Alaska Backpacking Retreat

Step out of your comfort zone and into a wild adventure for a once in a lifetime experience! 

Our small intimate group of adventurers will arrive by bush plane into Wrangell St. Elias National Park to backpack for 6 days / 5 nights in the Alaskan Highcountry , bushwhacking our way through tundra and mountainous landscapes, waterfalls, finding fossils, exploring ice caves and more.  We'll then have 2 days to explore the small town of McCarthy to relax, enjoy a spa-day, hike or adventure some more - whether you want some solo time or group time this is up to you - before we shuttle back to Anchorage.

  • Arrive by July 17th in Anchorage and plan to depart July 28th from Anchorage

  • 4 people + Monica from Unruly Women + Quill from Trek Alaska

  • Dropped off by bush plane, we’ll spend 6 days and 5 nights backpacking in the Alaskan Backcountry, guided by Quill and assisted by Monica

  • We’ll stay together in a unique hostel - style lodging experience that has a sauna, chickens, and more! Located only 3 miles from the Anchorage airport.

  • We’ll stay together in the historical Lancaster hotel in a hostel - style lodging experience, located within the historical town of McCarthy, in Wrangell St. Elias National Park.

A Brief Overview of The Adventure!

ABOUT THE BACKPACKING EXPERIENCE with TREK ALASKA + UNRULY WOMEN

This 6 day / 5 night backpacking trip is all about exploring the high country in the Wolverine Mountain area in Wrangell-St Elias National Park. We will arrive by bush plane - which fits 1-2 people at a time. Once we're dropped off - - we're out here for 6 days! Throughout our exploration, there will be gorgeous campsites, ridge walking, waterfalls, caves, rock arches, wildlife, fossils and more!

Similar to Unruly Women backpacking trips in MN, this backpacking retreat will allow a combination of backpacking and base camping allowing for flexibility and the ability to experience both hard work, exploration and the convenience of basecamping. Prior backpacking experience is *highly* recommended for this trip, because of the physical, cognitive and emotional demands that this trip will require. BUT this trip is not about crazy mileage, it’s an entirely different style of backpacking than trekking on the Superior Hiking Trail, Pacific Crest Trail or Appalachian Trail that is more about the adventure and the exploration rather than crushing mileage to get to a destination.

Unruly Women backpacking retreats differ from other guiding services by focusing our mindset around skill building, self empowerment through challenging experiences, and through immersing ourselves in nature to nurture mindfulness and strengthen our intuition so that we learn to better listen to our intuition and trust ourselves - - which will be crucial while in the Alaskan high country. (Read more about your guides - Quill and Monica below)

This is so much more than just a guided backpacking experience - it’s a specially curated space that will allow you to unearth the inner you, the wildest you, the most authentic you that ever you-d. Coming away from this adventure you'll feel confident, empowered and pretty badass ;)

Trek Alaska has decades of experience guiding in Alaska, they even wrote the book 'Falcon Guides : Hiking Alaska's Wrangell St Elias National Park' and as a guiding company they align well with Unruly Women’s mission.

  • Plan to arrive in Anchorage, Alaska and arrange transport to our shared accommodations. Reservations have been made at Base Camp Anchorage, a friendly and highly recommended hostel.

  • Breakfast is provided at the hostel. The shuttle will pick us up early in the morning and we’ll arrive in McCarthy around 5pm. Quill will meet us on arrival. Once we get checked into our lodging accommodations at the Lancaster hostel/hotel, the guide will meet with the group to review gear and distribute group gear and food. Dinner on your own.

  • DAY 3 Breakfast is provided at our lodging. We will walk with our gear to catch a flight to Wolverine at for our 8-8:30 flights out of McCarthy. It's about a 20 minute flight and a many consider the backcountry flight in a single engine bush plane to be a real highlight of the experience. By mid-morning the entire group will be assembled at the Wolverine airstrip. From here, we begin our trek towards the Grotto Creek area. We might get there on the first day or we might take two days. It depends on the group, weather, etc.

    DAY 4-6 Today we either hike the rest of the way to Grotto or, if already arrive begin exploring the region. Grotto Creek is one of the nicest areas to camp that we visit. There are areas of flat, smooth ground with nearby water source that makes for sweet camping. We spend a couple days exploring the Grotto Creek area, and there are a lot of great options. Opportunities for some great ridge walks abound or we might head down valley a bit and explore waterfalls, arches and caves. The guide presents options and the group weighs in.

    Day 7 It's back to Wolverine today. Keep an eye pealed for fossils along the route. There are also a lot of geodes in the region from tiny to pretty large.

    Day 8 We're up bright and early to catch the flight back to McCarthy. First stop is usually The Potato for an awesome late breakfast to celebrate the adventure. We will head back to Lancaster hostel/hotel to settle in for our overnight accommodations, shower, relax. Dinner on your own.

  • Breakfast at our lodging accommodations. (TBD) Day to explore McCarthy, hike, rest, spa or adventure (any activities this day are not included in trip expense); you’re welcome to have a solo day or stick with the group; overnight in McCarthy at Lancaster hotel / hostel style lodging. Lunch and dinner on your own.

  • Breakfast at our lodging accommodations. (TBD) Day to explore McCarthy, hike, rest, spa or adventure (any activities this day are not included in trip expense); you’re welcome to have a solo day or stick with the group; overnight in McCarthy at Lancaster hotel / hostel style lodging. Lunch and dinner on your own.

  • Breakfast provided at lodging accommodations. Shuttle from McCarthy to Anchorage, arrive around 5pm ; overnight at Base Camp Hostel in Anchorage, AK.

