At A Glance

Dates

Price $7,940 | Deposit $200

Trip Number: 24607A

* There may be slight differences between itineraries for various dates. Contact the leader for details.

Raft, Kayak, Hike and Boat in the Copper River Delta and Prince William Sound, Alaska

Sierra Club Outings Trip | Kayak, Lodge, Small Boat

Great Alaska Photography Voyage: Copper River Delta and Prince William Sound

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Highlights

Explore by helicopter, boat, and kayak
Cruise Prince William Sound 3 days on the M/V Discovery
Look for moose, brown bear, and other wildlife

Includes

All acccommodations, most meals and transportation
Photo instruction from premier photographer Hugh Rose

Overview

The Trip

The Great Alaska Photography Voyage is the ultimate Alaska land and sea adventure featuring the very best of Alaska’s scenery and wildlife. This journey begins in Cordova, where we stay at the Orca Adventure Lodge for four nights and five days. The land portion of the trip couldn’t be grander as we travel by plane, boat, helicopter, and road into Eastern Prince William Sound and the Copper River Delta for an intimate five-day tour of Childs Glacier, Miles Glacier, and the Million Dollar Bridge. The trip will end in Anchorage, Alaska.

Itinerary

Days 1-5: Arrive in Cordova, Alaska on Monday. We will stay at the Orca Adventure Lodge for four nights. Each day we will be doing various activities from hiking in the Cordova Ranger District of the Chugach National Forest, kayaking on Sheridan Lake, and rafting on the Copper River.

Day 6: We will fly from Cordova to Anchorage and spend the night in an Anchorage accommodation.

Days 7-9: After breakfast at the hotel, we will drive to Whittier and board the MV Discovery for the next three days and two nights. The last night will be spent in an Anchorage accommodation.

Logistics

Getting There

Members are responsible for their travel to Cordova, Alaska and return travel from Anchorage, Alaska. Do not schedule your arrival and departure dates too tightly; allow some flexibility for canceled flights and other delays. Because of the possibility of weather-related flight delays, it is strongly recommended that you purchase travel insurance. Do not make travel commitments without talking with the leader first.

Please do not make non-refundable travel arrangements until notified to do so by the trip leader

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Getting There

Please do not make non-refundable travel arrangements until notified to do so by the trip leader.

Accommodations and Food

In Cordova, all food and accommodations are provided at a local Cordova lodge.

In Anchorage (where we stay two different nights), accommodations (shared double-occupancy) are provided at a hotel. Meals in Anchorage are not provided.

Discovery Cruise: All food and accommodations are provided aboard the M/V Discovery (a 65-foot boat). Raingear, binoculars, PFDs, and rubber boots are provided.

Trip Difficulty

This is a moderately active trip. Participants may choose an activity such as photography, walking, or hiking every day. On the cruise portion of the trip, participants may hike or kayak, or they may remain on the boat if they elect to simply relax. Elevation gain while hiking is not usually over 300 feet. While hiking, participants will need to carry a day pack with approximately 10 pounds of personal gear and two quarts of water. Kayaking will be in single or two-person kayaks that are on board the M/V Discovery (kayaking may not be offered every day that we are on the Discovery). While snow is unlikely, it could rain almost any time of the day or night. Participants should be able to negotiate stairs and narrow boat passages. Going to shore will require climbing into and out of a small motorized rubber craft called a Zodiac. Most people with average agility, balance, and physical fitness will find this trip suitable.

Equipment and Clothing

While on the M/V Discovery, all kayaking equipment is provided, including gloves, rubber boots, and PFDs (life vests). Rain pants and jackets are available on board the Discovery, or you can bring your own. Layered, comfortable, and casual clothing is the norm for Alaska, where conditions will range from sunny to rainy and warm to cool. A detailed list of equipment and clothing will be sent to participants upon acceptance onto the trip.

References

Books:

A Wild Promise – Prince William Sound. (Available for sale on the M/V Discovery.)
Lethcoe, Jim and Nancy, A History of Prince William Sound.

Websites:

http://www.discoveryvoyages.com/
http://www.hughrosephotography.com/
http://alaskaconservation.org/conservation-issues/
http://Alaskaconservationblog.com/

Conservation

Conservation issues in Alaska are huge, just like the state. We will discuss the status of the Nellie Juan-College Fjord Wilderness Study Area, climate change issues in Denali and the state of Alaska, Arctic protection from oil and gas development (a Sierra Club priority issue), and conservation concerns relating to Alaska’s two national forests: Chugach and Tongass. Our guides will be teaching us about the natural and physical surroundings we will be in and have much knowledge to share regarding their protection. Among other Alaska topics that we will likely discuss are updates on the proposed Pebble Mine in the Bristol Bay watershed, the planned Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric project, the effects of the Fire Island Wind Farm on birds and other wildlife, and the state-wide effects of climate change.

Sierra Club National Outings is an equal-opportunity provider and when applicable will operate under permits obtained from U.S. federal land agencies.

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