Snowshoeing in winter in the boreal forest of Wrangell - St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska.

A Holiday Season Special – Spring Equinox Celebration

OK, this one is so simple it’s ridiculous.

In the best of the holiday spirit, here’s what I’m doing. I’m offering a free trip to Wrangell – St. Elias National Park. This offer is open to any who who think they’d enjoy a trip like this. The more people that enter, the more people will win.

If fewer than 250 people enter, I’ll give away a trip for free to 2 people. If I get more than 250 people enter, I’ll give away 4 free spots on the trip.

Wrangell – St. Elias National Park. 6 nights in a backcountry cabin; days spent snowshoeing, cross country skiing, and/or hiking, enjoying some winter landscape photography, possible northern lights photography and the quietest, peaceful-est cabin you never been to. Here’s what you need to know.

The Trip

We leave Anchorage, drive 5 hours to Wrangell – St. Elias National Park. 5 nights in the cabin, March 18-23, and return to Anchorage on March 24. During the day, we can either snowshoe, cross country ski, or, depending on weather and snow conditions, hike.

We’ll have the van nearby so we can easily saunter down to the van, drive 10 miles down the road, snowshoe all day, drive back to the cabin and enjoy the comfort of a wood stove, hot food and a quiet like no other. Next day, we can do the same in the other direction.

The exploratory opportunities are literally endless here. Winter landscape photography opportunities abound. This is a massive landscape; Mt Sanford rises over 16 000′ right out the window. It’s also an intimate boreal forest, for some great shooting opportunities. There’s a decent chance of seeing moose in the area, and possibly caribou. The northern lights are a strong possibility; displays are typically strongest and most active right around the Equinox, so this timing is optimal for great northern lights viewing/photography. There are never any guarantees with the aurora, of course.

Price: Normally $1400.00 per person, this year 2, or possibly 4 people get to come out for free.

Dates: March 18-23, 2012

My holiday gift and thank you to everyone who’s supported what I do.

Requirements to enter

This isn’t really a contest, per se; 2 or 4 people will be picked at random. That’s pretty much all there is to it. Whether it’s a couple & 2 singles, or a group of 4, etc, doesn’t matter.

Please, no shysters. I’m offering this trip in the spirit of the holidays, and would like it to be treated as such.

And just a head’s up. I’ll be in the backcounty over the New Year, from Dec 27-January 10th and unavailable. So if you have any questions, send them along and I’ll respond as soon as I get back in from my trip to Denali.

To be eligible, simply fill in the following form.

ENTRIES ARE NOW CLOSED.

The more people who enter, the more people who win. In the giveaway spirit:

Please share on Google Plus:

Basic Trip Info:

This trip is not strenuous at all, and very customizable to fit your level, whether you’re a hardy experienced outdoors person, or more of a beginner. But, it’s not for everybody.

1. You’ll need to be in decent shape, capable of comfortably hiking a few miles or so.
2. The skiing isn’t technical at all, it’s not a heli-ski adventure. Nordic cross country skiing is all. We can either xc ski on trails or off-trails, but at least a little skiing ability will make your trip more enjoyable.
3. Snowshoeing, if you’ve never done it before, is straightforward. If you can hike OK, you’ll have no problem.
4. It can be cold. You’re welcome to spend all day inside the cabin by the fire, but if you really dislike the cold, this might not be for you.
5. We’re not backpacking, sleeping in tents.
6. You’ll need a sleeping bag, and clothing.
7. You can rent ski and snowshoe gear if you don’t have it.
8. If I receive 0-250 entrants, I’ll select 2 people for a free trip. More than 250 entrants, and I’ll pick 2 more.
9. No alcohol is provided.
10. You must be 18 to enter; but under 18 year olds are welcome if accompanied by an adult

Questions

1. I want to bring my family. Can I enter?

• I’d love to say yes. But each drawing is restricted to a single or one couple;  you can’t enter for more than 2 people. It’d simply get unmanageable to draw correctly.

2. Are the dates flexible?

• Unfortunately, no. The dates are set.

3. What happens if the first entrance drawn is a couple?

• Easy. Those are the 2 people who come along.

4. What happens if the 1st entrant drawn is a single?

• Easy.  If I receive, for example, 145 entrants, and then draw an entry for a single, I’ll then select another entry. If it’s a couple, then it’ll be 3 people free on the trip. If I get more than 250 entries, and select a single, then a couple, I’ll only select from the remaining single entries for the 4th person. That’s the only way I can see this working out yet staying fair and manageable.

