Trip Overview
Our Alaska adventure begins in Anchorage, where we check our gear and then catch a bush plane and fly down the wild coast of the peninsula. After a stop for lunch on Lake Clark’s shores, we fly again, this time in float planes over snaking freshwater rivers, sprawling snow-capped mountains and glacial lakes into the remote northern corner of Katmai National Park to begin our exploits in the serious Alaskan wild—over 4 million acres of spruce forests, rushing rivers, wild mountains and wildlife.
We'll cover 6 - 8 wilderness miles a day, roughly eight hours a day on the trail, with up to 2,000 feet of elevation gain/loss. Our hikes take us off-trail through steep and uneven terrain. 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 more than total mileage. Your body must be able to keep up. Physical conditioning and consistent exercise prior to these trips is essential (see Get Ready).
Although we’ll use the following itinerary as a guide, circumstances like weather conditions, individual ability, and safety may cause us to deviate or impact what type of wildlife we see. Out here, we roll with what Mother Nature gives us—that’s true Alaska.
Weather note: on Day One, in the event of windy and/or low-visibility conditions, our float planes will drop us at at Mirror Lake instead of Iron Springs Lake, and we'll start our trek from there.
Day-by-Day Itinerary
DAY 1 ANCHORAGE > IRON SPRINGS
Day One! Meet at 8:30am on Monday, August 15, 2022, at Lakefront Anchorage Hotel
Gear check & bush flight to Port Alsworth
Lunch at Lake Clark
Float plane to Katmai National Park
Day Hike near Iron Springs Lake
Campsite: Iron Springs Lake
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DAY 1 HIKING SUMMARY
Distance: 2-3 miles with daypacks only
Approx. time: 2 hours
Elevation gain: 500' - 1,000’
DAY 2: TOWARDS SPECTACLE LAKE
Begin hike towards Spectacle Lake
Arrive at campsite by late afternoon
Campsite: Backcountry wilderness
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DAY 2 HIKING SUMMARY
Distance: 5.5 miles
Approx. time: 6 hours
Elevation gain: 2,000’
DAY 3: TOWARDS SPECTACLE LAKE
Hike past small spring-fed lakes and creeks, in some of the world's most productive wild salmon fisheries
Campsite: Backcountry wilderness
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DAY 3 HIKING SUMMARY
Distance: 5 miles
Elevation Gain: 500’
Elevation Loss 1,500’
DAY 4: SPECTACLE LAKE REGION
Arrive at Spectacle Lake in early afternoon, set up camp
Afternoon wildlife hike (daypacks only)
Campsite: Spectacle Lake
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DAY 4 HIKING SUMMARY
Distance: 7 miles
Approx. time: 8 hours
Elevation gain: 800’
DAY 5: FUNNEL CREEK & MORAINE CREEK
Full-day hike (daypacks only) from Spectacle Lake along Funnel Creek, to its confluence with Moraine Creek
Grizzly bear viewing
Campsite: Spectacle Lake
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DAY 5 HIKING SUMMARY
Distance: 11 miles with daypacks only
Approx. time: 8 hours
Elevation Gain: 400’
DAY 6: SPECTACLE LAKE > PORT ALSWORTH
Float plane to Port Alsworth
Check into lodge
Farewell Dinner
Accommodations: Farm Lodge in Port Alsworth
DAY 7: PORT ALSWORTH > ANCHORAGE
Morning hike to Tanalian Falls
Late morning / early afternoon bush flight to Anchorage
Your onward flights from Anchorage should depart at 6:30pm or later
Where We Sleep
Katmai National Park & Preserve
Days 1 - 5: Backcountry Camping
For Days 1 thru 5, we'll camp in the backcountry. We provide expedition-quality tents and trekking poles, along with group-size tarp shelters and all the gear we need to camp safe and comfortable—plus an array of portable cookery for camp-kitchen feasts of seriously delicious cuisine (from reindeer rotini to Shanghai noodles).
Port Alsworth
The Farm Lodge
Tel. 907-781-2208
We spend Days 6 and 7 at the remote, incredibly scenic Farm Lodge in Port Alsworth, at the headwaters of Lake Clark and the national park's headquarters. Farm Lodge is a worthy reward after several days of trekking. Cabins face the water, neatly reflecting the mountain peaks that rim the lake. We’ll have options to hike, raft or look for wildlife here, plus enjoy delicious home-cooking for our final celebratory feast together.
Inclusions & Exclusions
INCLUSIONS
On a Modern Adventure, we’ve worked out all the details for you. Included in your experience are all the gear, delicious food, private air transport, expert local guides, and much more. Here’s what’s included:
Lodge accommodations and camping for six nights
All group gear (see Gear & Packing)
Internal bush and float-plane flights
All meals and beverages
Trekking poles
Satellite phones, medical kit, rescue equipment
All permit and entrance fees
Ground transportation
Departure transfer to Anchorage's ANC airport
EXCLUSIONS
Roundtrip airfare to/from Alaska
Travel insurance (see Get Ready)
Activities not included in the trip itinerary
Lodge incidentals
Personal camping such as sleeping bags & mats (see Gear & Packing for full list of items you'll need to bring)
Gratuity for Modern Adventure trip leader