2012 Trips

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Spring Basecamp in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

We’re moving the location of our Spring Basecamp trip this year to a new area, one of the most beautiful mountain valleys we’ve seen, in the east side of Gates of the Arctic National Park. After doing a custom basecamp and ending several backpack trips here last summer, we wanted to be able to share this remarkably beautiful spot with more of you.

The spectacular mountain views in every direction somehow capture the whole range of colors, patterns and textures that make the Brooks Range so unique—creating an experience both awe inspiring and deeply serene.  While the view from camp is lovely, there are also great day hiking options which provide even more visual delights. The early June timing adds its own exhilaration as the land comes to life with new leaves, first flowers and birds arriving from their epic migrations.

This trip has a relaxed pace, with plenty of time for hiking and individual interests such as photography and bird watching, and endless hours under the never-setting sun.

Trip Details
We don't have set "daily itineraries" since all of our trips are true wilderness expedition-style trips, where we build in flexibility to respond to weather and other conditions, animal sightings, etc. Here is a sense of the general flow of the trip:

Each trip leaves Fairbanks in the early morning of the trip start date, so you need to be in Fairbanks by at least the day before that. We're scheduled to be back in Fairbanks by late afternoon/early evening of the trip end date. We recommend leaving at least a day's leeway at the end of the trip in scheduling other travel plans, since there's always a chance of getting weathered in at the pickup point.

Since a basecamp trip means that we don't have to move camp or travel from one place to another, these trips have the most flexibility and are the easiest physically. While the guide will generally lead a day hike every day, not everyone has to do the same thing, or hike the same distance-and just relaxing in camp and enjoying the beauty and quiet of the wilderness is a great option!