Adak Island is a volcanic island located near the center of the long arc of Alaska’s Aleutian Islands. Adak’s rugged but stunning tundra landscapes, challenging climate, flora and fauna, and fascinating history make it an attractive destination for adventurous backpackers, … Read More
Alaska Anchorage skating destinations The Anchorage area has an active backcountry ice skating community and a hugely diverse range of skating destinations, from quiet alpine tarns to marshes to glacial lakes studded with icebergs. Below is a list of some … Read More
Wild Ice Wild ice grading system The skating surface of wild ice is graded from A to F. This grade refers only to the surface quality of the ice–not thickness, safety, aesthetics, or other factors. Wild Ice Grades A Clear, … Read More
« Trip Reports on Winterbear.com Backpacking Denali National Park Unit 10 30-mile adventure in Denali National Park Backcountry Unit 10, West Branch Upper Toklat River August 21-23, 2020 In my experience, many outdoorsy Alaskans have spent more time in Yosemite … Read More
« Trip Reports on Winterbear.com Rainy Day Chugach Traverse 27.5-mile traverse through the heart of central Chugach State Park July 25-26, 2020 I looked at the forecast again. “I don’t really feel like going,” I told my girlfriend. “You need … Read More
Trip Reports on Winterbear.com Packrafting the Escalante River A 69.9-mile low-flow packrafting adventure down southern Utah’s Escalante River May 26-29, 2020 “You’re a little late,” the woman at the Escalante Visitor Center told me over the phone. The Escalante River, … Read More
« Trip Reports on Winterbear.com Castner Glacier Ice Caves Three Jan-Feb 2020 trips to the Castner Glacier ice caves January 25, January 30, and February 4, 2020 The word “otherworldly” gets used a lot when describing outdoor places, and it’s … Read More
« Trip Reports on Winterbear.com Point 4630: An After-Work Microadventure 12.9-mile after-work solo scramble up the north face of Point 4630 August 12, 2019 The term “microadventure” was coined (or at least popularized) by British adventurer Alastair Humphreys, who defined … Read More