Packages and Options

Day 1. Mountain Biking or Hiking Eklutna Lake, Sheep Mountain Lodge
Our group meets in Anchorage at Extended Stay Deluxe Anchorage—Downtown at 9:00 a.m. After introductions, we begin our adventure with a scenic bike ride along turquoise-colored Eklutna Lake. Towering mountains and distant glaciers surround this tranquil lake, and the valley is home to Dall sheep, moose, eagles and a few rarely seen bears. Next we enjoy a scenic shuttle to the Matanuska River Valley and Sheep Mountain Lodge, located at the base of Sheep Mountain. The lodge offers sweeping views of the Matanuska River Valley and Chugach Mountains, and Dall sheep can sometimes be located grazing on the rocky hillsides just behind the lodge.
• Biking along Eklutna Lake [up to 18 miles, elevation change negligible]
• Hiking option around Eklutna Lake [up to 5 miles, elevation change negligible]

Day 2. Scenic Flight to Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Kennicott Glacier Lodge (shared baths)
This morning we hike to a waterfall en route to Chitina where we board a scenic flight to McCarthy in the heart of Wrangell St. Elias National Park. At over 13 million acres, it's the largest national park in the United States and was recently recognized as a World Heritage site for its extraordinary beauty. For those interested in outdoor exploration, this untouched wilderness is waiting. Once a vibrant mining community, Kennicott is now a ghost town with buildings selectively preserved by the Park. We stay at the beautifully restored Glacier Kennicott Lodge set spectacularly at the foot of Root Glacier.
• Hike the Liberty Creek Trail (2.5 miles, 400 feet of elevation gain)
• Scenic flight to Wrangell-St. Elias National Park (35 minutes)
• Interpretive hike around Kennicott (easy, 1-1/2 hours)

Day 3. Hiking or Ice Climbing, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Kennicott Glacier Lodge
Today we have two great options. One is to explore the mountain wilderness of Wrangell St. Elias on a stunningly dramatic hike to precipitous Bonanza mine.
Yielding incredibly rich copper deposits, the Bonanza Ridge brought a 1910s mining boom to this remote corner of Alaska. We see remnants of the mining history
as we climb above treeline and take in the prominent views of Mt. Blackburn and Mt. Regal, and with luck, 19,850’ Mt. Logan. If we feel energetic, we can hike to the ridgeline where panoramas of the park are unparalleled.
Option two is a day of introductory ice climbing or glacier hiking (additional cost). Learn the basics from expert guides who supply all the gear and take you onto the back of Root Glacier to explore its icy wonders - crevasses, moulins, ice caves, and more. It’s a thrill that could be the highpoint of your trip!
After the today’s action, we tour the historic mining community of McCarthy before dinner.
• Bonanza Mine hike option [8 miles, 3700' elevation gain/loss]. Easier option: Root Glacier hike [9 miles, elevation gain/loss 200 feet]
• Ice climbing or glacier hiking option ($100-$105 additional cost for full day)

Day 4. Transfer to Valdez, Rafting Tsaina River, Brookside Inn B&B
Take a spectacular drive through Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and down the Richardson Highway to Valdez, "Alaska's Little Switzerland." Developed during
the Klondike Gold Rush, this deepwater port is set on the Prince William Sound at the head of a long, dramatic fjord surrounded by the majestic Chugach Mountains.
After lunch at dramatic Worthington Glacier we raft the Tsaina River through narrow gorges and past several waterfalls. We spend the evening in the Brookside Inn, a charming family owned and operated Bed & Breakfast.
• Raft the Tsaina River [Class III-IV]
• Kennicott to Valdez [5+ hour shuttle]

Day 5. Sea Kayaking Prince William Sound, Brookside Inn B & B
Considered by many to be one of the best places for exploring the fjords and glaciers that feed Prince William Sound, Valdez is the gateway to this great natural preserve. The beautiful and well-protected area of Prince William Sound near Valdez provides an unbeatable setting to learn the basics of paddling and explore the area’s shoreline and spectacular tidewater glaciers. You’ll experience Alaska’s largest rookery of blacklegged kittiwakes with thousands of nesting sea birds.
• Sea Kayaking: [approximately 7-hour trip, 6-miles]

