By Co-Owner and guide Michael Wald

As leaves burst from the birches here in Fairbanks and birds begin incubating eggs, we are busy making the final arrangements for our summer in the Brooks Range and beyond. The boats and tents are ready thanks to Bill. Flights are booked with longtime friends Coyote Air and Yukon Air amongst other exceptional pilots. This weekend we are heading down to the Nenana River to participate in a swift-water rescue course that we are hosting and as soon as the pallet of food arrives from the natural foods distributor we can begin packing our bags for the first trips of the year.

In the news we read that tourism in Alaska is down by nearly 40% and we have had some anxious times this winter wondering if trips would fill. Contrary to the news, people from all over the world continue to call us up and inquire about seeing this vast and unspoiled Alaska landscape, rich with human and natural history. I’d like to think that our trips are a breed apart and that the desire for truly wild landscapes does not waver. It is heartening to see so many people prioritizing wilderness, and more and more people are bringing the whole family.

Our June trips are nearly full and we are looking forward to a very busy July exploring Katmai, Lake Clark, and Wrangell St. Elias National Parks with a series of custom trips. Our new wildlife base camp trip where we will intercept the Porcupine Caribou Herd is poised to be a new classic. And I’m excited to be guiding a totally exploratory canoe trip on the Nuka River in the upper Colville. Check back in July to see what we find.

But fear not, we still have space available all summer long if you want to join the fun.

In July you could explore the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge on our High peaks Backpack. Or  head by plane and boat to the far flung Aleutians for a week of hot-springs and hiking.

As you can see by reading through this blog we had a great winter, between lighting lake methane, pack rafting in Kauai, repairing rafts, crabbing in Haines, and taking a winter trip to the North-slope. But summer in Alaska just can’t be beat and I’m excited to get back on the tundra and rivers. I hope you will join us.