5. When will the entry be drawn?

• January 18. At 10am, Alaska time (we’re 4hrs behind EST). That’s 2 months before the trip departure date.

6. What happens if I win and then can’t come along?

• Unfortunately, I can’t guarantee your schedule. But, if you’re drawn, and then can’t make the trip, let me know ASAP. I’m an upright guy, and I’ll do what I can to accommodate you.

7. What if I don’t have the right gear?

• You’ll need decent outdoor clothing. Ski gear and snowshoes you can rent if you don’t already have them.

8. Can I enter for someone else?

• Absolutely. But you must let me know that when you enter, not afterward. If you want to enter this, for example, as a holiday gift for someone else, you must enter their name in the appropriate section on the submission form.

9. If I win and change my mind can I give the trip to someone else?

• Don’t be crazy. No. If you want to enter for someone else, that’s fine, but you must let me know that when you enter. This is what they call “non-transferrable”.

10. Can I enter more than once?

• Now you’re pushing it. No. One entry per person/household. You can’t have you kids and your friends and your dog enter for you if you’ve already entered.

11. How will the winner/s be drawn?

• Excellent question. I had no idea initially. From looking around, this seems the fairest way. I’ll enter everyone’s info into the List Randomizer. Then I’ll use the Random # Generator to pick the first winner, and do it again as needed. This protects your info, and is the fairest I can figure.

12. How long do I have to claim if I win?

• 1 week. If you know you’ll be out of reach for more than one week after January 18, let me know before the drawing.

13. Where will the announcement be made?

• Right here on the blog, of course. And I’ll also post the info to the facebook, G+, Twitter feeds as well. I’ll email the folks who are drawn, and follow up with a call if I don’t hear back.

 14. Can we make the trip shorter?

• If you’re selected, and you and your partner don’t want to stay for 6 nights, and either cut it short, or plan for it to be shorter, that’s fine. If there are 3 or 4 people on the trip, it will be highly unlikely to change the schedule.

15. I have a few more questions; Can I contact you for more information?

• Sure; But, as I said above “I’ll be in the backcounty over the New Year, from Dec 27-January 10th. So if you have any questions, send them along and I’ll respond as soon as I get back in from my trip to Denali.”. Email me or call 770. 952 4549.

16. What’s the catch?

• There is none. This is NOT a requirement, but if you appreciate this offer, you’re invited to follow

1. Alaskan Alpine Treks’ Facebook page,
2.  Google Plus page
3. Follow on Twitter
4. Linked In.

If you’re not on any of those social media sites, you’re welcome, but not obligated, to subscribe to the email newsletter.

Below are a few photos showing the cabin, the forest, the landscape and so forth. These are all from this trip in past years. You can post any questions, comments, etc, below and I’ll get back with you asap.

Have a great holiday season, and here’s to a really great New Year. Thanks so much.

Cheers

Carl

PS: Remember to bring your camera!

Wrangell - St. Elias National Park and Preserve is home to the Wrangell Mountains. Mt Jarvis, 13 421' high, stands east of Mt Wrangell, and catches the first light of the day. Early morning (pre-dawn) alpenglow reflection in a high alpine tarn, Wrangell - St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska. Please click on the image to view a larger version of the photo.

Hey Folks

Image of the Month for October, 2010. Mt. Jarvis, in the Wrangell Mountains, and reflection in the early pre-dawn glow. This kind of light is sooooo subtle; it’s really a reflection of the light on the clouds to the east, still quite a while before the first real alpenglow lights up the east.

By that time, of course, a slight breeze had stirred up the lake’s surface and the reflection was gone. Once the alpenglow faded, the breeze ebbed, and the surface stilled. Nice, but the moment was gone.

Sometimes when I photograph a scene like this I’ll zoom in to have no foreground elements other than the reflection, such as just above the moss and grass above. Usually, however, I prefer to anchor the scene with something, and I like the way the foreground here kind of complements the lines of the reflection. It is also balanced by the negative space in the lower right hand corner.

A split density filter (or several) is a must have for this kind of shot (unless you choose to do multiple exposures and blend them afterward. And, of course, a tripod. Always bring a tripod.

Cheers

Carl

The aurora borealis (northern lights) light up the night sky above a tent. Campsite in the Mentasta Mountains, boreal forest, Wrangell - St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska. Please click on the image to view a larger version of the photo.