Day 6. Ferry Ride to Whittier and Hiking Byron Glacier or Crow Pass Trail
We embark on an unforgettable Alaskan experience, a ferry ride across spectacular Prince William Sound surrounded by mountains, forests and tidewater glaciers. Keep alert for whales, sea otters, seals, sea lions, eagles, and clouds of sea birds.
At the end of our crossing, depending on our arrival time in Whittier, our guide will choose from a hike to Crow Pass or Byron Glacier. The historic Crow Pass trail explores the northernmost temperate rain forest in North America. Part of the Historic Iditarod Trail route, the Crow Pass trail is all about variety. Waterfalls, glacial valleys, and snow covered peaks await our arrival. The trail climbs through wooded foothills into a steep, glacier-carved valley above tree line. Continuing uphill we find mine ruins beneath a picturesque cascade, and time permitting a view of the heavily crevassed Raven Glacier.
Alternatively, we hike to accessible Byron Glacier, home to crazy snowboarders on the avalanche chutes and mysterious iceworms that feed on pollen grains and red algae on the surface of the glacier. This trail is wellmaintained and wide during the first half with the second half being rocky with small stream crossings. The trail ends below the glacier and has magnificent mountain scenery. After our hike we continue on to Anchorage where our adventure ends at approximately 6:00 p.m.
• Ferry from Valdez to Whittier [5-1/2 hours]
• Crow Pass hike: [6 miles, 2000 feet of elevation gain/loss] or Byron Glacier hike [2 miles, 100 feet of elevation change]
• Transfer to Anchorage [45 min]

How difficult is this trip? 
This trip is Moderately Easy to Moderate. It is intended for the active adult who fees comfortable being active 4-6 hours a day, hiking 6-8 miles with options of up to 10 miles, and with climbs of up to 2200 feet. The bike rides are 15-30 miles per day with an option of some shuttling by the support vehicle.

Day 1. Sheep Mountain Lodge
Day 2. Kennicott Glacier Lodge (shared baths)
Day 3. Kennicott Glacier Lodge
Day 4. Brookside Inn B&B
Day 5. Brookside Inn B & B

Passports
Valid passport required by all nationals referred to in the chart ; validity varies - for most countries the passport must be valid for at least six months from the date on which the holder enters the USA. If not, the holder will be admitted until the expiration date on the passport; check with the embassy (see Contact Addresses).
Passport Note
(a) For nationals included in the Visa Waiver Program (see below), passports must be valid for at least 90 days from date of entry.
(b) All travellers entering the USA under the Visa Waiver Program require individual machine-readable passports. Children included on a parent's passport also now require their own machine-readable passport. Travellers not in possession of machine-readable passports will require a valid USA entry visa.
(c) Passports issued on or after 26 October 2005 will need to have a biometric identifier in order for the holder to travel visa free under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). Machine-readable passports issued between 26 October 2005 and 25 October 2006 require a digital photograph printed on the data page or an integrated chip with information from the data page. Machine-readable passports issued on or after 26 October 2006 will require an integrated chip with information from the data page (e-passport).

New Requirements for Travellers: As of 23 January 2007 all persons, including US citizens, travelling by air between the USA and Canada, Central and South America, the Caribbean and Bermuda are required to present a valid passport, or other approved document, when entering or re-entering the USA. Similar requirements for those travelling by land or sea will be introduced on 1 June 2009.

For further details about the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, visit the website of the US Department of State: (website: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html).

The US has announced new measures that require all travellers to provide details online 72 hours prior to travel. Although these will be on a voluntary basis as of August 2008, it is expected they will become compulsory for all travellers from 12 January 2009. For more information, and to apply online please visit the following website at http://esta.cbp.dhs.gov.

Visas
Not required by nationals referred to in the chart above for stays of up to 90 days except:
1. nationals of Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Hungary, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania and Slovak Republic, who do require a visa.
Visa Note
(a) Landed Immigrants of Canada and British residents of Bermuda who are citizens of, and have valid passports from, Commonwealth countries or Ireland are not eligible to enter the USA without a visa. (b) All passengers using US airports for transit purposes are required to obtain a transit visa. This does not affect qualified travellers travelling visa free under the Visa Waiver Program. (d) To qualify for visa-free travel under the Visa Waiver Program, nationals must travel on a valid passport, for holiday, transit or business purposes only and for a stay not exceeding 90 days. (e) Passengers must have the full address and ZIP code of where they are staying in the USA to be able to fully complete the I-94W form. Note: Airlines are also required to collect passenger details, including the address of their first night's accommodation in the USA, before they board the aircraft. (f) 2. Holders of UK passports with the endorsement British Subject, British Dependent Territories Citizen, British Protected Person, British Overseas Citizen or British National (Overseas) Citizen do not qualify for the Visa Waiver Program. A passport which states holder has right of abode or indefinite leave to remain in the UK does not qualify for visa free travel. (g) A visa does not expire with the expiry of the holder’s passport. An unexpired, endorsed visa in an expired passport may be presented for entry into the USA, as long as the visa itself has not been cancelled, is undamaged, is less than 10 years old and is presented with a valid non-expired passport, provided that both passports are for the same nationality. (h) Nationals of countries not referred to in the chart above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements (see Contact Addresses).
Types of Visa and Cost
Tourist, Business, Transit and Student: US$131.
Validity
Visas may be used for travel to the USA until the date it expires. Some visas are valid for multiple entries. The length of stay in the USA is determined by US immigration officials at the time of entry but is generally six months; there is, however, no set time.
Applications to:
Embassy or consulate (see Contact Addresses).
Working Days Required
Usually five after interview. Some cases may take up to 12 weeks – check with embassy/consulate.