Anyone here Backpacked in Alaska?

[teddy12b]

Backpacking Alaska has been on my bucket list for years. My goal is to make it happen next year, but the more I research different areas the more I find out it might not be all that it's cracked up to be. If anyone here has backpacked in Alaska staying out in the wilderness for days, I'd love to read about your experience.

So far I've mainly been focusing on flying into Anchorage, and getting to Denali National Park, but I'm open to any ideas.

 

[Yeah]

I've spent well north of 100 nights in the AK bush, and I have a place roughly 50 miles east of Denali so I'm familiar with the area.

What is it you'd like to know?

 

[Brad69]

I hope this thread doesn’t end up with INGO member becomes Bear Poop!

 

[Yeah]

Have met several bears, killed many and let other pass due to size, season, or disposition.

Letting one eat me never crossed my mind and avoiding that outcome is easy.

 

[Brad69]

What do bears taste like ?

 

[Yeah]

Bear

 

[TheDude]

Does this count as "backpacking"?

If you go in the summer, I recommend one thing..... mosquito repellent. Buy the best.


A lot of it!!!

 

[Topshot]

I'm a backpacker but haven't been to AK for that yet. The gold standard in that regard would be Andrew Skurka. There are few trails anywhere so you want to have excellent land nav skills.

 

[teddy12b]

I've spent well north of 100 nights in the AK bush, and I have a place roughly 50 miles east of Denali so I'm familiar with the area.

What is it you'd like to know?

You just became my expert. Basically I'm looking at 4 days of backpacking & hiking with 3 nights in the wild. Ideally I'd love to find a spot with some good options for some fishing just to say I caught a fish in Alaska, and I'd really prefer something in the treeline where a guy can string up his hammock and not bring a tent, but I can live with a tent if I have to.

The flights to Anchorage from Chicago are much cheaper the earlier in the year I'd go, but from talking with the Rangers at Denali it doesn't sound like that's a great idea to get out there too early either. I'm not trying to make this into a hard core outdoor adventure challenge, but something where a guy can push himself while taking in the beauty of Alaska.

Any thoughts on particular trails, or drop off points inside Denali? It doesn't have to be Denali, that's just where I was starting to look.

 

[teddy12b]

Does this count as "backpacking"?

If you go in the summer, I recommend one thing..... mosquito repellent. Buy the best.


A lot of it!!!

Yes that counts, but my days of humping an Alice pack are largely over. It's so much more pleasant now with a civilian pack and getting to set my own pace. It's amazing just how different it is to go into the wild without an uncle sam telling you how to do it.

 

[T.Lex]

Tagged for interest.

A hunting trip to AK is on my bucket list, too, but I already know where.

Birthplace of the Winds, baybee.

 

[Yeah]

fishing just to say I caught a fish in Alaska

I've not spent much time in the park proper, but I know several who fish it regularly. Just about any stream you run across will hold salmonoids with grayling being most common. A guy with a snoopy pole and 4 days in the park would have to try to avoid catching something.

I'd really prefer something in the treeline where a guy can string up his hammock and not bring a tent, but I can live with a tent if I have to

I am not much of a hammock guy but in fair weather I one would be fine. The problem is that fair weather is a roll of the dice with odds that decrease in steep fashion the higher one climbs. Unless I were close to alternate shelter I'd want a tent proven to handle wind and wet regardless of the season.

The flights to Anchorage from Chicago are much cheaper the earlier in the year I'd go, but from talking with the Rangers at Denali it doesn't sound like that's a great idea to get out there too early either.

Mostly likely there will be snow at all elevations through mid-May. If I wanted to be confident I could walk some distance or get around in anything other than a plane or snow machine I'd not come up until mid June.

I'm not trying to make this into a hard core outdoor adventure challenge, but something where a guy can push himself while taking in the beauty of Alaska.

Once you get outside of town it is all beautiful. Some more than most of course but the run from Anchorage up through Denali and parts thereabouts is the best of the interior.

Any thoughts on particular trails, or drop off points inside Denali? It doesn't have to be Denali, that's just where I was starting to look.

Flying into Anchorage and taking the train to the park is a mainstay. I'm told a bus is a lower cost option at the cost of extended trip time. I've not done either and only ever flown, and there'll be several people up for selling rides on any given day weather permitting.

As far as trials go the only one I recall hiking is the Upper Teklanika.

 

[teddy12b]

I've heard about the Graylings up there. We're not talking anything massive are we? Something about a foot long give or take a little? I'm good with whatever, but it may make a difference between a lightweight fly rod and bigger heavy spinner.

Everything I've read and everyone I've talked to has pretty much shot down the idea of a hammock up there for. Breaks my heart, but the reality is what it is and I'll probably have to look into a good tent.

Part of this trip will be road tripping and seeing as much as we can in a day or two so I'll be renting a car. I was thinking day 1 drive to the Yukon River Camp, then on day 2 drive past Fairbanks and grab lunch on the way to Denali to finish out the week.

Mid June seems to be the good time to get up there between the main road on Denali being open and good weather. I was hoping for earlier in the year, but what's the latest in the year a guy could think about making the trip worth while?

 

[Yeah]

Graylings don't put on much weight and I catch them all the time on light tackle.

Roads and such usually start closing in October. I mostly fly, and skis are requisite once October closes north of Talkeetna.

 

[teddy12b]

So if I understand this all about right if I was looking to do some hiking and fly fishing I'm basically looking at June through September for decent weather. That timeline may throw a wrench into the whole deal.

 

[teddy12b]

Yeah,
Have you ever hiked the Kesugi Ridge? What do you think about that?

 

[spainy79]

Alaska has been on my list for a while now. After beating the big "C" I am now more than determined that I will go someday. Preferably to hunt Caribou.

 

[phatgemi]

Tagged for interest.

A hunting trip to AK is on my bucket list, too, but I already know where.

Birthplace of the Winds, baybee.

Adak Alaska - Birthplace of the winds and home of the worlds biggest caribou.

 

[Bsj425]

Backpacking Alaska has been on my bucket list for years. My goal is to make it happen next year, but the more I research different areas the more I find out it might not be all that it's cracked up to be. If anyone here has backpacked in Alaska staying out in the wilderness for days, I'd love to read about your experience.

So far I've mainly been focusing on flying into Anchorage, and getting to Denali National Park, but I'm open to any ideas.

I moved to Indiana from Alaska. I have hundreds if not a thousand + miles on foot there. Whoever told you "its not all its cracked up to be is dumb" I lived there for over a decade and was out and about extensively and still didn't do or see everything that I wanted to see and every part was well worth it. For what you want to do I would skip DNP. They have weird restrictions on back country passes and its not a guarentee. You would be much less restricted getting into Fairbanks and going to the Denali Highway from the Paxson side. You can hike into around around the tangle lakes area or further if you wanted. There are grayling, trout and other species to fish for and is absolutely beautiful country. The only crap part about summer are the bugs.

 

[KokomoDave]

There is NEVER a guy with a camera or camera pass when I bivouacked but then again...that was a loooongg time ago. Ha!
No, not Brownie camera smart arses!!