Backpacking and Sea Kayaking in Alaska's most magnificent wilderness...
12-Day All-Inclusive Multi-Sport Alaskan Wilderness Adventure
Offered in cooperation with St. Elias Alpine Guides and Pangaea Adventures 
Are you adventurous and looking for a unique and spectacular way to see the best of Alaska? The Iceberg Lake/Columbia Glacier Trip is a wilderness based multi-sport adventure thatallows you to experience some of the most magnificent scenery in the state up close andpersonal. Wrangell-St. Elias National Park is the largest in the country and one of the most spectacular, yet is far less crowded then Denali with many more acres of phenomenal mountain scenery. Prince William Sound has hundreds of calving glaciers, an abundance of wildlife and endless miles of shoreline just waiting to be explored by the small number of people who venture into it by kayak each summer. This trip combines our favorite hiking trip with our favorite sea kayaking adventure. Take it from the locals – it doesn't get any better than this!
For information on
Alaska day trips please click here. For
shorter multi-day adventure trips please click here.
Trip Overview:
Day 0: Arrive in Anchorage, pick up any last minute items. Lodging this night not included.
Day 1: Your guide will pick you up at 8am for the scenic drive through the Chugach Mountains to Chitina, at the edge of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. Fly into McCarthy on the first of several spectacularly scenic flights, go over your gear with your guides and prepare to depart for Iceberg Lake in the morning. Accommodations and meals at a local lodge included.
Days 2-5: Iceberg Lake Basecamp – Fly in by bush plane to spend four days hiking in a remote valley of the Chugach Mountains. A wide variety of hiking options are available, from moderate wandering along the valley floor to hiking though alpine meadows to climbing the surrounding peaks and crossing glaciers. Return to McCarthy the afternoon of Day 5. Lodging and meals included this night.
Day 6: Take a half or full day glacier hike on the Root Glacier, try your hand at ice climbing, enjoy a tour of the historic copper mining town of Kennecott. An upgrade to river rafting is also available. Lodging and meals included.
 Day 7: Fly to Chitina, then drive over the stunning Thompson Pass to Valdez. Meet with your sea kayaking guide, do some laundry, and prepare to head off to the Columbia Glacier the following morning. Lodging included, meals on your own.
Days 8-11: Columbia Glacier Sea Kayaking – Take a water taxi through magnificent Prince William Sound to Columbia Glacier Bay. Spend 4 days kayaking amongst ice bergs, taking side hikes for awe-inspiring views, exploring Glacier Ssland and the abundant marine wildlife, including sea lions, otters, seals, many different birds, bears, and possible whale and porpoise sightings. Return to Valdez the afternoon of Day 11. Lodging this night included, meals on your own.
Day 12: Take a commercial flight today back to Anchorage (several times available). Included. Goodbye!
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Rendezvous
Meeting Time
Our guide will meet you at your lodging in Anchorage at 8am on the first
day of your Alaska Adventure.
Getting To Anchorage
By Air
You can book commercial flights to Anchorage from anywhere in the world on dozens of airlines. We recommend using a search engine like travelocity.com or orbitz.com to get the best deals.
By Car
You can drive to Anchorage from anywhere in North America (with a lot of time!). Please contact
our office for driving instructions.
Off-River Transportation Copper Oar provides all transportation from
Anchorage to McCarthy at the beginning of the trip, then to Valdez and on to Anchorage at the end of the adventure.
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Additional Information
Experience Required
Ultimate Wilderness is a spectacular trip for wilderness lovers who are excited to spend time camping in the most remote corners of earth. Camping experience is not required, but a sense of adventure is essential. First time
adventurers are welcome and thrive on this trip. Our minimum age is ten. If you have younger children who have camping experience, please feel free to talk to us Your guides will gladly
help with any aspect of our trip that is new for you, whether that
means setting up a tent, paddling a kayak or strapping on crampons.
