What makes the Alaska Adventure special?
This is the most complete Alaska experience available to young adults. We’ve been conducting this trip since 1976.
What kind of experience do I need for this trip?
The Alaska trip is one of our most demanding trips. We recommend that you have completed a prior Wilderness Ventures expedition or have backpacking experience. However, if you are fit and willing to push yourself, and enthusiastic, you are more than welcome on the Alaska trip.
Is the ice climbing section really difficult and will I need to provide my own gear for it?
We will be working with experienced guides, learning the techniques to safely climb vertical ice. Most of the other participants will have no previous ice climbing experience. Wilderness Ventures provides all of the specialized gear on our trips. For the ice-climbing portion of the trip, we will provide all of the ice tools, harnesses, crampons, and helmets.
Do we need previous sea kayaking experience?
No, our leaders will teach you basic sea kayaking techniques, so that you can enjoy the beautiful Prince William Sound. We will be using safe and stable two person kayaks. You will have the opportunity to safely view whales and other wildlife with our experienced kayaking leaders.
What kind of weather can I expect in Alaska?
Weather in Alaska during the summer is quite nice. During the day, you can expect sun with warm temperatures. Hiking in a t-shirt and shorts is the norm. In the evening, the temperatures will drop as low as the 40’s, providing the perfect sleeping weather.
What are things that I could do before the trip starts to physically prepare myself?
Any reasonable fit and active teen will be successful on the Alaska trip. If you are playing a sport this spring that will provide you with the preparation you need. At least four weeks before your trip you should begin to break in your boots. Start out with small walks around your neighborhood and work your way up to three-hour hikes. Your Alaska experience will be significantly more enjoyable if you have a basic level of fitness and well-broken in boots.
What kind of food will I eat this summer?
Your fellow trip participants, with help from your leaders, will create the menus for your trip. Everyone will be involved in this process to ensure a wide variety of food choices that provide a balanced diet to fuel our bodies. We shop in regular grocery stores and teach you how to plan for and obtain great food for backcountry travels. The food is delicious, healthy, and there will be plenty of it.
What will my trip leaders be like?
One of the strongest components of Wilderness Ventures is the leaders. We take great pride in our leaders and spend a great deal of time and energy in choosing each one. The average age is about 25. Your trips will have at least one male and one female leader. These are some of the most dynamic, intelligent, and interesting people in the world. Each has a love for the outdoors, and a passion for teaching and working with young adults. They are great role models and have an incredible ability to facilitate each trip from backcountry travel to group dynamics. Most are teachers in traditional schools, outdoor/environmental programs or other teaching related programs. Our return rate is very high so most of our leaders have worked with us for multiple seasons. You will have a great time getting to know your leaders and will benefit from their vast experiences.
Isn’t the sun always out in Alaska during the summer? How am I going to sleep?
Alaska is situated near the Northern reaches of the globe so it does receive quite a bit of light by the summer solstice. Since our trip does not take us to the Arctic Circle we will not be experiencing 24 hours of daylight. Instead we will experience nights that resemble dusk in the amount of light we’ll have. Don’t worry though, after days filled with activity you’ll have no trouble sleeping.
Will we be taking showers and doing laundry?
Yes! After each backcountry section we will be taking showers and doing our laundry. It’s also a great time to write a letter home to tell your family and friends about the backcountry section you just completed.
