Join us for a breathtaking winter alpine trek to a ridgeline or peak for brilliant 360-degree views at the edge of the vast Chugach wilderness.

Our guided winter alpine treks offer an unparalleled experience for guests, leading the way by offering our hikes and tours through the context of wilderness safety and environmental science education. Our guides will teach guests about bear and moose safety, best practices for hiking in the delicate tundra and forest landscape, and wilderness first aid medical skills.

Where we go

It is at once awe-inspiring as it is peaceful, beautiful yet reserved. The Chugach State Park is one of the biggest state parks in the United States with many unique trails to choose from. Some are ascents on mountain ridges, while others are gentler walks in forested trails and alpine valleys. We keep our ears to the ground and we plan our trips each morning based on several factors, including: where the flora and fauna is at its seasonal “best” at the time, guest preferences in our group, weather, and other environmental concerns.

What is our purpose, and why is it important?

Our programs are designed to foster authentic learning experiences that will not only last a lifetime, but encourage our participants to become actively engaged in conservation, protection, and sustainable use of our wild spaces. Our purpose is three-fold:
1) to empower our guests to be self-sufficient and knowledgeable in a wilderness setting;
2) that through education and experiencing the great wild beauty of our backcountry, guests will understand the value of protecting it, and
3) that after experience our eco-hike, guests will share both their wilderness safety knowledge and the environmental science knowledge they learned with others.

Eco-Education: The Science behind our great wild beauty and the people that live here (and how to enjoy it sustainably)
Our year-round eco-hikes offer us an extraordinary glimpse into the delicate yet robust ecosystems of this region of Alaska. Through extreme seasonal changes of weather and light, we have an amazing bevy of flora and fauna species that thrive with their unique adaptations. On our eco-hikes, guests will get a glimpse into some of our local stars: the migratory birds, the collared Pika, the golden-crested sparrow, Dall Sheep, and, among many others, the delicate landscape of the alpine tundra. A key focus of these eco-hikes is our local threatened and endangered species – we may not see them while we are hiking, but we want to highlight their niche environments, why they are threatened/endangered, and what it would look like if they weren’t on the threatened/endangered species list.

**Bring a camera-we adhere to the leave no trace philosophy-take only pictures and memories, leave only footprints.**

• Length: 5 Hours including Morning Meeting at our HQ near Downtown Anchorage, includes transportation to and from Trailhead
• Difficulty: Easy to Moderate. This hike requires the physical stamina and strength to hike for around 5 hours over 4 to 10 miles while carrying a 5-10 pound pack over a mixture of gradual and steep inclines, smooth and rough terrain, snow and mixed-snow covered terrain.
• Meet at our off-downtown HQ at 1343 G. St. where we will hand out any gear needed, make sure our paperwork is in order, and start our adventure.
• Departure and Trek: based on local trail conditions and our guests’ preferences, we choose the perfect hike for the day. The Chugach Wilderness offers many, many amazing hikes year-round to choose from. We will head out to our destination and spend 3-4 hours hiking. Typically in the winter months where we see a lot of snow, our hikes occur on ridgelines and trails that are known to be “safe” (outside of avalanche zones). We also prefer southern-exposed ridges because they offer the most sun and best views! During the shoulder seasons of October/November and March/April, depending on trail conditions and safety concerns, we may have opportunities to check out valleys and forested trails.
• Return: tour ends back at our HQ, where we return gear and say farewell! 

• Reviews! In order to let everyone else know about your amazing experience, don’t forget to leave a review after your trip! 
• Any questions? Contact us anytime prior to your trip. We know your Alaska trip has probably been a dream you’ve held for some time, and we want to do our best to make it the best for you! During your trip, please communicate any needs, questions about Alaska, or concerns you may have and we will do our best to make sure you have the experience of a lifetime. 

Please dress for the weather. Please do not wear jeans or cotton pants, and wear synthetic base layers with a mid-weight synthetic layer over, and pack rain/wind pants or snow pants in your backpack.

Here is a basic guide to layering for the weather: DO NOT WEAR JEANS, DO NOT WEAR COTTON! (questions – we can teach you why on your trip!) Layering is our friend! If you come with a set of basic layers, you will be able to maintain a comfortable temperature for yourself regardless of the weather.

1. Bottom Layer: a thinner layer of polyester/wool blend is ideal in colder weather. Keep it to wool or synthetic materials, avoid cotton. Including wool or synthetic socks. Pack an extra pair of socks in case your feet get wet.
2. Middle Layer: a thicker layer like soft-shell pants, and a fleece sweater.
3. Outer Layers: rain/wind and puffy pants and coat. In colder weather, a down puffy coat and warm puffy snow pants are great. 
4. hats, gloves, balaclavas. We suggest packing liner/thin gloves that you can wear inside windproof, lined overmitts, a fleece/windstopper balaclava, and a hat that is thick and at least somewhat wind-proof.

Other considerations for packing: 

• pack a big lunch and water for yourself and other participants in your group – in cold weather calories are your friend – your body will be working harder. This hike is not the time to go on a restrictive diet.
• A daypack – 20 to 30 L in size to keep your clothing layers, water, and lunch.
• Snacks, lunch, water (we recommend 3 liters)
• Even on sunny days, it can be cold at the summit or in high alpine settings. In Alaska, successful clothes means wearing wool or synthetic layers you can remove or put on as needed.
• A smile and a positive attitude! We will have a great time!

Please arrive promptly on time for your scheduled tour. We will go over the plan for the day, get everyone their gear, load up and head out within 20 minutes of scheduled start time.

Please email hello@intothewoodsalaska.com or call 907-406-5651 if you have any questions.

• Transportation in our van to and from the trailhead
• Certified local Alaskan guides who are passionate about environmental and wilderness education
• Need Winter Gear? We offer a winter outer-wear package with this tour, free of charge. It includes hat, gloves, balaclava, hand warmers, winter coat, gaitors, micro-spikes, wool socks, and trekking poles. This does not include pants – please do not wear jeans or cotton pants, and wear synthetic base layers with a mid-weight synthetic layer over, and pack rain/wind pants or snowpants in your backpack.
• binoculars
• snacks, hot cocoa/tea
• expert local advice and knowledge
• We will carry a trail first aid kit. Our guides are experienced in Alaska’s wilderness and are CPR/First Aid certified at a minimum, with some certified at the Wilderness First Responder Level. You are in safe hands!
  **We will have bear spray for you to carry, if you like. All guests carrying bear spray must first do a 10 minute bear spray course with us.**
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Spoken: English

Written: English (coming soon: Spanish, Mandarin, French, German)

• 75% refunds will be provided 7 or more days prior to the program/camp date.
• No refunds will be provided within 7 days of the program date.

Please click the button below and make sure you’ve completed our waiver of release and trip/program policies before we start our adventure.

Save time! We will get these signed at the start of the tour if they haven’t been done ahead of time.