Day 1 : Anchorage/Valdez
After a brief welcome meeting with your CEO, travel to the Matanuska Recreation Site where you will be able to view the glacier along the interpretive nature trail. After a picnic lunch the group will continue travelling onward to Valdez where you will have the opportunity to walk and visit the Worthington Glacier. In the evening, have dinner as a group around the fire.
Welcome Moment - Meet Your CEO and Group
1h
Your opportunity to meet your CEO and fellow travellers, and learn more about your tour. Opt to join the group for a local meal afterwards. Don't forget to see the notice in the lobby (or ask reception) for the official time and place to meet up with the group.
Private Vehicle
Anchorage - Matanuska Glacier 2h 154km
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle between Anchorage and the Matanuska Recreation Site.
Matanuska Glacier Recreation Site
Matanuska Glacier
This site which is easily accessible from the Glenn Highway Scenic Byway offers wonderful views of the Matanuska Glacier. As a 300 acre recreation site it offers glacier viewing from the parking lot that extends along the interpretive nature trail.
Private Vehicle
Matanuska Glacier - Valdez 3h45m - 4h 329km
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle between the glacier recreation site to Valdez. The stretch of 200 or so miles between Valdez and Matanuska Glacier Recreation Site takes around 4 hours to complete. There will be stops at viewpoints along the way for photo ops and to stretch those legs. Rest assured you will be travelling along some of the most beautiful sections of roads in the world.
Worthington Glacier Visit
Worthington Glacier 0h30m - 2h 1km
Spend some time exploring this glacier located in the Chugach Mountains near Thompson Pass—the snowiest place in Alaska. Worthington Glacier is one of the most accessible glaciers in Alaska, passing within a few feet of the parking lot with a viewing shelter right off the Richardson Highway. Like most of Alaska’s glaciers, this valley glacier has been steadily retreating for the last 150 years, but not as dramatically as many others. The upper basin sits at 5,500 feet and collects about 28 feet of snow each year.
Acommodation
Valdez KOA Journey
Acommodation
Valdez KOA Journey
Meals Included:
Lunch | Dinner
Day 2 : Valdez
What’s in store today will certainly be an adventure. After a quick breakfast, you'll have free time to walk, journal, or hang out with friends.
After lunch head to Glacier Lake in Valdez where you’ll go on a hike and guided kayak tour of the lake. If you have yet to set your eyes on an iceberg, this might just be your chance. This gorgeous lake in Valdez is often home to large chunks of floating ice coming from the Valdez Glacier. With great views and miles of open water to paddle there’s no better way to get in touch with nature.
Enjoy free time in Valdez today to hike, kayak, and explore the town and surrounding nature.
Glacier Lake Kayaking
Valdez
Walk along the shores of this gorgeous lake in Valdez and then pick up some paddles and get out on the water to try and spot some icebergs. These huge chunks of floating ice come from the Valdez Glacier and come with unimpeded views of the snow-capped Chugach Mountains in the distance. An area definitely worth experiencing while in Valdez. You’ll be able to see the actual glacier from the water while kayaking.
Acommodation
Valdez KOA Journey
Optional Activities - Day 2
Hiking Around Valdez
Valdez
Valdez is known for having amazing hikes in and around the city. Pack your water bottle, pick a route, and go hit the trail!
Thompson Pass is an alpine pass through the Chugach Mountains between Glennallen and Valdez and is an adventurer’s playground when the right conditions sweep through. The alpine area surrounding the pass allows for endless exploring and jaw-dropping views making this area wonderful for alpine hiking.
The Shoup Bay trail is a long, but gradual hike sporting great views hugging the Alaskan coastline. Make sure to bring layers and waterproof shoes as it can get muddy at points.
Acommodation
Valdez KOA Journey
Meals Included:
Breakfast | Lunch
Day 3 : Valdez/McCarthy
You’ll spend time today in a private vehicle en route to McCarthy, but don’t worry there will be plenty of epic road trip worthy stops along the way. First up is a stop at Thompson's Pass viewpoint to start the day with stunning vistas. As you continue driving highway 10 there will be plenty of quick stops at worthy viewpoints all along the Copper River. Then enjoy a visit to Liberty Falls State Recreation Site where you can stretch your legs and visit the falls, which plunge 20 ft into the Liberty Creek. Continue along the scenic highway to McCarthy. Stop and see the fish wheels at Kuskulana River Canyon and Bridge, along Gilahina River, and at Gilahina Trestle Wayside. Arrive in McCarthy, visit the town, maybe catch some live music after dinner.
Private Vehicle
Valdez - McCarthy 4h45m - 5h30m 290km
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle. There will be stops along the way to take in the beauty of this vast landscape.
Liberty Falls Visit
Liberty Falls
Liberty falls is a powerful cascade that bursts through a slot in bedrock and plunges 20 ft down into Liberty Creek. The recreation site is just off the scenic highway to McCarthy and you can hear the constant roar of the falls from the wooded area. It’s a great landmark to stop and visit on the way to Wrangell-St. Elias National Park.