  • Depart from Anchorage / have your return flight home scheduled for today / schedule your transport from hostel to airport and have a safe trip home - full of new memories to share!

TRIP OUTLINE // ITINERARY

*Unruly Women and Trek Alaska reserve the right to modify trip itineraries as necessary due to weather, conditions, illness, injury, group dynamics or other unforeseen circumstances. The shuttle transport McCarthy <> Anchorage, bush flights McCarthy <> Wolverine (backpacking drop-off / pickup), backpacking dates, and lodging accommodations have been reserved as stated above.

    • 2 nights in Base Camp hostel in Anchorage (breakfasts included)

    • 4 nights in Lancaster hostel - style lodging in McCarthy (breakfasts included)

    • Shuttle/transport Anchorage to McCarthy and McCarthy to Anchorage (July 18th and 27th)

    • 6 days/5 nights in Wolverine Backcountry guided trek with Trek Alaska, permit fees, all meals included during backcountry trek (July 19th-24th)

    • a 15% gratuity for Trek Alaska Guide Quill for our 6 day/5 night Backcountry Trek

    • bush plane flight from McCarthy to Wolverine / Backcountry and back to McCarthy ( July 19th and 24th)

    • Gear list and recommendations, where/how to source gear you don’t have

    • Professional leadership / Unruly Women Guide Monica throughout entirety of 12 day trip

    • Trek Alaska will supply these items for our backpacking trek:

      • Backcountry guide (Quill)

      • • Tents

        • Dining tarp

        • Cook stove

        • Fuel canisters and fuel

        • Cooking gear

        • Group first aid kit

        • Emergency Sat Phone

        • All food and snacks for the trek

        • Bear resistant food storage canisters

        • Water treatment kit

    • Freedom and flexibility to explore outside of scheduled activities and transport

    • Detailed travel guide with logistics and helpful information

    • Your airfare to Anchorage, Alaska and back home

    • Transport to/from airport (3 miles from our lodging accommodations, bus and taxi available)

    • meals and beverages in Anchorage and McCarthy (except breakfast that is included with hostel-style-lodging)

    • travel insurance - - this is HIGHLY recommended as there are no refunds for this trip because of the reservations/booking, scheduling and small group

    • medical insurance - - HIGHLY recommended to have medical insurance to participate in this trip

    • personal gear / personal items : clothing, outerwear / jackets, sleeping bag, 70 L backpacking backpack minimum (Anchorage REI rental recommended), sleeping pad, backpack cover, headlamp, hiking boots, gators (for over boots), trekking poles, mess kit (spoon, cup, bowl)

    • Any activities or fees not listed under Included

    • Optional Gratuities for Unruly Women leader/guide Monica

$5,700 (USD) COST BREAKDOWN

YOU BELONG HERE and YOU ARE ENOUGH.

🏳️‍🌈 A reminder that all Unruly Women events - - *especially this one* - - are LGBTQ2S+ inclusive and open to anyone who is female identifying, feels most belonging in femme spaces or are non-binary.  Trans, non-binary and two-spirit people have always existed throughout history and across many cultures.  Here at Unruly Women, we believe that that trans women are women, and that trans and gender-nonconforming people belong everywhere, especially in outdoor spaces. 🏳️‍⚧️
EVERY BODY BELONGS OUTDOORS

MEET YOUR GUIDES!

Monica (she/her) Guide

Monica is the founder, event + retreat curator, guide + outdoor recreation educator for Unruly Women an organization that values inclusivity and accessibility with a mission to cultivate community and empower all female identifying, femme and non-binary persons to reclaim their voice by unearthing their inner wild, outdoors.

She curates and guides retreats for backpacking on the Superior Hiking Trail and mountain biking throughout the Midwest, ‘Shared Identity’ volunteer events with the SHTA, collaborates with small businesses and organizations in the community to host public events to bring community together and create a sense of belonging in the outdoor space, for everyone. This is her 5th year curating and guiding retreats and cannot wait to bring an unruly group to explore the Alaska backcountry!

Monica is a certified mountain biking coach, wilderness first responder, published freelance writer and entrepreneur who quit her job to fulfill her dream of helping to create safe spaces outdoors for everybody through empowering adventures. She knows deeply that the more time we engage in nature, learn the skills and safety for sustainable outdoor recreation, the more likely we are to respect nature and help protect it for future generations to come.

You can read more about Monica’s outdoor experience by clicking here.

Quill (they/them) Wilderness Guide with Trek Alaska

[Photo taken in an ice cave in McCarthy, Alaska!!!]

Growing up on the shores of Lake Superior Gitchigumi, Quill has always had a love for playing outside. They have spent the past 7 summers working as a backcountry guide at a wilderness adventure camp and sharing outdoor experiences with youth including canoe trips in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area and backpacking trips around the lower 48 and in the Alaska Brooks Range.

Quill has worked for the Utah Conservation Corps learning about the different plants and invasive species in the Moab area, and has spent time learning how to care for, train, and race sled dogs in Willow, Alaska - - getting to experience how amazing and powerful these tiny beings are!  

While working as a wilderness guide, Quill has come to realize a passion for facilitating connection amongst groups of people and allowing space for folks to interact with the outdoors in their own unique ways. Creating an environment where people feel welcomed and included in the outdoors, is important to Quill, while also discovering the past and present stories of where we travel is paramount to developing respect, responsibility, and allyship to these wild places and to each other.

This trip has been cancelled due to lack of interest, if you have interest in a future trip like this one, please reach out.