear canisters for free. You can reliably buy fuel and bear spray from the Farm Lodge in Port Alsworth.
Want to go on a guided trip? We offer a Lake Clark High Route Traverse on a custom basis. We also offer custom trips throughout the park. This is an awesome place for a “packaneering” trip where we go on a backpacking trip that involves lots of glacier walking.
WRANGELL ST.-ELIAS NATIONAL PARK
Traverse through a vast expanse of ice and rock, where grandeur meets solitude. The Wrangell-St. Elias is the largest protected wilderness in the world.
I’ll be honest: I love these mountains maybe more than any in the whole world. The Wrangells are deeply awe inspiring and my favorite place in Alaska to run guided backpacking trips. If I might hop on a soap box for a moment: if you’re brand new to backpacking, consider going with a guide or going for your first backpacking trips in the lower 48 to build up experience. When you come to AK, come for the massive untold adventure. Come with enough skill to plan a route just by looking at the maps. The irony of writing this in this post will surely not go unnoticed… but please don’t rely on internet resources to plan your trips. Many of my absolute favorite places in Alaska don’t have a word written about them anywhere.
Sadly, some parts of the Wrangells have made a big internet name for themselves and now get tons of backpackers each year. Alpine wilderness lakes are turning into dusty tent cities. In a wilderness as big as that one, there’s really no need to go where the internet mentions. Talk to your pilot, ask them where they would go with your time window and budget and go there. Or unfold a map and find what feels most compelling to you. I dare you — if you have the skills, this is undoubtedly the way to have a magical and wild experience.
Getting There: You’ve got a few options…
Most people start their trips with a bush plane flight in from Nabesna or Kennicot / McCarthy.
Nabesna: Drive to Nabesna (8ish hours from Anchorage). If flying in, park at (and consider staying at!) Devil’s Mountain Lodge. If backpacking straight from the car, park in the public lot 1/4 mile past Devil’s Mountain Lodge.
McCarthy: Drive to McCarthy on the famous McCarthy Road, or fly to McCarthy all the way from Anchorage or from Chitna. Wrangell Mountain Air offers daily flights from China to McCarthy. The flights are beautiful and save you the long dusty drive. Fly from McCarthy into the mountains with Wrangell Mountain Air or Paul Claus from Ultima Thule Lodge.
Permits: none needed.
Popular Known Routes: The Goat Trail, Iceberg lake, Donoho Pass. The NPS has done an excellent job outlining some of the established Wrangells routes.
Helpful Tips: Nabesna and McCarhthy are both really well suited for trips where you fly in and hike out.
Consider a stay in McCarthy. It’s a cool town if a bit touristy.
If planning on flying to McCarthy from Alaska, make sure you book flights early — these flights usually only operate once or twice a week and only during peak season. Check out the flight schedule.
Want some more info?: We wrote an in depth guide to backpacking in the Wrangells. It’s got lots of info and tips that aren’t included here.
Want to join a guided trip? Trips in Alaska can be a lot to plan and prepare for. On guided trips we take care of all the logistics and you’ll be led by guides with decades of experience. We offer basecamp hiking trips and guided backpacking trips in the Wrangells. Better yet, we run our trips with included air travel direct from Anchorage which takes out all of the hassle of getting to McCarthy.
GATES OF THE ARCTIC NATIONAL PARK
Gates of the Arctic is as magnificent as it sounds. In some ways, the peaks up here are less dramatic than those of Denali or the Wrangells, but the atmosphere is buzzing with a certain grandeur of the far north arctic circle. While the Arrigetch Peaks get the majority of the attention, a quick peek at the map will show hundreds of intriguing possibilities. Gates of the Arctic is particularly well suited for river trips with hikes on the side — you can go for a long trip that way and explore to your heart’s content without having to worry about restocking supplies.
Getting There: Fly from Fairbanks to Bettles or Coldfoot with Wright Air Service. From Bettles or Coldfoot you’ve got a variety of choices for who to fly with.
For trips in the far western part of the park it may be more economical to fly to Kotzebue and then fly into the park with Golden Eagle Outfitters.
Permits: none needed
Popular Known Routes: Arrigetch Peaks (but like… don’t go here? You’ll probably see lots of other people.)
Helpful Tips: The bugs up here can be particularly brutal after July 15th. Consider bringing a cook tarp with bug netting to get some reprieve.
If you poke around, you’ll find there’s a few backcountry lodges / cabins located in the National Park. These could be nice way to break up the ruggedness of your trip if you’ve got a big budget.
Want some more info?: We wrote an in depth guide to backpacking Gates of the Arctic. It’s got lots of info and tips that aren’t included here.
