Day 1

Today we arrive in beautiful, historic Juneau, the capital of Alaska. As you enter the airport you’ll immediately meet a group of people who share and amplify your excitement when our staff greets all of the participants at the baggage claim in the Juneau International Airport. Located about 890 miles northwest of Seattle in the Alaskan Panhandle, Juneau was originally utilized by Tlingit Indians for fishing. Eventually however, in August of 1880, prospectors Richard Harris and Joseph Juneau found an abundance of gold in the area. Consequently, on October 18, they staked a 160-acre town site and were joined by the first boatloads of prospectors bound for the new strike. The discovery was the first that resulted in the founding of an Alaskan town. As we all enter the bustling town however, the first thing on our minds will be to meet the other individuals on your trip. Meeting your new teammates, you’re sure to be surprised by all of the different cities that are represented among your trip group. Chances are you’ll be in a group with individuals from all over the country. In addition to some icebreakers and get-to-know-you games, we’ll learn how to set up our tents and meet our tent partners. That evening, we’ll relax under the beautiful Alaskan sky enjoying our first delicious meal as a group.

Day 2

Today we will visit Alaska's Douglas Island Pink and Chum Fish Hatchery. This hatchery was formed in 1976 by a group of Juneau residents responding to the community's depleted fisheries resource. You will have a chance to observe four species of Pacific salmon; chum, chinook, coho and sockeye. Following our time in the hatchery we head back to our campsite to prepare for our upcoming service experience in Haines, AK. Our ferry along the Alaska Marine Highway will take us from Juneau to our new home in this small town.

Days 3-10

Following our experience in Juneau we’ll take a breathtaking ferry to Haines, Alaska where we’ll begin our service activities. Our service work will be conducted with two distinct groups: the Alaska State Park Service and the Town of Haines. At the northern end of America's longest fjord, Haines shares a border with 20 million acres of protected wilderness. The heart of Alaska's Glacier Bay National Park is less than 25 miles by air from downtown Haines, with Canada's Kluane National Park and Tatshenshini-Alsek Provincial Park just up the road. We’ll see birds, wildlife, and meadows full of flowers in the lush forests, on the ocean shores, or along the banks of our rivers. We’ll have an opportunity to visit the Alaskan Indian Arts Center where we’ll have a chance to meet members of the Tlingit Indian Tribe. In years past we've provided service for the Alaska State Park Service. We’ll get a chance to work along side with National Forest Service agents, State Park Service personnel as well as with local stewards of the land. Anne Boyce, a Haines local, wrote "the trail section both groups worked on extends about a half of a mile, from 2000 feet to 2500 feet through a deciduous meadow. It was seriously overgrown; the trail was almost completely hidden by thick growth of woody shrubs and plants. This summer’s efforts have almost completely restored it, and it’s simply a joy to walk along now. We are grateful for your groups, and look forward to joining them again in the future." The town of Haines has also appreciated our efforts over the past several years. In the town of Haines our groups have been a staple at the annual Haines 4th of July BBQ. We assist the local fire department in preparing for this event. The students have a chance to meet and greet just about everyone from the community on the day of the fair as we prepare and serve lunch. After our volunteer efforts we’re always invited to participate in pie eating contests, volleyball tournaments and potato sack races. We’ve also assisted the town’s local radio station and several community groups during our time in Haines. All said and done we'll have earned up to sixty-five hours of community service.

Day 9

Today we’ll spend one final day providing service to the community of Haines. In addition to service and museum visits, we’ll begin preparing for our exciting Whitewater rafting trip down the Blanchard River. Tonight, Lee Heimiller, from the Alaskan Indian Arts Center, prepares a traditional salmon bake (he catches the fish that same day!!) for our group in appreciation for all of our efforts with the community and the Tlingit Indian Tribe. This is a truly unique experience and a chance to feast on some delicious food.

Day 10

Today we engage in our thrilling whitewater rafting experience. Our adventure begins on the Blanchard River, a beautiful tributary that flows into the Tatshenshini. It offers class II and III rapids in clear, green water. The Tatshenshini is a classic whitewater run that eventually empties into the Pacific Ocean, 160 miles downstream. The Blanchard River starts with a series of nice drops that allow paddlers time to practice before the confluence with the Tatshenshini. The Tatshenshini is a larger volume river and has three named rapids, "Boulder Garden, C to C, and Twin Holes." The rafting is memorable and the surroundings will leave you breathless!

Days 11-16

After an enjoyable ferry trip from Haines to Juneau we’ll take care of all the preparations before we ‘set sail’ on our sea kayaking voyage along the coast of Chichagoff Island! Our adventure starts when we hop on a bush plane in Juneau and fly on over to Gustavus, Alaska. In Gustavus, we’ll grab our kayaks and take a boat shuttle to the Idaho Inlet of the Chichagoff Island at which our paddling shall commence! For four days we’ll paddle from incredible campsite location to incredible campsite location, along the way guaranteed to see Humpback whales! While we’re out there, we’ll also learn all the skills and practices we need to make it through the backcountry in comfort, such as backcountry cooking, minimum impact camping, as well as map and compass skills. On our final day, we’ll again rendezvous with our boat shuttle and float our way back to Gustavus. Again, from Gustavus we’ll fly back to Juneau to shower and do laundry.

Days 17-18

We’ll return to Juneau with time to experience downtown and visit local museums before our final banquet. Our departing banquet is a time to celebrate the magic that we’ve just experienced with our new friends from all over the United States. It is also a time to revel in our accomplishments and reminisce over good times. Our final day we’ll depart from the Juneau International Airport, the same place where our trip began just 17 days ago.

 

Please Note: This is a sample day to day itinerary based on service projects we have done in past years. Our service projects are put together carefully each year working with the local communities to find projects that will provide the greatest assistance for those in need. In order to be sure we are working on projects that will be both meaningful and substantive, the exact projects for each year are decided in late spring. Due to the dynamic nature of the needs of the communities, last minute changes are always possible, but they will be replaced with comparable ones.