Backpacking into the remote, mountainous areas of Alaska with everything you need in your pack can be the most rewarding, and most challenging part of an Exposure trip.

With stunning scenery far from roads and the crowds of people in buses and RVs, packing in is an excellent opportunity to enjoy some of the "real" Alaska. Wake up to a spectacular view enjoyed over a steaming cup of coffee. Look for wildlife out in their neighborhood. Cross glaciers and rivers. Climb mountains.

The rewards are many but must be earned. Even if you're in pretty good shape, carrying a backpack uphill uses muscles in ways they may not be used much back home. Most people feel it at the end of the day.

We now offer two varieties of backpacking:

Beginner -- These trips are usually just one night out and the terrain is a little less challenging than our other trips. The goal is to introduce people to the pleasures of being self-sufficient in the backcountry away from the road. You'll be carrying your own personal gear and clothing, plus at least part of a tent and some food. But your Guide will help you keep your pack weight down to about 30 pounds or so.

Challenging - These trips are planned to push you a little. Even a one night trip could kick your butt as the group moves light and fast up and down mountains, often off trail, through rivers or in snow at any time of year! No experience needed but you should be fit, able to hike at a relatively fast speed, and ready for the challenges of the Alaska backcountry.

All of our backpacking is out in the real Alaska which may be quite different from anywhere you've hiked before. Trails vary from well-maintained to non-existent, often established but in very poor condition in some places. You can almost always expect wet feet; from muddy trails, snowfields, or river crossings.

Campsites are usually undeveloped with no toilet facilities. We carry everything we need in, and carry almost everything out when we leave.

Here are a few "answers" to very common questions:

How far will we hike each day? This varies greatly and it's not really worth trying to put a number on. You may be hiking off trail and or uphill so the actual mileage is not very relevant. You can expect to be on the move for most of the day, the actual pace may vary with the type of trip.

How much will we carry? This too varies greatly. A 1-2 night trip will be 25-35 pounds. Longer trips will be a little more.

Where will we be hiking? This varies too. (you're probably starting to see a pattern here). Your Guide will decide where to go based on current weather and terrain conditions, as well as the abilities of the group. We have too many options within 100 miles of Anchorage to even start to list.

Will we see other people or wildlife? If it's just a one-night trip you cannot realistically get far from the road, so you may see other hikers. But wildlife could be anywhere, people regularly see moose in mid-town Anchorage.