Want to join a guided trip? Trips in Alaska can be a lot to plan and prepare for. On guided trips we take care of all the logistics and you’ll be led by guides with decades of experience. We offer basecamp hiking trips and guided backpacking trips in Gates of the Arctic. New for 2025 we’re running a basecamp hiking trip that links up both Gates of the Arctic National Park and Kobuk Sand Dunes National Park in addition to our classic Oolah Valley Backpacking Traverse.
THE CHUGACH MOUNTAINS
Experience the best of Alaskan wilderness near Anchorage, from glaciated peaks to pristine lakes.
The Chugach Mountains aren’t as high as the Alaska Range, but wow do they pack a massive snow-filled punch. Finding a route that is below snow line but above shwackline can be challenging — but if you find it, you’ll be well rewarded with remote beauty. Considering Anchorage sits at the base of the Chugach range, it’s entirely possible to start an epic trip in these mountains with little more than an Uber ride. Consider starting out of Girdwood, Eagle River or the Matanuska Glacier or flying in from Merrill Field in Anchorage.
Getting There: Hike in from any number of trailheads close to Anchorage.
Fly in with Meekins Air Service from The Matanuska Glacier.
Permits: none needed.
Popular Known Routes: Crow Pass, Rabbit Lakes
Helpful Tips: Even for Alaska, the Chugach can be shwacky… very schwacky. It’s definitely worth doing your research and finding a route that can avoid some of this. Talk to your pilot, hop on google earth, travel on glaciers, stay high.
Want to join a guided trip?: We offer custom guided backpacking trips in the Chugach Mountains. Heck, they’re our back yard and we know them and love them with the entirety of our hearts. Reach out to chat possibilities.
THE TALKEETNA MOUNTAINS
When it comes to bang-for-your-buck for a remote off-trail Alaskan Backpacking trip longer than seven days, you’d be hard pressed to find a better option than the Talkeetna Mountains. (For shorter than seven days, just Uber from Ted Stevens airport to the Flattop Mountain Trailhead and make a big loop with the existing trail network.)
The Talkeetnas may not be a household name like Denali, and sure, they’re not as tall… but damn they’re beautiful. Better yet they offer a lot of pretty easy bushwhack-free walking by Alaska standards. Better yet still, they’re by far the most affordable option. You can run tons of different routes from the road system. Or of course you could fly in with a number of bush pilots.
If you want to do a trip in Alaska and you’re on a budget, definitely consider the Talkeetnas.
The Talkeetnas are the site of our Advanced Backpacking Course because they provide a perfect classroom for all things Alaska. We offer one all women course and one queer affinity course at the beginning of each summer season.
BONUS: KESUGI RIDGE TRAIL
If you’re really committed to backpacking in Alaska, but don’t feel comfortable navigating off trail and don’t want to hire a guide, the Kesugi Ridge Trail is a great option. If you’re lucky, you’ll get incredible views of Denali and the Alaska Range, albeit from very far away. You might also consider the Crow Pass trail or Resurrection Pass trail.
EVERYWHERE ELSE!
ALASKA IS HUGE!
You could spend a 100 lifetimes… Alaska is huge, below are some other spots to consider. Or better yet, just look at a map of the state and see what looks most compelling. Oftentimes the greatest rewards come from trips you build without too much external input. Even if the trip you end up doing isn’t the “prettiest” you’ll probably still have more fun (than going somewhere well known) knowing that you had a wild self-actualized adventure.
Kenai Fjords, Katmai National park, Kobuk Valley National Park, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Aniakchak National Monument, Aleutian Islands.
We run custom guided adventures in all these places for groups of four or more.
Route Planning
Planning routes in Alaska can be a challenge. There are few guidebooks and not that much online. Below are some helpful strategies.
Internet Sleuthing:
Once you’ve picked a zone, where do you go from there? If you’re keen on getting ideas from what people have done before, check out google. More specifically, poke around message boards, check out reddit, look for guide company itineraries, and, use Cal Topo or Gaia. To use Cal Topo — type in the location name and Cal Topo into Google — people’s public routes will show up in the search results. For instance, a quick search of “Wrangells Cal Topo” into google, comes up with this first link offering lots of route ideas. It’s important to note that it can often be challenging to differentiate whether the line on Caltopo was recorded by someone in the field, or drawn in from a computer — just because you find it on Cal Topo or Gaia, doesn’t mean the route goes, and / or doesn’t mean that the person who made the route has any idea what they’re doing. But it’s a great place to get ideas.
