Clothing/Equipment List
Clothing
- Turtlenecks or medium weight long sleeved shirts
- Wool/wool-blend or fleece sweater/pullover
- Short sleeved t-shirts
- Jeans or comfortable pants
- Shorts
- Sleeping clothes
- Bathrobe (bathrooms may be “down the hall or path”…)
- Medium weight polarfleece or pile jacket
- 2 piece rainsuit with hood (breathable Gore-tex or waterproof nylon material)
*High quality rain gear is essential for camping trips, as a great deal of time is spent outdoors, rain or shine! Discount house disposable rain suits are NOT acceptable. - * Light to medium weight long underwear, top and bottom (silk or polypropelene preferred).
- Wool/wool blend socks
- * Lightweight wool or polarfleece gloves & hat
- * Wide-brimmed sun hat for canoe trips
- * Hiking boots – light to medium weight; water resistant or waterproofed preferable
- Comfortable shoes (sneakers…) to wear when not hiking, or for those trips with less hiking involved (i.e. All Alaska Tour, Kenai Explorer Tour)
Miscellaneous
- binoculars
- camera & batteries, cards
- ear plugs (if youre sharing a room…)
- eye shades (it could be light all night!)
- sunglasses
- sunscreen
- insect repellent (preferably with Deet)
- travel alarm clock
- water bottle
- day pack (book bag style backpack) for day hiking and walk to McCarthy
- flashlight (for trips after August 1st)
- trip journal/diary
- personal toiletries
- * hand towel/small bath towel
- * sleeping bag – rated to 30 degrees or less – ask us if you would like to rent one
- * camp pillow
*Pertains specifically to camping trips
Luggage requirements
Soft sided suitcases or duffle bags are definitely preferable over traditional hard-sided luggage. Baggage is strictly limited to one reasonable medium-sized piece and 50 lbs (remember who gets to carry it . . .), not including day pack (best to have handy with you in the van or on hikes). Remember, there’s only so much space in the vehicles, and if it doesn’t fit, it can’t go . . . Extra items can usually be stored in Anchorage while on the trip. PLEASE NOTE: All trips that go to McCarthy, require carrying one or two night’s gear (depending on the itinerary) from the van to the Lodge, across two forks of the Kennicott River (there are bridges!) – a distance of about half a mile – as the road ends at the River. Trips that include Seldovia need a means to condense and carry clothing for one night’s stay. Remaining items can be left in the van. There are steep boat ramps and small aircraft that will make you appreciate travelling lightly. A daypack is best for this situation.
For those trips that include camping, gear will occasionally have to be carried a short ways, from the van or canoe to campsite, usually no more than 50 yards.
For the trips that canoe the Yukon River, we will issue a set of dry bags prior to departing Anchorage, that will serve as your “luggage” during the trip. Luggage space is quite limited in the vehicle, and extremely so in the canoes, so please pack accordingly – what wont fit in the allotted dry bags wont be able to go.
For all trips, please be mindful of other tour guests and the limited space, and pack prudently. Thanks for understanding!
This list is merely a suggestion for what to bring, as everyones idea of packing for a trip varies widely. This list is used for all of our summer itineraries (with items specific to camping trips marked with an asterisk), so please adjust accordingly. Amounts of each article of clothing also vary depending on the length of trip. Most folks find that they bring far more than they ever need or use. Do keep in mind that dress in Alaska ranges from the very casual to the extremely so – in other words, wearing the same thing for a few days in a row is not a social faux pas up here but is in fact the norm! Nothing fancy is required; there is no place that we go that would refuse service —even if you were wearing merely your long underwear!
Please keep in mind that we have very limited luggage space in the vehicles (see “Luggage” below), and that you are your very own personal bell hop and valet for the trip (you can tip accordingly). Laundry facilities are available at least every 5 days (depending upon the itinerary). Layering and its flexibility is the key to being comfortable in Alaskas fickle summer weather, where temperatures may range from the 30s to mid 80s.