Lake Clark Telaquana Traverse

Our first 5 nights will be spent camping. We’ll set up next to lakes, glaciers and streams with wildflowers and sunsets just out the “front door.” We cary light tents — but trust us… we only bring the best in weather and bug proof shelters.

Backpacking in Alaska is no joke! We’ll be hiking 4-7 miles per day off trail across scree slopes, over mountain passes, and through the occasional but notorious thick Alaskan alder. That being said, if you’ve backpacked a bit before and physically prepare before the trip, you’ll do great! If you’re an expert backpacker you’ll still find this to be a rewarding and at times challenging trip. Guests will be expected to practice excellent self-care, pack and unpack their own packs, setup and breakdown their own tents, and carry a portion of group equipment. All the challenges of off-trail backpacking are overwhelmingly worth it for the splendor, the views, and the deep knowing in your gut that you did something powerful and profound.

The price includes all bush flights to and from Lake Clark, two nights stay at Windsong Wilderness Retreat, breakfasts and dinners in the backcountry, all group supplies—cooking equipment, water treatment options, group shelters, bear canisters, bathroom supplies, emergency communication devices, maps, GPS, first aid kit, National Park entrance fees, and the support of your experienced and trained guides.

The price does not include travel to and any accommodations in Anchorage, travel insurance or rescue insurance (both recommended), or gratuity for your guide. The price doesn’t include personal gear— backpack, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, layers, rain gear, personal bowl, personal eating utensils, headlamp, and personal toiletries. If needed some of this gear can be rented for an additional fee. The price also does not include the cost of lunches. On our trips lunches are really just extended snacking throughout the day. By not having long elaborate sit-down lunches we allow more time to experience new terrain. Guests are expected to provide their own snacks / lunches — we will provide you with guidance for how to plan for proper amounts and keep the weight low.

Due to the super special nature of this trip we’re limiting it to just 4 guests.

Meals will be delicious backcountry cuisine. We’ve spent a lot of years in the backcountry and we like to eat well! That being said, we also don't love heavy packs. Our meals strike a balance between dehydrated backpacker food and gourmet fresh — in that balance are delicious meals without crazy weight. We can accommodate most dietary restrictions. Please reach out with questions. We will supply all the breakfasts, dinners, and occasional desserts for the trip. We ask guests to pack their own lunch snacks. On our trips lunch is between when breakfast ends and dinner begins — snack away!

If arriving by plane you will want to fly in/out of Ted Stevens International Airport. Please plan to arrive in Anchorage prior to Day 1 and book your flights for no earlier than 8 pm on the final day. It is prudent to add a day in Anchorage on the tail end just in case we cant fly out of the mountains due to weather.

We have people come on our trips by themselves all the time! There’s nothing like travel through remote wilderness to build community. Our prices are based on double occupancy. If you’re traveling alone we’ll ask you to pay a one time solo - travel supplement of $200 to cover our extra costs.

Indigo Alpine Guide trips are most often run by the owner Jack Bynum and his closest and most trusted friends. All the people who work for IAG have over a decade of experience guiding trips in the most remote places on earth, have wilderness medical training and advanced guiding certifications.

You may cancel up to 120 days before the scheduled travel date and receive a full refund minus a $300 per-person service fee. If you cancel between 120 and 60 days of travel, there is a 50% cancellation fee. Within 60 days of travel, there is a 100% cancellation fee. We highly recommend purchasing travel insurance.

We always encourage folks to purchase trip cancelation insurance in addition to the mandatory medical evacuation insurance. We require that you have at least $200,000 in medical evacuation insurance. Your insurance policy should cover hazardous sports and we recommend that your policy cover search and rescue. Since we cannot confirm each client’s policy individually, it is your responsibility to make sure your policy will cover you while you participate in your activities of choice on the expedition.

For US citizens, we recommend Global Rescue. You will have a choice of purchasing it with or without the cancellation coverage–so make sure to select the one that gives you the coverage that you need. Other commonly used companies include World Nomads and Squaremouth.

You are welcome to seek out other insurance options, as these are only recommendations. When selecting a policy, please make sure they insure all the activities you’ll be participating in (many don’t include roped climbing, skiing, mountaineering, etc).