Frequently Asked
Questions


     
 

When is the best time to visit Alaska for weather, bugs? Where is the best place?
First of all, the tales of huge swarms of mosquitoes carrying away young caribou are somewhat exaggerated. Sure we’ve got mosquitoes, lots of ‘em at times. They’re often at their most annoying in early summer around our area (early June). There are a lot around Denali Park in mid-Summer. Farther north in the Arctic they are legendary some times of year.

But we also have gnats, flies, blacksocks, whitesocks, no see-ums etc. etc. At any time of summer, any place in south central Alaska you could have all of the above or none at all. It depends on some mysterious combination of their hatch cycle, wind, temperature, humidity, day of the week, phase of the moon…who knows? And predicting it is about as accurate as predicting the weather. We don’t spend a lot of time worrying about either. We know a few tricks to help cope comfortably. It’s all part of the experience!

The summer operating season for us, and many other businesses, is late May through early September.

Weather

A similar answer as the bug situation. Here’s the breakdown:
Late March/early April is “Spring”. Still some great skiing, prime time for mountaineering. Lots of snow in the mountains.
Late April/Early May is “Breakup”. Our peak mud season as all that snow starts to melt. A good time to go farther north, farther south, or higher in the mountains.
Late May is a great time for sea kayaking as there seems to be more wildlife, and less people.
June – August is “Summer”. Which means we could have 80 degrees and sunny , we could be hiking in a foot of new snow in the mountains or kayaking for days in the rain. Virtually endless long days. Prime time in Alaska, for us and the thousands of visitors. We sometimes stretch into the first week in September.
After Labor Day we’re fully into “Fall”. The leaves are changing and rapidly dropping. The tourist crowds are gone. We do a few trips in early September but the weather could be a lot cooler and/or rainier. We did a custom Extreme Week in early September and hiked out in 3 feet of new snow. Quite the adventure.

We do not usually modify our trip schedule based on weather forecasts but do make adjustments for safety reasons due to current conditions. For example, if it's too windy and waves are too big to paddle, you could find yourself sitting on the beach for part of your kayak trip.

 

Do I need insurance?
Travel insurance is recommended. If your flight is delayed and you miss the start of your Exposure trip, or miss the entire trip for whatever reason, travel insurance may reimburse you. (We will not be able to!)
If you live in the U.S., you know how expensive health care can be. If you’re visiting from outside the U.S. it could come as a shocking surprise in the middle of your vacation. If you are ill or injured on one of our trips we will do everything we can to help, but any and all expenses for care or evacuation are entirely your responsibility. Check out your options: Travel Insurance.

Are there any other costs???
If you show up with the required gear you really should not need to spend any money on one of our scheduled trips except for gratuities for your hard-working guides. if you would like to buy something to eat or drink at every stop we make, that may be on your own (but we supply plenty of food). We often buy the first round (what’s pizza without beer?)…much beyond that is on you.
All scheduled activities are included.
Custom trips may have some exclusions that will be clearly spelled out as your trip is planned.

What about tipping? Your Exposure Guides and other guides that you may have on the trip are always appreciative of gratuities, this is a service industry after all. 5 - 10% is a good rule of thumb.

Click HERE for more details on costs, payment, and what is and is not included.

I would be traveling alone, can I join a trip? Will I always be the “odd one out”? Will this be a problem?
Not at all. We probably have as many single guests as we do couples or friends. As we put the team together we think about things like tent sharing, double and single kayaks, load carrying etc. Sometimes we’ll get a friend to come along to balance things. One way or another it always works out. If you specifically request a room or tent to yourself (assuming that it’s logistically possible), there may be an additional charge. If you’re willing to be flexible, there will be no extra charges…and you still might have a tent all to yourself!
If you're the first one to sign up for a trip, we may not confirm your reservation until we get others signed up. We've never cancelled a trip due to low numbers, and have run trips with as few as two guests.

Will I see wildlife?
Wildlife is just that…wild. Our trips are primarily in the wilderness…we don’t look for bears in dumpsters. Although we are experienced in looking for animals in the bush we can make no promises. (well, we usually guarantee an eagle or two). A lot of it depends on the group, how quiet and alert they are when we are out. Of course, sometimes we make a lot of noise so that we DON’T see a bear unexpectedly.
The best opportunities to see wildlife are from the bus in Denali National Park, on a special fly-in bear viewing trip, and from the day cruise in Kenai Fjords National Park. See Wildlife Viewing for more info.

Are your trips "safe"?
Some dictionaries define “safe” as being without risk. Few things worth doing are completely without risk. We do our best to manage the inherent risks associated with the activities in our trips but cannot completely remove the risks without destroying the nature of the activity. For example, falling is an inherent risks of hiking and climbing and we can completely remove that risk only by NOT going hiking or climbing.
You must understand and accept the risks associated with an adventurous trip in Alaska.

We travel to extremely remote, stunningly beautiful areas where there are often no communications and help in an emergency may be delayed by hours or days.
While our trips are not without risk, we pride ourselves on an excellent record of managing these risks such that people can enjoy themselves on our trips and return home healthy and happy.

 

 

It seems like the Exposed Series Tours and Extreme Week do a lot of the same activities. What’s the difference?
Although many of the same types of activities are included, the Exposed Tours take them at a slightly less challenging level. Hiking is more often on established trails or easier terrain. The white water rafting may be a Class III instead of a Class V.
One other big difference…The Exposed Tours more often stay in an inn or established campgrounds that may even have toilets and showers.

But don’t be mistaken, these tours are ACTIVE vacations. While we occasionally have to do some miles in the van, we do a lot more than just jump out to “see” something and take a photo.
Over the years, our Extreme Week has become a little tougher, and our guests seem to enjoy the challenge. The Exposed Series is for those who may not want to push themselves quite so hard.


What about food? Can you accommodate special diets?
This questions gets it's own answer page.

Choose Exposure for your Alaska Adventure Tour


Over 20 years experience in the most remote areas of the world.

Alaskan owned and operated.

Exposure Alaska
200 W. 34th Ave. #82
Anchorage Alaska 99503

Tel. 907.761.3761 or 800.956.6422

Email is the best way to get in touch with us quickly.

 

Sea kayaking tours in Prince William Sound. Ice climbing, glacier treks and glacier tours on the Matanuska Glacier.
Other adventures in Alaska can be found at Alaska Adventure Center.
More information on Alaska Tours.

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