ALASKA WITHOUT THE BOYS - EXPEDITION FOR WOMEN
(Includes: 35-40 miles of paddling, 20 mile ATV drive/ride across Kruzof Island.)
July 29 – August 3, 2012 ~ 6 days / 5 nights
Experience: Beginner to Advanced (Participants must be at least 12 years of age)
Group Size: 2 person minimum / 6 person maximum (Plus Expedition Leader)
Price (USD): $1850/person (Does not include lodging & meals in Sitka, or sales tax)
We Provide: Experienced Guide, Delta two-person kayaks, all paddle & safety gear,
emergency communications, tents, sleeping bags & pads, camp kitchen, all wilderness meals & snacks, and Kruzof-ATV adventure on Day 3.
Sitka Preparations & Expedition Float Plan
Day 0 – July 28 (Sat): Participants arrive in Sitka by early afternoon (via Alaska Airlines or Alaska Marine Highway). We’ll have a 3:00pm get-together at John and Alison’s home to meet your Expedition Guide and fellow paddlers, conduct a check-list of expedition & personal gear, and preview the float plan on charts (making adjustments as needed, based on the 5-day NOAA weather forecast).
Day 1 – July 29 (Sun): You’ll have the early morning free to pick up last-minute personal provisions. Meet at Crescent Harbor at 10:00am for kayak packing and a paddle safety orientation. We’ll have an early lunch before launching to paddle to a beautiful little island in the north end of Sitka Sound. We spend our first night on a shell beach admiring the silhouette of Mt. Edgecumbe. (6-7 nm paddling)
Day 2 – July 30 (Mon): Morning paddle across Sitka Sound to trace the rocky coast of Kruzof Island. This is a great area for spotting whales, brown bears and other wildlife. We’ll break for lunch on a remote beach before heading north into Hayward Strait. Explore a maze of narrow passages in route to our second night’s camp site in the Magoun Islands. (7-9 nm paddling)
Day 3 – July 31 (Tue): A short morning paddle brings us to Mud Bay. Here, we’ll exchange our sea kayaks for two-person ATV’s, and take an exhilarating ride through lush rainforest and beautiful Iris meadows to the outer coast of Kruzof island. Enjoy a picnic lunch on a black sand beach before we start back across the island to resume our kayak adventure. In the late-afternoon we’ll set up camp on an unnamed island that provides a perfect view of Krestof Sound. (4-5 nm paddling, 20-miles by ATV)
Day 4 – August 1 (Wed): About an hour after striking camp, we’ll step ashore on Sound Island to explore the moss-covered ruins of a WWII-era fort. We’ll then continue east into the peaceful waters of Nakwasina Passage. After dinner, you’ll have the option of joining your Guide for a twilight paddle to explore a meadow-lined estuary that is often visited by bears. (6-7 nm paddling)
Day 5 – August 2 (Thur): This morning, we’ll wind our way through the most dramatic stretch of Nakwasina Passage – a place of abundant wildlife and waters so still you can often see perfect mirror images of the surrounding peaks reflecting off the surface. Your Guide will prepare a campfire dinner on a beach that had been used by the Tlingit for centuries, as a canoe landing site. (6-7 nm paddling)
Day 6 – August 3 (Fri): Wake up to a great campfire breakfast and a morning of leisure. On the final stretch of our expedition, we’ll explore a beautiful river estuary and trace the coast of the Lisianski Peninsula in route to our afternoon landing at Old Sitka. After a well-earned shower, we’ll gather together at Sitka’s finest restaurant to celebrate new friends and our shared week of adventure. (5-6 nm paddling)
Note – Ideally, you should plan to spend at least one full day in Sitka just to relax and take in the beauty and fascinating history of the town.
The safety of our guests will always be our highest priority. The expedition float plan shall be modified if the Lead Guide determines that unsafe conditions are occurring or likely to develop.
View the Alaska Without The Boys Expedition in a larger map
Are you coming to Alaska, or even just dreaming about it?
We invite you to join us this summer …
… to explore the coast less paddled.
