Modern Adventure takes the health and safety of our employees, guests, and partners very seriously. Our health and safety protocols during your trip such as physical distancing, masking and other safety practices will be in accordance with up-to-date local regulations in your destination. You will be informed of any specific protocols aheads of travel, and in-destination by our local guides and/or Modern Adventure trip leader.

Alaska’s remote wilderness is a magnificent and inspirational destination, and we value completely disconnecting from civilization. For the majority of our time in Alaska, cell phones and WiFi will not work. The exception is in Anchorage at the beginning and end of our trip.

Our hiking guides will carry a satellite phone for safety, and therefore we discourage guests from bringing their own satellite phones or similar devices.

Alaska has some of the most dynamic and dramatic weather on the planet. During the summer months, average daytime temperatures in Lake Clark and Port Alsworth range from 60F to 75F (the average high in July is 68F). Nighttime and morning temperatures are cooler, averaging 48F, and rarely dip below freezing.

Throughout the summer season, you may experience rain, sun, wind (gusts in the 30-50mph range are not uncommon), clouds and fog—often on the same day! We live by the adage, "prepare for the worst, hope for the best, and you'll likely end up with some of both.”

Frost and snow can occur any time, but are most common from September to early June. Lake Clark itself typically begins freezing in November and melts in April.

If your destination requires proof of a COVID-19 vaccination and/or negative test result taken within 72 hours of travel, you will be required to confirm that you are fully vaccinated with an authorized COVID-19 vaccine, and/or have tested negative for COVID-19, and have the required documentation to prove it. Otherwise you will be ineligible to participate on the trip, and ineligible for a refund.

If you are on prescription medication, you should ask your doctor for a letter detailing your condition and prescribed drugs. This prevents possible issues at customs and helps the local doctor if you need to buy medication while traveling. If you wear prescription glasses or contact lenses, we recommend you bring an extra pair and a copy of the prescription in case of emergency.

Our expedition guides will have a medical kit and rescue supplies available, but we always recommend that you carry a personal first-aid kit and any personal medication.

We make safety a priority on all our adventures, however, incidents and injuries that require evacuation do occur from time to time. Since this adventure takes place in very remote wilderness locations, it can be difficult and expensive to plan evacuations. It is each guest’s responsibility to be covered by medical, travel and evacuation insurance, or be prepared to cover the cost yourself, for expenses related to an emergency medical evacuation.

While in the backcountry, guests will have no cell service or connectivity. In the event of an emergency in which family or friends need to contact you, the Modern Adventure Emergency Line can be used at all hours by calling +1 (503) 374-9055. Our staff will be able to connect to the emergency satellite phone carried by our local guide and relay any urgent messages as soon as possible. Please note that even with satellite phones, it will take time to connect with the group and immediate responses cannot be guaranteed.

While wildlife viewing on our backcountry trips are likely, there are simply too many factors to make any guarantees. There are both grizzly and black bears in most of the wilderness areas of Alaska we visit. We love seeing bears in the wild, and consider bear sightings one of the most thrilling privileges common in Alaska’s backcountry. That said, traveling safely and taking precautions to minimize a negative encounter are considerations we take very seriously. In addition to conducting a thorough pre-trip bear safety orientation, your guides also take many precautions—as a last resort, guides travel carrying pepper spray.

In addition to bears, there are often multiple species of Pacific salmon, Dall sheep, caribou, moose, wolves and populations of migratory birds that may be spotted.

We’ll be wilderness hiking in remote areas with no access to services—and we're unlikely to encounter other humans! We're hiking off-trail on scree fields and over steep, hilly and uneven terrain, often covering more than 6 miles with up to 2,000 feet of elevation gain/loss. While the mileage may not sound like a lot for experienced hikers, due to the terrain in Alaska, the focus here is on total hours hiked (8 hours per day, on average) more than on total mileage.

We recommend you should be capable of hiking at a minimum pace of 1 to 2 miles per hour, carrying a 30 - 40 pound backpack, for up to 8 hours a day. Pre-trip physical conditioning should begin no later than 2 months before departure. Training should include walking, hiking or breaking-in boots you intend to wear with your loaded 30-40 pound backpack, and practicing hiking or camping in a variety of conditions (nice weather, rain etc.). Pre-trip physical conditioning is important to creating a fun and positive experience for yourself, and for the group as a whole. We strongly discourage guests from arriving without doing pre-trip physical conditioning.

Backpacking in Alaska is also a mental challenge. You need to be able to cope with the unknown, stay flexible, keep a group mindset and be prepared for the itinerary to change at a moment's notice. You will likely be uncomfortable at some point, but trust in your guides, and believe in your ability to move through these challenges as they arise.

Please note: once our group commits to the route and leave the drop-off point, there is no option for an easy exit. Any unplanned departures are weather dependent and based on the availability of our float planes, and could cost thousands of dollars. Considering this trip is traveling in heavy bear country, it is not recommended the group split up to accommodate an unfit/unprepared hiker, so the entire group may be at risk of turning around. An option to evacuate any individual will greatly affect the groups experience!

You'll need a backpack for the majority of this backcountry adventure (see Gear & Packing).

If you have additional luggage, we are able to store your non-backpacking essentials in Anchorage for the week while we’re out in the wilderness. If you anticipate needing to store items during this time, please reach out to us prior to your arrival, so we can ensure space is set aside for you.

Also note that we provide each guest with a small duffle bag to store any items (clean clothes, toiletries, etc.) that you'd like waiting for you at the lodge, at the end of our trip. We'll hand these duffles out when we do our gear check, prior to departing Anchorage.

We curate your Modern Adventure to ensure all experiences are immersive and included in your trip price.

ATMs are available in Anchorage. We also recommend bringing a credit card to cover any lodge incidentals, and for souvenirs or local arts and crafts you might like to bring back with you.

Please note that tipping our Modern Adventure trip leader & Backcountry guides is at your discretion. To show your appreciation for good service, we recommend tipping $75 - $125 per guest.