Hey Folks,

From my last summer/fall camping trip in Wrangell – St. Elias National Park, for this year – well, so far, anyway. If you think sleeping in the big city is hard, with all those big city lights, try sleeping in a tent under this kind of light.

What a treat it is to see the aurora borealis (or ‘northern lights’). Nothing quite touches that experience for a little slice of magic. It’s mystical, each and every time.

Fall is a great time to see the aurora – the skies are dark, often clear, and it’s not yet 40 below zero, like it can be in the dead of winter.

For shooting the northern lights, I crank up the ISO of the camera, open the lens to its widest aperture, and shoot with as high a shutter speed as I can. Fast lenses, like a 1.8 or even a 2.8 make a big difference. They’re also heavier than smaller aperture lenses, which makes it a trade-off for a backpacking trip. Sometimes though, such as when the aurora borealis is out, that trade-off becomes moot. The extra weight is well worth the effort. A small headlamp to light up the tent, set up the tripod, and click the shutter. Good night folks.

Cheers

Carl

Backpacking; setting out on a trek toward Mt Jarvis, in fresh fall snow, Wrangell - St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska. To view a larger version of this image, please click on the photo above.

Hey Folks,

From our recent exploratory trip to the Mt Jarvis area, Wrangell – St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska. As you can see, September in Alaska, particularly around the 7000′ altitude, can be cool; fresh snow, and we had 2 more snow storms during our trek.

What a great trip we had though; Brad and Tracey, from Chicago, were quite the troopers, and really made the trip easy. Being flexible is critical on a backcountry trip, as the weather and conditions can often dictate the best course of action. Their easy going nature contributed to a great hike, and we enjoyed a lot of laughs, some superb views, and a mix of conditions and elements that made the trip a wonderful adventure. For great vistas, it doesn’t get much better than this one. We camped right on that little shoulder to the right hand side of this frame, tents looking straight across at 13 421′ tall Mt. Jarvis. Awesome!

I’m off again tomorrow (Monday) to photograph for a couple of days before packing for the Katmai Grizzly Bear Photo Tour. Should be a blast and I can’t wait; but, in the meantime, the forecast is for sunny skies and great light, fall color and big mountains. Shoul dbe some nice photo opportunities.

Cheers

Carl

Backpacking up the valley of Hidden Creek, in the Wrangell Mountains. Fall colors glow on the tundra. Wrangell - St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska. Please click on the image to view a larger version of the photo.

Hey Folks,

Here’s a photo from our trip last week up Hidden Creek and over to the Lakina River. What a great trip this was. The weather was amazing; huge sunny skies, bluebird days, warm afternoons, crisp cool nights and that great fall air.

The landscape – well, incredible doesn’t touch it. Jaw-dropping scenery at virtually every turn marks this route, and we lapped it up. The views of Mt Blackburn the first day were simply unsurpassed. The view from my tent the final morning in a high alpine pass, with fresh snow (“termination dust”) on the soaring jagged peaks of the Wrangell mountains, reflecting in the glassy water of the tarn (lake) was more than anyone could ask for.

Last summer I hiked this route as part of a longer route, from Nugget Creek to Kennicott, and the weather wasn’t so friendly. Not terrible, but for this section, definitely not great hiking weather. This year the tables turned and we couldn’t have asked for better weather.

The folks on the trip, the Ball family from San Antonio, TX, had a blast. They were returning here after an infamous trip we took in 2006, where they set the record for the worst weather of any backpacking trip I’ve ever done. It was so fun to see their smiles and hear their joy as we didn’t have to set up the cook tent for each and every meal. A stark contrast to their previous hike!

This route, though not too far in terms of miles, offers a lot of exploring and side-hiking along the way, and we took advantage of that as often as possible. Some of the waterfalls we found, clear lakes and streams, as well as intense fall color in those high alpine passes were just too cool. And the herds of Dall sheep and mountain goats on the hillsides nearby were the icing on one helluva great cake!

I shot some video on this trip, as well, and will try to edit that and get it posted online in the fall. I’m looking forward to this hike again next year; hopefully the great weather will return and the hike will be as rewarding as this year.And the company will be as much fun as the Ball family. Thanks so much to Rob, Deb and Saundra for coming out again.

Cheers

Carl

Hiker viewing Mt. Sanford, Wrangell - St. Elias National Park, Alaska. Please click on the thumbnail to view a larger virsion of the photo.

