Twin Lakes Country - Lake Clark National Park
Hiking/Trekking in Alaska with Alaska Alpine Adventures
Highlights
- Twin Lakes, tundra hiking, wilderness camping, flightseeing, and plenty of solitude
- Visit the cabin of Dick Proenneke
Full Description
Are you looking for an Alaska hiking trip away from the crowds and immersed completely in the wilderness? Then you need to see Alaska’s Twin Lakes! Enjoy long day hikes from our comfortable, established camp along the shores of Twin Lakes. These rarely-visited, paired tarns draw abundant wildlife for wonderful wilderness wildlife viewing. Explore the lakes' edges, hike up some of the peaks that ring the glacier-carved basin, or simply sit back and enjoy your camp side meal under the midnight sun. This hiking trip is Alaska’s epitome!
About 150 miles due west of Anchorage and nestled in the southwest corner of the mighty Alaska Range lies Twin Lakes, perhaps the finest and most appreciated piece of wilderness in Alaska. Tucked away in an amphitheater of glaciated 5000' peaks, this pair of crystal-clear bodies of water provides some of the finest wildlife viewing and alpine hiking in the country! Given its elevation of 2000' above sea level, Twin Lakes sits tantalizingly close to the alpine tundra that inspires hiking. Our endeavors here will focus on the peaks and valleys of the area around Hope Creek, a small watershed feeding the south side of Upper Lake. From our comfortable basecamp, we'll spend our time here exploring the high country around Upper Twin.
Perhaps the greatest treat of a Twin Lakes adventure is a visit to the hand-hewn log home of Dick Proenneke, a man who, until his departure in 1998, lived a 30 year dream as the only full- time resident of Twin Lakes. As you wander around his stunning piece of property and marvel at his handiwork, keep in mind that even in this age of information and technology, Dick chose to live without electricity, running water and telephone. The fuel for his wood stove came from the surrounding forest, the fuel for his body from the land and water in his backyard, and the fuel for his soul from the total wilderness of which he was ambassador. To many of us, Dick Proenneke is a hero, and his small cabin is our reminder.
Though Dick's footprints have long since faded into the ecosystem, we still follow his tracks to places like Hope Creek, Low Pass, Cowgill Bench, Teetering Rock and Eye of the Needle Pass. After a week of hiking in this amazing place, you'll understand why it took very old age to pull Dick from the country. Twin Lakes is Alaska at its absolute finest!
Includes:
- All group gear (tents, stoves, fuel, etc.), satellite phone, and safety equipment
- Ground Transportation to Chugach State Park and Lake Hood on Day 1
- Round trip bush flight transportation from Anchorage to Lake Clark National Park
- Professional guide service at a maximum 4:1 client to guide ratio
- All meals from lunch on day one through lunch on the final day of the itinerary
- Storage for your extra travel items while in the field
Excludes:
- Lodging in Anchorage prior to and after your adventure
- Personal gear (sleeping bags, packs, rain gear, etc.)
- Trip cancellation insurance
- Alcoholic beverages
- Guide gratuities
Day by Day Itinerary
Day 1
This morning, our group will meet at 9am in Anchorage. After a short orientation and gear check, we will then make the drive to Chugach State Park where you’ll take a beautiful hike and enjoy a trail side lunch with your guide. By early afternoon, we’ll then make our way to Lake Hood Seaplane Base, the busiest float-plane airport on earth, where we’ll board a floatplane bound for Lake Clark National Park and our home for the next 5 nights. This 1.5 hour scenic flight will take us over alpine tundra, braided rivers, cascading waterfalls, and stunning alpine lakes. Our skilled bush pilot will then take us down to upper Twin Lake nestled in a stunning Aleutian Range basin , where we will unload our gear on a small beach and then wave the airplane goodbye. We’ll set up camp on the lake, bask in the newfound solitude, and then take short early evening hike to Dick Proenneke’s cabin before dinner. Lunch and Dinner Included.
Day 2-5
We will spend the next four days exploring the surrounding landscape of Upper Twin. Whether following glacially fed streams to their source or surmounting high-mountain passes, our days are sure to be filled with adventure, outstanding hiking, and absolutely stunning Alaska landscapes. All meals included.
Day 6
As we enjoy a leisurely morning, we’ll enjoy our final breakfast in the wilderness, will break down camp and perhaps make one last visit to Proenneke’s cabin. We are surely to feel moved by this amazing man and the surroundings that he called home for so long. As the floatplane descends on the Lake, we’ll depart knowing that this amazing place has made lasting impact on our souls. We’ll return to Anchorage by early afternoon. If you are departing Alaska on this day, please schedule all homebound flights for after 4 pm. Breakfast & Lunch included.
About The Operator:
Alaska Alpine Adventures
Headquarters:
Anchorage, Alaska
Established:
January 1998
Alaska Alpine Adventures was conceptualized during many seasons of exploration throughout Lake Clark National Park by founders Dan Oberlatz and Derek Nelson. During this time, we held odd jobs and lived a life focused on climbing, skiing, and hiking as much of Lake Clark as we could possibly afford. Work simply meant the means to pay for our next flight into the wilderness, and time spent in the wild was the currency we preferred to earn. From first ascents and descents of remote peaks of the Alaska and Aleutian mountain ranges, to extended backpacking trips and speed hikes, our lives were rich with Alaska experience and the lifestyle was wealthy. Our explorations fostered a profound appreciation and respect for the Alaska wilderness, a remarkable skill-set, and a passion for pure wilderness travel. Furthermore, our collection of experiences became the seed for Alaska Alpine Adventures, which became a reality in 1998.
Since our early days on Lake Clark, it is the blend of "what we do" and "who we are" that has made AAA. We are quite simply a group of explorers and naturalists sharing with our guests the incredible beauty of Alaska—The Great Land. Our goal and passion is to give participants the opportunity to experience, through pure adventure travel, the exhilaration, the wonder, the grandeur, and the solitude of Alaska's magnificent national parks and wildlife refuges.
As guides, however, we are more than simply leaders into the areas we venture. Throughout the Alaska Alpine Adventures' experience, we endeavor not only to share these amazing landscapes on foot, raft, skis, or kayak, but also to help our clients develop a sense of commitment to and appreciation for the vast public lands we visit. We strive to be good stewards of the truly wild and intact ecosystems we explore, and are committed to educating ourselves and others to respect and protect the wilderness areas that make these wonderful experiences possible.
Because we promote the educational component of our expeditions, we tend to attract visitors bent on exploring and experiencing "real" Alaska - rather than simply "peak bagging" or "thrill seeking." We believe that this is also due in large part to the fact that we project conservation ethics, cultural awarness, and environmental commitment throughout all aspects of our enterprise.
Our impressive collection of experiences represents not only our history, but also the blueprint for the future of Alaska Alpine Adventures. When you choose to travel with us, you can rest assured that your trip has been meticulously planned and executed by real Alaskans with authentic Alaska know-how, skill, and ability.