Ultimate Alaska Multisport – Prince William Sound, Chugach & Denali National Park

Your trip begins today in Anchorage, Alaska. You can arrive at any time and transfer to our hotel independently via their complimentary shuttle. Lodging on night one will be at the Aloft Hotel, which is conveniently located near the airport in midtown Anchorage Depending on your arrival time, the remainder of the day is yours to relax after your flight or to explore some of the city’s notable sites including the Anchorage Museum of History & Art or the city Park Strip.

This morning, you will meet your guides at the hotel at 8am. We’ll then make the 3-hour drive north along the Glenn Highway past the mighty Matanuska Glacier. Just past the glacier, we’ll stop for a short but steep hike up the Lion’s Head.  The Lion’s Head is a geologic feature called a rôche moutonnée, which is a rock feature created by the passing of a glacier. The views of the Matanuska Glacier and the surrounding Chugach mountains are amazing.  By late afternoon, we’ll check into either the Majestic Valley or Sheep Mountain Lodge where comfortable rooms include stunning views of the Talkeetna and Chugach mountain ranges.  A favorite destination for Alaskans and tourists alike, these lodges’ remoteness, real Alaskan charm, and incredible food make for an unforgettable stay.  You’ll celebrate your first day of adventure with an amazing meal at the lodge.

Today we’ll meet our glacier guides, strap on crampons and ice axes, and spend the day ice climbing on the mighty Matanuska Glacier.  Designed for just about everyone, this glacier adventure is suitable for beginners and experts alike.  At over 27 miles long, the Matanuska Glacier is the largest glacier accessible by car in the United States.  From its origins in the highest peaks of the Alaska’s Chugach Mountains, the Matanuska is fed by incessant winter storms that dump more than 100’ of snow each year in the Chugach.  From the moment you step onto the base of the glacier, expert guides will begin by teaching you the basics on moderate slopes, and by the end of the day you’ll be scaling vertical walls of ice!  You’ll be on your own for dinner tonight to celebrate another 6+hour adventure with an amazing meal at the lodge or at another restaurant in the vicinity.

After breakfast at the lodge, we’ll load into the van and continue our way through the magnificent Chugach Mountains en route to our next lodge in the heart of the spectacular Thompson Pass.  Continuing south, views of Alaska’s Chugach Mountains, the Wrangell Mountains, and the Alaska Range will accompany us along the way.  On the way, we’ll make a stop for a hike and picnic near the Worthington Glacier.  The Worthington, a Natural Historic Landmark, is a spectacular glacier that tumbles from the Chugach Mountains, and our hike will take us towards the toe of the glacier with stunning scenes of blue ice, crevasses of the glacier, and vistas of the mighty Chugach.  By late afternoon, we’ll check into the Valdez Harbor Inn or Totem Hotel & Suites.

Today we spend the day sea kayaking in Shoup Bay.  After a thorough kayaking orientation and a 1-hour water taxi ride to the entrance of Shoup Bay, we’ll hop into sea-kayaks and paddle into this utterly protected body of water.  Once inside we’ll kayak past the largest Black Legged Kittiwake rookery in Prince William Sound, and we’ll lunch near the foot of this ancient tidewater glacier as it cracks, grumbles and potentially calves massive blocks of ice into the surrounding salt water.  Sea kayaking among the floating miniature icebergs makes for a fun obstacle course to test our paddling skills as does riding the swift current of the connecting stream on an outgoing tide.  Tonight, you’re free to enjoy dinner on your own at one of Valdez’s many restaurants.  This walkable town offers many options just a short walk from the hotel.

After an early breakfast, we’ll make our way down to the ferry terminal to board an Alaska State Ferry for the cruise to Whittier.  Our crossing of Prince William Sound will take us past Black Legged Kittiwake rookeries, near the faces of large tidewater glaciers, and through the pristine waters of Prince William Sound.  From Whittier we’ll travel by van to Anchorage along the Seward Highway and the Turnagain Arm of Cook Inlet – one of the most scenic drives in the world. Beluga Whales cruise the waters of the arm, and glaciers cling to the rugged mountains of the Chugach Range.  Once in Anchorage, we’ll head to our shop for a quick trip orientation and gear check before heading to Rust’s flying service, where we’ll board a floatplane bound for the wilderness of Denali National Park and our home for the next 3 nights.  This 1+ hour scenic flight will take us over alpine tundra, braided rivers, and cascading waterfalls, near Denali, the highest peak in North America, and finally up toward the mighty gorge of the Ruth Glacier, the deepest trench on earth!  Our skilled bush pilot will then take us down to a small lake nestled in a cleft between the Ruth and Tokositna Glaciers, where we will unload our gear on a small beach and then wave the airplane goodbye.  We’ll set up camp just beyond the lake, bask in the new-found solitude, and then take a short early evening hike before dinner.

*This is a big travel day, including a rather long ferry ride, a van transfer to Anchorage and a floatplane ride into Denali!

The options are staggering!  With almost unlimited daylight, we’ll spend these days in the tundra hills near camp, destined for magnificent views of the Backside Glacier, Ruth Glacier, and if weather permits, “The Great One,” 20,320 foot Denali.  On our hikes, you’ll learn in practice the skills necessary to hike off-trail in the Alaska wilderness – including reading a topographic map, choosing the best route, using trekking poles, and traveling efficiently.  Your treks will give you the chance to learn firsthand the glacial features of Denali’s frozen rivers of ice, the valley that bears the scars of thousands of years of glacial activity, and the more recent visual indications of climate change on the Alaska landscape.  After two full days of exploration, we’ll tally our wildlife and mountain peak sightings as we enjoy a filling meals in the wilderness.

Another breakfast and hot drink will fuel us for our last few hours in the wilderness.  After breaking camp, and moving our kit to the lakeshore, we’ll await our ride back to civilization.  As the float plane descends on the Lake, we’ll depart knowing that this amazing place has made a lasting impact on our souls.  We’ll return to Anchorage by early afternoon.  Occasionally, weather conditions prevent our groups from flying out of Denali on this final day.  Therefore, we strongly suggest spending this night in Anchorage and booking your return flights for the next day or later.

Please note that occasionally weather conditions prevent us from flying into and out of Denali National Park. If the weather isn’t flyable on the afternoon/ evening of Day 6 from Anchorage, we will continue north in the van to Talkeetna, Alaska. We will camp along the Talkeetna River. Our itinerary plan allows for a full-day of wait time in Talkeetna where our partner air service also has a floatplane. If we aren’t able to fly into Denali National Park by the afternoon of the next day (day 7), we will shift to the contingency itinerary.  Please download the detailed itinerary on this page for specifics.