Trip Highlights
The Camping
High, open, subalpine terrain. A tent needs to be sturdy and durable here.
There are a number of great sites for basecamping in the area. We can camp up by the face of Mt. Jarvis the duration of your stay, or we can move camp after a night or two down the ridge a little.
The Walking
Easy, open tundra to explore and wander. Or sit back and soak in the view.
The Views
It’s all about Mt Jarvis. Rising over 5000′ above the surrounding Wrangellia Plateau, Jarvis dominates everything. Two peaks (distinct enough to qualify as separate two “thirteeners”) and a jagged, ice covered vertical face make this view something to behold.
Turn 180 degrees and cast your eyes on a feast of endless hills and plateaus and valleys. The Wrangell Mountains slip away beneath you toward the eastern edge of the Alaska Range and on in to neighboring Canada beyond. You simply can’t see far enough here.
Biggest Challenges
Unless you’re choosing a packraft option to get back to Nabesna, nothing too challenging. The hiking is very doable even for novice backcountry travelers.
Obviously weather in the high country is always a possible mechanism of concern. It’s not uncommon to snow at 8000′ in Alaska during the summer.
Gear Requirements
Standard 3 season backpacking gear for Alaska.
Packrafting gear (if you choose that extension) will be provided and is flown in at the end of the hiking section. You will not have to carry packrafting gear. Contact me for a chat about packrafting Jackson River.
Trip Logistics
We travel from Anchorage to Nabesna, overnight in Nabesna and then fly in to the backcountry. One week up on the Plateau area, then an easy hike down to a landing strip for the pickup. We then fly back to Nabesna, shower and eat, and then enjoy the afternoon relaxing, or take a day hike on one of the trails in the area. We spend the night in Nabesna, and travel back to Anchorage on the final day. If conditions are good, we might leave early to catch dawn alpenglow on Mt. Sanford – always a treat!
Mount Jarvis was named in 1903 for Lt. David H. Jarvis of the U. S. Revenue Cutter Service, who led the Overland Relief Expedition to aid a whaling fleet trapped in Arctic Ocean ice off Point Barrow in 1897–98.
Where Are We?
Trip Itinerary
I put this itinerary online here to give visitors to the site a more detailed look at this trip and what options it might include.
What I work hardest on is tailoring trips to the specific interests and abilities and experience of the people who hike with us. No 2 trips are the same. Where possible, we don’t use the same campsites trip to trip. We often even vary the route.
I try to be flexible with how far we hike each day, how many days we spend in the backcountry. What time we get up in the morning, for example, is largely up to the trip participants (unless for some reason I feel we need to be up and on the trail by a particular time – this rarely happens).
Trip FAQs
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Is it buggy?
Not generally.We’re high enough that we’re out of bug country, for the most part.
On the other hand, if you choose a trip extension like packrafting down the Jacksina River to Nabesna, you’ll likely run into some mosquitoes en route, particularly July/early August.
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What wildlife will we be likely to see?
Possibly Dall sheep. Maybe caribou. I’ve seen both those species up here. Grizzlies do venture up to this area, but not routinely. We sometimes see moose along the Nabesna Road as well.
Small critters like arctic ground squirrel and marmots or pikas are likely as well. Red fox sometimes as well.
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Why do so few people venture to this location?
Nabesna doesn’t have quite the same tourist infrastructure set up as, say, McCarthy & Kennicott. Hence, it draws far fewer people. But the hiking here is really every bit as stunning and in some ways more amenable to a diverse and wider group of adventurers.
Looking to really “get away” and find some solitude? The north side of the park (Nabesna side) is amazing. Looking to traverse some rugged and wild terrain with epic views of these really magnificent Wrangell Mountains? North side wins again!
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Is there a basecamp option available?
There certainly is.
Avoid the hassles of carrying a heavy backpack. As an example, travel to our jumping-off destination, overnight, fly into the backcountry, camp and explore the area via day hikes and packrafts (* option on some trips), fly back, overnight and return travel to Fairbanks/Anchorage. Trip logistics and itinerary will vary with the specific trip. Fully-outfitted or do it yourself.
These trips are extremely flexible, wonderfully fun and a whole lot easier on your body than a backpacking trip is.
Looking for something “in the middle”? Sure, we can do that too. Fly in and out of the same location, and make a smaller backpacking loop or out and back, combining a few days camping and a few days of backpacking. Contact me via email or call 1-770-952-4549 and we’ll set it up.
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I Have More Questions
I know you do. I do as well.
I recommend starting with the General Trip FAQ page
More questions? Email me or call me and we’ll go through them.
Upon your reservation I’ll also send out a comprehensive trip information packet that covers just about everything and more you might imagine about your trip.