Hey Folks,

Mount Sanford in early morning light. What a gorgeous morning!

Fall is such a great time for photography. The light has a quality that is tangibly different to any other time of year, and a cool clear morning is a real treat for a photographer.

This view of Mt Sanford, 6th highest peak in the US and 2nd highest in the Wrangell Mountains, is a great place to spend a morning. Here’s hoping for many more like this.

Cheers

Carl

A view from the Skookum Volcano Trail, a nice hike in Wrangell - St. Elias National Park and Preserve, near the old mining town of Nabesna. Please click on the thumbnail to view a larger version of the photo.

Hey Folks,

Here’s a quick shot from a recent hike up around Nabesna. I walked the Skookum Volcano trail – some great views out over this part of Wrangell – St. Elias National Park. Fall colors are right around the corner, and up high like this, the blueberry is already turning red.

The mountains up around this pass are amazing – really some great shapes and patterns in those rocks. I need to get back up there asap and shoot it some more.

The northern side of the park receives far fewer visitors than the south side, on the McCarthy Road, though I think the dayhiking and the photography is probably better on the north side. If the weather is clear, some of the best views in the park can be found off the Nabesna Road. Fall colors, too, can be intense, almost overwhelming, in late August/early September. And, I generally see more wildlife in this section of the park than I do along the McCarthy Road, though wildlife viewing is almost always hit and miss anywhere.

Next summer I’m going to be doing a little more backpacking in the area, and will offer some newer trips in this region, particularly a few shorter, easier hikes. As well, some of those walks don’t involve bush flights in and out of the backcountry, so they’ll be quite a bit cheaper as well. Stay tuned to the website for more information on those in October.

Those are the Mentasta Mountains in the background.

Cheers

Carl

Sunset over the Chitistone Valley and the University Peaks, Wrangell - St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska. Please click the thumbnail to view a larger version of the photo.

Hey Folks,

And the Image of the Month for August 2010 is a photo of sunset over the University Peaks, just south of the Chitistone River. We’d backpacked down the Chitistone Canyon all day, set up camp after crossing the Goat Trail, had a GREAT dinner with superb views of Mount Bona (16 421′ high) and the University Range, and the light kept getting better and better. I’d long wanted to hike down this little creek to a plateau above the Chitistone River and shoot sunset there, and knew this would be a great opportunity to do so.

I couldn’t convince any of the hikers in our group to join for me the evening trek (2 miles one way), so I grabbed my camera gear after we’d finished dinner, and set out. Though this scene wasn’t my intended final destination, I loved the combination of clouds, deep, steep canyon walls, and the warm light hitting the distant unnamed mountain. I stopped and took a few photos before continuing on my way down to the plateau.

When shooting a scene such as this, with high contrast between the shaded depths of the steep canyon and the bright clouds and distant peaks (Mount Bona) I use either a Split Density filter or take multiple images of differing exposures and blend them together in the computer later. This image I used 2 split density filters, a 2-stop and a 3-stop. Handholding 2 filters is hard; handholding them when you don’t want them to align symmetrically is really hard. Lesson #1 – carry a Cokin filter holder.

The Goat Trail is the first route I ever hiked in Wrangell – St. Elias National Park and Preserve, and is always a welcome treat for me to return to. This one was a night I’ll remember for along time. I returned to our high camp at around midnight. What a fantastic evening.

Cheers

Carl

Hey Folks,

Watch this clip, destined to become a classic, to see a brief, sudden and welcome appearance by the great Usain Bolt; Usain pops up in the video and shows his classic ‘bow and arrow’ pose, while simultaneously unveiling some gorgeous new footwear. I managed to grab a few seconds of him on video before he raced out of sight.

I was trying to grab some footage of the Chitistone Valley in heavy fog, from the “Wolverine” landing strip, when Usain appeared. I believe this is the first time he’s visited Wrangell – St. Elias National Park and Preserve, indeed Alaska itself. I’m sure he’ll make another appearance or 2 before the end of this season.

Cheers

Carl

Rock lake, sunset, Wrangell St. Elias National Park and Preserve. Please click on the thumbnail to view a larger version of the photo.

Hey Folks,

It’s summer time, and I don’t have much time to blog – but I’ll try to keep up with the Image of the Month. Here’s one from the north side of Wrangell – St. Elias National Park and Preserve. Taken from Rock lake, at sunset, the light on the distant Wrangell Mountains was gorgeous.

Thanks.

Cheers

Carl.