2009 Begins

Well it's here! 2009 has been kicked off and our first group of the year is enjoying perfect weather, few bugs, and incredible solitude as they hike and explore Turquoise Lake. Aaron is holding down the show in Anchorage and I'm out at Lake Clark gearing up, packing food for trips, and generally taking in the beauty of this magical place - a place I never tire of. Lake Clark continues to astound me, and each time I fly through the "pass" memories of adventures gone by flood my consciousness. We are truly fortunate to be able to work and play in such a magnificent place! Let the season begin.

May 1st!

With summer fast approaching, and trips scheduled for just over a month from now, the official pre-season prep has begun. No matter how much you accomplish over the winter, there are always endless lists in the weeks leading up to the first trip.

We have ventured back to Port Alsworth to finish the guide shack, and prepare the house for our clients and guides. In the new guide shack, we will be installing the windows and door, and running a bit of wire for lights and outlets, and moving in furniture. After that, we'll call it good for the season. Back in the main house, it's into the food room to organize freezers, fill dry goods containers and take a final inventory.

We will return in just over a month for the first trip of the season, our Turquoise Lake Basecamp. Nestled in the heart of the park is Turquoise Lake, where we will establish a comfortable basecamp. From there, the hiking possibilities are endless. What a fantastic way to start the season!

We are looking forward to another great summer; grab your pack, lace up your boots, and join us for a true Alaskan wilderness adventure!

Change of Scenery in Port Alsworth

The Alaska Alpine Adventures staff was out of the office last week, working in Lake Clark to improve our home base there.  As we have revised our food and gear packing systems over the years, we have realized that more space will lead to greater efficiency, and thus more time to enjoy the wilderness.  To accommodate the growth, we opted to build a bunkhouse for our guides, separate from the operations of the house.  This new building, affectionately labeled the shack, stands mightily at 16' to the peak, and covers 12x24 feet of earth.  With 2 lofts, there should be plenty of room for us to stretch our legs and relax before and after our adventures.  

The real crux concerning the build began with a charter flight from Anchorage to Port Alsworth.  Needless to say, the USPS was not interested in mailing our 13,000 lbs. of building materials.  We chartered a DC-6, and set off to find people to fill the rest of the airplane to capacity.  Mt. Redoubt decided to throw its hand in the mix, grounding our airplane on the tarmack.  We were able to get the materials eventually, and after laying 1000 square feet of maple laminate in the house, we proceeded to build the new shack.  We were able to get fairly close to completion before returning to Anchorage, and will head out one last time before the season starts to install windows, hang the front door, and move in.  

As a few people know, we gave in to an offer for some Super Cub skiing above the Tuxedni Glacier.  We worked until 5 PM that evening and quickly grabbed our gear, turned on our beacons, and jumped in the planes.  Within 35 minutes we were stepping into our bindings in knee deep snow, ready to carve into the untracked powder.  

With Mt. Redoubt and Iliamna as our witnesses, we skied close to 10,000 vertical feet in roughly 3 hours.  It was a once in a lifetime experience that left us satisfied as only skiing untracked lines can.  Working 12 hour days the rest of the week didn't seem so bad.

Feel free to stop over at the new shack this summer, or drop in the house and check out the new laminate; there's bound to be cold beer and plenty of good stories inside.

National Parks Magazine - The Pebble Mine

Here is another excellent article in a national publication on the proposed Pebble Mine. This piece, by Rosanne Pagano, takes an in depth look at the history of the project, the economic drivers of the region, the current opinion of locals, and the threat that the mine could bring to Lake Clark and Katmai National Parks. In my opinion, it's imperative, particularly in this down economy, to protect sustainable jobs and industries in rural Alaska. Please help us prevent the Bristol Bay region from falling into the entrapment of a boom and bust economy - this sensitive area needs managed and measured economic growth opportunities, one of which is tourism.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE IN NATIONAL PARKS MAGAZINE

Alaska ON-SALE

Our Kontrashibuna Lake/Gladiator Basin Combination adventure is being featured this week on National Geographic Adventure Magazine's homepage. Check it out and uncover the killer deal!

Adventure Green Alaska - Silver Level Certification

Last week, Alaska Alpine Adventures received a Silver Level Certification from Adventure Green Alaska, the state's only sustainable tourism certification program. This voluntary program offer's members of Alaska's tourism industry to highlight their commitment to sustainability and green practices.  We look forward to the annual challenge and taking steps to gain a Gold Level Certification in the future!

Check our AGA's press release here!

Men's Journal March 2009 Issue - Now Online!

Men's Journal has released the March 2009 Issue featuring "Endangered Alaska," a fantastic article on Alaska's Lake Clark National Park and the threat posed by the Pebble Mine in an online version!  Check it out today!

As mentioned in a previous posting, I was fortunate enough to guide photographer Corey Rich and writer Daniel Duane down the Chilikadrotna River - a spectacular watershed perched above the proposed Pebble Mine. Here's a link to Corey's photo journal from the trip! It provides a nice compliment to the magazine article and a great peek into the wonders of Lake Clark National Park.

Men's Journal - March 2009 Issue

Well, the March issue of Men's Journal has arrived, and is a must grab for anyone passionate about Alaska's wilderness and protecting it from the Pebble Mine Project. Oh, and if you want to know more about whether or not Obama's got game, then this is your issue!

Late last summer, Dan led a group down the Chilikadrotna River on a 7 day true wilderness adventure. But this group's mission was a little different. With a feature article on the brain, Daniel Duane, an adventure writer from Men's Journal and Corey Rich, one of the countries most accomplished adventure photographers, spearheaded a trip to Lake Clark National Park and the nearby site of the Pebble Mine Project. Joining Duane and Rich were Fish Biologist Carol Ann Woody, chief biometrician for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Joel Reynolds, and Sierra Club activist Lance Holter. Dan, who is a vocal opponent to the Pebble Mine, was in good company.

I'll let you read the article for the details, but needless to say it firmly asserts the need to protect wilderness, especially the headwaters of the world's largest run of sockeye salmon. We hope that this article brings focus to another ongoing battle of resources in Alaska.

Unforgettable Photography Tours 2009

Alaska Alpine Adventures joined the ranks of Suite101.com's 

"Unforgettable Photography Tours 2009."  

http://senior-travel-tours.suite101.com/article.cfm/unforgettable_photography_tours_2009

"For tourists who want to focus on their own travel photography in Africa, the Arctic, North America, South America, Europe or Asia, 10 companies are ranked highest."