Terrain: Mountainous singletrack
Duration: 9 days/8 nights
Distance: Biking: 140+ miles
Hiking: 40+ miles
Difficulty: singletrack experience & endurance required.
Dates: 2008 Custom dates available
Originally designed as a 10 day trip and still run each year as a training expedition for the British Royal Air Force. We redesigned this trip for the public. With up to 24 hours of daylight, opportunities are almost unlimited. Our 9 day expedition offers over 100 miles of riding and 40 miles of hiking a fantastic way to explore the Alaska wilderness. This tour is designed for the athletic beginner to advanced mountain biker/hiker.
This tour can be combined with white water rafting, kayaking, or ice climbing.
Tour Itinerary:
Day 1 - Eklutna Lake
Distance: 24 miles round trip
Gain: 225 feet
Ride time: 3-5 hours
This fun, scenic trail is a great introduction to Alaskan singletrack. Ride along the shore of this glacial fed lake, up to Serenity Falls where we will eat a healthy, hearty lunch at a mountaineering cabin. Be sure to bring your camera, as you will have plenty of opportunity while viewing the glacier to see moose, sheep and other wildlife.
Day 2 - Powerline Pass
Distance: 17 miles round trip
Gain: 2000 feet
Ride time: 3-5 hours
You'll spend your second day in "Anchorage's back yard" riding in the Chugach Mountains just above the city. We'll climb 2000 feet to Powerline Pass where we'll enjoy beautiful views of the city of Anchorage as we eat our lunch. When we start descending we'll take a side trail where we will gain an extra 1400 feet of downhill on some great singletrack.
Day 3 - Crescent Lake
Distance: 17 miles round trip
Gain: 1000 feet
Ride time: 3-5 hours
We will cycle steadily up a winding trail and through a valley to Crescent Lake, eventually looping back down on the same trail. The path will lead us through birch and aspen woods along a sparkling creek. Ascending a ridge, we will cross over the creek at mile 3.5, just beyond a major avalanche chute. At this point, the trail lies in the shadow of Right Mountain with views across the valley to Wrong Mountain-both peaks standing over 5,000 feet. The crescent-shaped lake will unexpectedly appear as we cycle back across the creek, where we will lunch along the shores of the lake. Bring your fishing gear: Crescent Lake is brimming with world-class grayling.
As we wind our way back, we will cruise through the valley. Descending the ridge, the outstanding trail conditions make for an exhilarating ride back to the trailhead. We will shuttle to base-camp for dinner, showers, and relaxation.
Day 4 - Russians Lakes
Distance: 23 miles one way
Gain: 950 feet
Ride time: 5-7 hours
The Upper Russian River trail-a section of the original Resurrection trail-is a great second day: 23 miles of single-track. The trail skirts the Harding Ice Field before dropping into the Russian River Valley. We will traverse a sub-alpine forest and fields of wildflowers, stopping for a leisurely lunch at mile twelve along the banks of the picturesque Upper Russian Lake.
We will continue our descent into the Russian River Valley, an area that was decimated by a wildfire in 1969. Here we will encounter the natural and extraordinary process of reforestation: a majesty of new growth interspersed with scarred forest remains. At mile twenty, we will briefly visit the Russian River Falls. Here, viewing decks allow an incredible view of sockeye salmon successfully ascending a series of forty-foot falls on their way to their instinctive spawning grounds.
Day 5 - Lost Lake, Primrose Hike
Distance: 15 miles one way
Gain: 2000 feet
Hiking time: 8-10 hours
The Lost Lake Trail is a beauty, with great views of the Kenai Mountains and Resurrection Bay, wildflower meadows, subalpine groves of mountain hemlock, and salmonberries and blueberries for the picking. Lost Lake is an alpine lake two miles long, set at the edge of a huge expanse of alpine country.
Day 6 - Excursion of your choice
Today we will rest our legs for day seven’s challenging ride on Johnson's Pass.
We will start our day early and travel to the nearby coastal town of Seward here you'll have your choice of 3 premiere day trips: The Kenai Fjords Cruise, Kenai Fjords sea-kayaking, or, stay on solid ground and visit the Seward Marine Sea-life Center.
For the strong riders who would prefer to ride this day, depending on weather and trail conditions, there are many riding options we can suggest.
The first two popular tours offer the maximum opportunity for seeing whales, sea lions, otters, and colorful seabirds playing and feeding. In addition you can experience the splendor of a massive tidewater glacier calving to the sea and the stunning beauty of the glacially carved cliffs.
After your day tour we will have the afternoon to explore this charming town. Your guides will point out attractions including the Alaska Sea Life Center and Mount Marathon, location of Seward's famous Fourth of July mountain race. Dinner this evening will be on your own. Your guides will assist and point out the more popular eateries in Seward.
Day 7 - Johnson Pass
Distance: 23 miles one way
Gain: 1500 feet
Ride time: 4-7 hours
Ask any mountain biker in Alaska: this demanding single-track ride is a favorite. The memorable trail passes through parts of the original Iditarod Trail, built during Alaska's historic gold rush era.
Our ride begins along the shores of Upper Trail Lake then parallels Johnson Creek. At mile seven we will cross the creek and continue to Johnson Lake, a sub-alpine and partially forested area that abounds in wildlife viewing opportunities. We will lunch here before continuing up to the summit of Johnson Pass at mile 13.
A quick descent takes us to the alpine beauty of pristine Bench Lake. Brace yourself for a roller-coaster ride as we sprint through mountain meadows and lush forests crossing over several creeks. At mile 19 we will take a break to admire the splendor of a beautiful waterfall cascading over tall cliffs. From there we will finish the day on a level course. The shuttle van will be waiting at the trailhead to take us back along the scenic Seward highway to Palmer.
Day 8 - Explore Independence Mine & hike to original high camp
Distance: 23 miles one way
Gain: 1500 feet
Hike time: 4-7hours
Hike over the mountain pass to Alaska’s gold rush era, witness abandoned gold mines, alpine lakes and a panorama of all the of our tours mountain ranges: the Alaska Range, the Talkeetna Range and the Chugach Range.
Day 9 - Bomber Glacier via Reed Lakes
Distance: 10 miles one way
Gain: 2200 feet
Hike time: 8-12 hours
Weather permitting, we will hike to this rarely seen B 29 Bomber that crash landed on the glacier over 50 years ago.
The Reed Lakes Trail leads into the heart of the Talkeetna Mountains, a wild land of jagged granite peaks, rock walls, glaciers, and cirque lakes. The trail makes for a great long day hike look for alpine wildflowers, tundra-nesting birds, arctic ground squirrels, and marmots if energy and weather permit hike to the rarely seen B 29 Bomber that crash landed on the glacier over 50 years ago.
*Tour includes all fees and permits into National Parks, all transfers, bike rental and first and last night hotel in Anchorage, does not include the cost of fifth day excursion in Seward or alcohol.
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