Bush Plane Pilots
If you’re planning on using a bush plane service — your pilots can be incredible resources for route planning. Alaska Bush plane pilots are legendary. The ones who have been flying for a long time like Paul Roderick or Paul Claus know the Alaska backcountry more than anyone. If you’re kind, humble and inquisitive, they might just share some gems with you. I truly think the coolest way to run a personal backpacking trip is to tell your pilot how many miles you’d like to do, and then have them pick the route for you based off what they’re most keen on. At the minimum though, they can give you insight into where existing airstrips are or where they can land more generally (gravel bars, relatively flat pieces of tundra, lakes, certain sections of glacier, etc.)
Paper Maps, Electronic Maps, and Google Earth
There’s a ton of technology out there these days that makes planning routes in the backcountry way easier. But it’s a bit of an aesthetic choice whether you use any of it. Some might argue there’s more adventure to be had just in the paper maps. I don’t disagree. But I also find that these days I’m more out there for the beauty and wildness than for the macro route finding. So for almost all my trips, I go through a process of route planning before hand, so that in the field I really just have to follow the route on my phone that I drew in from the comfort of home.
This option has a few major benefits: less time spent getting lost, less time trying to cross passes that are actually uncrossable, and no stress navigating in whiteouts or low visibility. I’ll never forget a 35 day backpacking trip I guided in the Wrangells in 2016 (before I regularly used technology for route planning). It was our last day of a long and grueling itinerary. We were tired and out of fuel and pretty ravenous overall… after that many days in the field your body just can’t possibly eat enough to stay full. We were 2 miles from our pickup, but as we crested the pass we encountered a 15ft cliff band guarding the entire valley. Topo lines are usually 20ft, 40ft, or 100ft increments. Our maps were 40ft increments, just big enough to entirely miss the cliff band. What looked like a passable route simply wasn’t and we ended up adding 20 miles to our trip to work around the impassable valley. So. Technology is cool.
These days, I’ll lay out a big overview map (Ideally one from Nat Geo). From there I’ll figure out my possible access and exit points either from existing markers on the maps, from Cal Topo, or from talking with the pilots, and then i’ll draw out a compelling route. Then, I’ll hop on Google Earth and fly through that route to see what it looks like and find any places where the route might not go or where there’s a better option. Once I’ve dialed in my route, I’ll upload all that info into Gaia and use my phone for navigation. I’ll bring a big scale overview map just in case my phone dies, but not the zoomed in quadrant maps.
If you want to go old school, plan on buying your USGS topos online before arriving in Alaska. Don’t plan on finding them in stores once you’re up here. Denali, however, is an exception. Because people can’t plan their exact routes in advance due to Denali’s permitting system, the backcountry permit office has a full supply of all the quads you could need. Nonetheless, still a good idea to come prepared with a Nat Geo overview map if you’re planning on leaving the tech behind.
A few notes to consider:
Bush planes can land in way more places than marked airstrips. Just because you don’t see an airstrip on the map doesn’t mean you can’t enter or exit via plane close by. Gravel bars, smooth strips of tundra, and lakes at least a 1/2 mile in diameter are often workable.
Alaskan rivers are big and powerful. Don’t underestimate them. You may need to hike many miles up river before a waterway becomes crossable — and even then, you may need to wait till the early morning when snow melt rivers are at their lowest or may not be able to cross at all. Some routes require a packraft to make crossings possible. Plan your routes humbly when it comes to river crossings. Planning a one-way route with a big questionable river crossing past the half way point is a sure fire way to maybe get really kerfufled.
Glaciers provide highways through the mountains. If you’ve never travelled on dry glacier before, a wilderness trip may not be the best time to learn. But if you have some experience, consider bringing along a pair of micro spikes and traveling the glaciers. It’s important to note that you can generally travel on dry glacier (glacier ice without snow on top) without a rope. That being said, it requires experience to know what is snow and what is ice. Traveling on snow covered glacier without a full mountaineering setup and crevasse rescue gear is fairly foolish and should be avoided.
For trips longer than 10 days, consider leaving a re-ration of food, fuel, and fresh socks with the bush pilot. They can bring your re-ration to a landing spot along your route.
Gear for Alaska Backpacking
Pack Smart and Light: In Alaska as anywhere, your gear choices can make or break your expedition. This post isn’t meant to be an exhaustive intro to backpacking, so what follows is just some Alaska specific gear advice in no particular order:
Always line your backpack with a trash bag or better yet get a waterproof backpack (I use the Hyperlite Porter 4400 for everything) and line it with a trash bag. Rain covers are fairly useless while bushwhacking through alder. While you’re at it, make sure you sleeping bag is in a waterproof compression sack… I like the eVent ones.