Weather
Wrangell St. Elias National Park and Prince William sound are located in southcentral Alaska. We
are subject to both coastal and interior weather patterns. Typically,
July and August are the warmest and among the driest months. Often,
days are filled with sun and temperatures range from the low 50's to
the mid 80's. Nights are cooler, with lows typically in the high 40's
and 50's. The weather of Prince William Sound is classic coastal
Alaska: rain, fog, clouds, and crystal clear skies are all possible. In
fact rain and wind is likely at some point on this trip so you should
prepare accordingly.
 Equipment
We provide tents, sleeping pads, eating utensils,
all the specialized adventure gear you need. A complete list of what
you should bring will be included in your confirmation packet.
Participant Fitness
and Activity Levels
Copper Oar trips are created with active, curious, go-with-the-flow,
and nature-loving adventurers in mind. Our Ultimate Wilderness tour is
designed for those with a zest for wilderness, adventure and
active participation. While you should be fit and in good health for
this trip, you need not be a honed athlete. Participants on this trip
should be fit, able to swim, and may need to play a part in self-rescue
should you fall out of the kayak.
Wildlife and Wild Plants
Among other animals, we may encounter bear, wolves, sheep, and moose. It is
important to follow your guides instruction to prevent or reduce the
likelihood of unwelcome wild animal encounters and to understand what
to do in the case of an encounter. Also, while they are generally not a
major problem on this trip, those sensitive to mosquitoes may want to
bring along a mosquito net hat. There are, in places, thorny bushes
(known as Devil's Club) or others that can cause skin rashes. Please
listen closely to your guides' instructions on how to recognize these
plants and what to do if you touch them.
Camps
We camp in pristine wilderness. In the case of rain, tarps are set up over communal eating and
sitting areas. We proudly practice minimum-impact camping and carry out
all trash.
Fishing
Alaska requires you to have a fishing license if you intend to fish
during your visit. Your guide can help you obtain a license at the
rendezvous. The fishing is great on Prince William Sound, and your guide will find the best places to catch fresh Alaskan salmon for dinner!
Meals and Beverages
We serve hearty Alaska style meals prepared with fresh ingredients. Please let us know if you have
special dietary needs or wants!
 Charter Trips
We are able and happy to offer special private Alaska adventure charter
trips for groups. For groups of four or more we may be able to run
trips on dates other than those listed here. We also have custom rates available for couples or smaller groups that cannot make our group dates. Please contact
our office for details.
Gratuities
It is common to tip wilderness guides on adventure trips. It is not
expected, but always appreciated. If you are happy with your trip
please let us and your guides know. Thanks!
Itinerary Changes
While we do everything possible to follow the itineraries as described here, we may be forced to adjust trips due to reasons beyond our
control. Therefore, these itineraries are subject to change.
References
Many of our past trip members have offered to speak with folks who are
considering our trips. We know we could blow our own horn until we are
blue in the face about the great time we feel you would have on our
trips. So, we invite you to contact us for a list of clients who have
participated on Copper Oar trips and we'll let them do the talking!
Copper Oar Guides
The pride of our outfit, our guides bring a wealth of talent and
experience to each trip we run. Copper Oar guides have years and years of
experience leading trips in the U.S. and abroad. Each is licensed in
Wilderness First-aid and CPR. Furthermore, they create an environment that fosters
camaraderie and positive experiences. They care about what
it is that YOU want from YOUR TRIP and do everything possible to make
that happen! We are confident that you will find your guides to be one
of the highlights of this Alaska adventure trip.
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 2010 Trip Cost
$3,995 per person
Trip Start Dates: July 12th, August 9th. Other dates may be available. Please contact our office for details.
For information and reservations
please call 800-523-4453 or click
here for reservation details.
$3,995 per person, includes guides, group gear, food (except for meals while in Valdez) and all transportation and lodging starting and ending in Anchorage. Price does not include alcohol or gratuities.
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