Safety & Responsibility

Because our trips take place in remote & wild environments, there are inherent risk factors that can’t be entirely avoided without compromising the unique character of the activities associated with adventure travel.  Obviously, it’s not our intention to reduce your enthusiasm for outdoor adventure activities, but we believe it is important for everyone to know in advance that real adventure involves real risk, much of which simply cannot be controlled Alaska Alpine Adventures or Alaska Alpine Adventures’ employees.  By joining one of our trips you are representing that you understand, and are accepting of, the risks described in the acknowledgment/release document that all participants are required to sign.

You are also representing that you will accept the degree of personal responsibility necessary to participate in adventure travel activities.  Keep in mind if you show up unprepared, then we reserve the right to kick you off of the trip, at your expense!!!  Therefore, as a commitment to yourself, your guide team, and to your fellow trip members we ask that you:

• Show up physically fit:  Work on stamina, strength, and mobility.  Understand that you won’t be the strongest and likely not the weakest on the trip, regardless of age or experience.
• Bring the right gear – ALL OF IT:  Follow our gear lists – they are SPOT ON.  If you bring extra, you will carry it, and if you don’t bring enough you put yourself and the trip at risk.
• Be prepared to suffer just a little bit:  Unless you luck into a great stretch of weather, you will be cold, wet, and tired.
• Be responsible for yourself:  Think about every move and thoughtfully manage your personal health & comfort.
• Follow your guides but share your sentiments:  They are professionals, so give them space to do their jobs and defer to their judgment.  If you have concerns or questions, please go to them.
• Be respectful & supportive of others:  Odds are high that some in your group won’t see eye to eye, and others might be unprepared. Mutual respect and support boost the chances of a trip’s success.
• Temper your personal goals and accept those of the group:  Check your ego at the door.  You’re only as fast as the slowest group member and as Alaska will allow you to be.
• Read the itinerary and understand the policies & the waivers:  And then read them again, this time focusing on the small print.
• Respect our land and leave no trace:  Alaska looks like it does only because of human beings who have been doing just that for thousands of years before us.
• Listen to Alaska & be aware:  Observe the weather, admire the wildlife from afar, and keep your rain gear always handy.
• Relax, have fun, and savor every moment:  Your trip and the challenges within it will be over before you can blink.
• Be flexible and travel with an open mind:  Your itinerary will likely deviate from what is printed – you signed up for real adventure in real Alaska.
• Tolerate the loudmouth jerk who signed up for the trip:  Occasionally, though rarely, people sign up for a trip and misrepresent their abilities, knowledge, and skillset.  The world is full of jerks, and every once in a while someone registers for a trip and doesn’t read or heed anything we send to them.
• Don’t be a jerk:  Enough said.

It takes a talented individual to be able to lead an Alaska expedition, and our Alaska guides are true outdoor multi-sport professionals.  We hand-select each guide based on their ability to deliver an unparalleled level of customer service, a strong wilderness skill set and background, and an insatiable passion for Alaska’s wild spaces.  Each lead guide is medically certified as a Wilderness First Responder and carries the necessary qualifications to competently backpack, hike, kayak, canoe, and climb throughout Alaska’s vast wilderness.  When you choose to travel with us, you can rest assured that your trip has been meticulously planned and executed by real Alaskans with authentic Alaska know-how, skill, and ability.

Given the remote nature of our trips, we take our equipment very seriously and all of our gear is of superior quality and is expedition-ready.  All trips travel with a well-stocked first aid kit and a plan for initiating an evacuation if necessary.  All of our multi-day wilderness expeditions carry a satellite phone and a Garmin InReach for use during an emergency and to relay critical information with the office team and transportation vendors.  Water-related safety equipment includes Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs) for each passenger along with throw ropes, a whitewater wrap kit for rafting trips, spare paddles and oars, air pump, and a boat repair kit.

While we do our best to mitigate the risks associated with adventure travel, incidents and injuries that require evacuation do occur from time to time.  Since most Alaska Alpine Adventures’ trips take place in remote wilderness locations, evacuations can be prolonged, difficult and expensive.  As such, emergency medical personnel and hospital facilities may be distant or not available.  It is your responsibility to carry insurance, or be prepared to cover the cost yourself, for expenses related to emergency medical evacuation.