Shelter System: Opt for a lightweight tent or tarp setup that provides excellent protection without sacrificing comfort. Many 3 season tents won’t cut it. Bug netting is a must. For what it’s worth… I once brought a floorless shelter with bug netting lining the perimeter to save weight (over a full tent body) and it was one of the most miserable trips i’ve ever had. The mosquitos crawled through the grass no matter how i set it up. I wouldn’t wish it upon anyone. A 360 bug net setup (like in all standard tents) is strongly recommended. It can rain for a month straight. It can snow almost anytime in the summer. You don’t need a 4 season tent, but make sure it can withstand some snow. Many lightweight 3 season tents get ripped to shreds by AK summer storms.
Insulation: I use synthetic everything. The only place I’ll risk down is in my sleeping bag and maybe in a big puffy parka. I’ve had trips where it rained 12 days straight… if you have down jackets there’s almost no way you’re keeping them dry. And of course, no cotton.
Socks: Many pairs of wool socks. I like to have 1 or even 2 pairs stashed away in tied plastic bags to pull out as the trip progresses. I’ll also often bring neoprene socks because realistically, your feet often stay wet for long periods of time.
Bring camp shoes. Crocs without holes are a great option. If you want to go ultralight, bring some thick durable plastic bags that you can wear in your hiking shoes with dry socks when you get to camp. Your feet will be wet all day long while hiking. Wet feet during the day is an acquired taste but nothing to worry about. Wet feet 24/7 is awful.
Rain Gear: If you’re going to get one thing right, make it this. Good rain gear is an absolute must. Ultralight rain pants will likely get torn to shreds, bring something durable. I also swear by an umbrella for non bushwhack days where it’s misting and you’re moving… it will keep you drier than a rain jacket can.
Navigation: Carry topographic maps, a compass, and a GPS device to navigate accurately. I use my phone with Gaia for my navigation. On Airplane Mode and Low Battery mode my iPhone 11 lasts around 6 days on a single charge. I bring a small battery pack to recharge as needed. I wouldn’t rely on solar panels. My Inreach acts as a backup GPS should my phone die or break.
You can bring a headlamp for reading, but you don’t really need one June - August as there’s 24 hour light.
Bear Safety: Prioritize bear safety by carrying bear spray (1 per person or at least 2-3 for the group), bear safe food storage, and knowledge of proper bear encounter protocols. Bear bells are annoying and mostly ineffective.
Water Treatment: In Alaska, as long as I’m not in one of the few well-travelled areas, I’ll drink straight from the streams without any purification. Otherwise I bring a Steri-pen. Maybe I just have an iron gut at this point. Last summer I drank straight from a beaver pond and didn’t notice any negative effects.
Essentials Kit: Pack a comprehensive first aid kit, repair supplies, multi-tool. Be prepared for things to go wrong. It’s not like the lower 48. A rescue could take a week to 10 days if you’re unlucky. Even if nothing goes wrong, the plane pickup might still be delayed a few days if the weather doesn’t allow them to fly.
A quick word on Leave No Trace
Get familiar with Leave No Trace principles and practice them! Of particular note: in groups of 3 or more, walk spread out, not in a single-file line — we don’t want to make trails everywhere we walk. The exception to this is when you find a good game trail.
Most people think of Alaska as a super-saturated rainforest. That is increasingly untrue. Be really careful with fires — Alaska is starting to see a ferocious summer fire season.
You do not need a gun for Alaska unless maybe if you’re going into polar bear country (very very unlikely you are). Bear spray is plenty sufficient. If a bear is attacking you such that you wished you had a gun, you made some glaring errors in your bear protocol (keeping a clean camp, camping in places with long lines of sight, etc). Please don’t shoot bears to scare them off or for sport.
If you’re not familiar with all the principles of LNT, please check them out and follow them consciously.
In Conclusion…
Alaska is incredible. With a bit of preparation, and a bit of good-spirited tenacity you’ll have a memorable and magical trip. It’s not for everyone: there will most certainly be some miles of dense alder stumbling, some days of gnarly mosquitos, and maybe a few days of downpour.. but there will also be massive glaciated peaks, unbelievable river gorges, dense wildlife, and a sense of the earth before humans. If it’s your first trip off trail, start with low mileage days as you get aquatinted with what the travel feels like or go with a guide. If you’re an experienced backpacker… there’s no better place on earth to explore.
If you’d like a guided or instructed trip, reach out or check out our trip calendar. Whether it’s Denali’s Whale’s Tail, Gates of the Arctic, the Wrangells, or some remote place you’d love to explore with a bit of professional guidance, we can make it happen.
If you go on a personal trip, let me know about it (dm me on instagram @indigo_alpine)! I always love hearing about people’s adventures.