Highway 10 View Points & Fish Wheel Stops
Valdez - McCarthy
During the drive there will be plenty of stopping along highway 10 to experience the amazing vistas along the Copper River. Then you'll see some of the fish wheels in action. They are powered by the river current and date back to the Gold Rush as an innovative way to scoop the migrating salmon from the water and place them into a large bin for processing. More than one million Pacific salmon travel up the Copper River each year to their spawning grounds and it happens from late spring into mid summer and is quite a sight to see.
Acommodation
Glacier View Campground
Acommodation
Glacier View Campground
Meals Included:
Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner
Day 4 : McCarthy
Visit Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and spend the day hiking along the Bonanza Mine trail. A hike that includes stunning scenery, a trek to the top of a mountain and 1930’s mining ruins all in a frontier Alaskan setting. Coming in at 9 miles total, the hike is strenuous, but with the views you’ll be admiring, you might not notice at all. In the evening relax back at camp and have dinner as a group.
Explore Wrangell-St Elias
Wrangell-Saint Elias National Park and Preserve
Enjoy time to explore this park on foot or from the air. Wrangell-St Elias National Park is located in the eastern region of south-central Alaska. The Chugach, Wrangell, and St Elias mountain ranges converge here in what is often referred to as the 'Mountain Kingdom of North America'. It is the largest national park in the US at six times the size of Yellowstone.
Bonanza Mine Trail Hike
Bonanza Mine 6h - 7h 14km
Walk the Bonanza Mine Trail, a fairly strenuous walk that follows the ridges and tram lines to the old mine. Enjoy the magnificent panoramas of the Chugach Mountains, Mt Blackburn and the Kennecott Glacier along the way. From the ridge above the mine there are some spectacular views across to the University Range in the St Elias Mountains.
The hike is about 4.5 miles one way with an elevation gain of 3800ft.
Acommodation
Glacier View Campground
Acommodation
Glacier View Campground
Meals Included:
Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner
Day 5 : McCarthy
Hiking is unique in its ability to nourish the body and the mind, but it’s nice to have a free day every now and then to let your body recover and your mind wander. Spend today in McCarthy choosing from a variety of optional activities to keep you busy. Head out on a guided ice walk tour, visit the Kennicott Mills Town on a guided tour, hop on a scenic flight of the national park, or set out on a rafting trip. Unwind at camp in the evening and talk about your adventures.
Today enjoy time for optional activities like guided ice walk tour, a visit to the Kennicott Mills Town on a guided tour, a scenic flight in the national park, or a rafting trip.
Acommodation
Glacier View Campground
Optional Activities - Day 5
Rafting on Copper River
McCarthy
Get ready for a rafting adventure – a guaranteed thrilling, wet, and wild ride down the Copper River. The level of rafting will depend on the group; different levels are available.
Kennicott Ghost Town Guided Tour
Kennicott 2h
Explore Kennecott, a ghost town frozen in time. When the Kennecott Copper Corporation abruptly abandoned the town in 1938 they left behind their equipment, buildings and personal belongings. Their stories of discovery, perseverance, and ingenuity, however, live on. See what it was like to live and work in this remote wilderness as you tour the town site with a guide, listening to tales of lucky fortunes, tenacious frontiersmen and tragic endings.
Wrangell-St. Elias Scenic Flight
Wrangell-Saint Elias National Park and Preserve 1h - 2h
Get a bird's eye view of this gorgeous landscape and try to take it all in.
Acommodation
Glacier View Campground
Meals Included:
Breakfast
Day 6 : McCarthy/Glennallen
Leave McCarthy behind and travel along a scenic highway to Glennallen. There will be stops along the way to embark on short hikes that lead to lakes, streams, or fishing holes. Visit the Copper Visitor Center and go for short walks in the area while there and make sure not to miss the amazing viewing platform that can be reached from the Visitor Center. Spend the rest of the afternoon and evening staying at-and exploring-Alaska's oldest continually operating roadhouse.
Private Vehicle
McCarthy - Copper River Valley 3h30m 198km
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
McCarthy Highway & Copper Visitor Centre
McCarthy
As you drive along the scenic highway from McCarthy to Glennallen the group will make stops along the road where there are access roads or short trails that lead to lakes, streams, and other fishing holes. Once at the Copper Visitor Centre you can take shorter hikes in the area and wander along the beautiful viewing platform at the visitor centre itself.
Copper Visitor Center
Glennallen
Visit the Copper Visitor Center in Glennallen and enjoy the exhibits there, view the park film, hike some nature trails, and go to the bookstore.
Acommodation
Gakona Lodge
Optional Activities - Day 6
Half-Day Float on Gulkana River
Gulkana River
Set on a a half-day excursion along the winding Gulkana River, just a few short miles from the Gakona Lodge. See wildlife, experience a ride on the flowing waters, and try to catch some fish. A great addition to your adventurous Alaska experience.
Acommodation
Gakona Lodge
Meals Included:
Breakfast
Day 7 : Glennallen/Anchorage
In the morning transfer with the group from Glennallen to Anchorage, tour ends on arrival.
Private Vehicle
Copper River Valley - Anchorage 3h30m 289km
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
