Travel Facts
Travel Facts About Alaska And Canada
Bear Safety in Alaska and Canada
Camping with bears? Some might be thrilled about this possibility; some might feel slightly nervous about it. Yes, bears might visit our campsites but as long as we follow certain rules while hiking and camping in the wilderness, there is little to worry about.
While you are hiking with us we always stay together in groups. This gives us the opportunity to talk and make some noise to make sure wild animals are aware of our presence. Bears have usually no interest in human beings and tend to stay away. Making noise scares them and most likely you won’t even see them as they turn their back towards us and go the other direction. If we come across one of these big hairy fellows, the best thing is to stop and talk calmly to the bear. We will all stay together in a group and make us look as big as possible while slowly moving backwards. And if you are still not convinced: to being on the safe side both of us will carry bear spray to use in the very unlikely event a bear comes too close.
Camping with bears requires some other/additional rules to be safe. The main reason bears are interested in a campsite is food. This will mean for us to not have any food (including granola bars, peanuts or any kind of snacks) in your tents. Also tooth paste with its minty smell seems to be of bears’ interest which means that all your toiletries will stay in our overland vehicle during nights.
When we cook dinner we make sure that all trash will either go back into ATKA or will be safely disposed in bear-proof bins, which are provided by many National Parks or campsites/rest areas. It comes without saying that also all our cooking gear will be safely stored away during night. Bears need to feed all summer to prepare for the long winter season. If they don’t expect and smell any food in our camp there is hardly any chance we will have a visitor during night. And if a black bear peaks around the corner searching for some berries as it happened twice this summer in Wrangell St Elias (he was still 50 meters away from us!) then you might ask yourself the question like Rosie (one of our passengers) did: “Is this a bear or a dog?”… Nat sprang into action in excitement to get her camera… by the time she came back he was almost gone and a blurry shot was all we got…
Best Time to visit Alaska
If you like to camp and enjoy the great outdoors like hiking, sea kayaking or ice climbing, then you should come to Alaska during the summer months. You will be spoiled with 18 to 20 hours of daylight and daytime temperatures between 58-77 F (14-25 C).
June: The longest days of the year come in the month of June. The sun does set below the horizon at Anchorage and the surrounding areas below the Arctic Circle, but it will never get completely dark. You will experience why Alaska is also called the land of the midnight sun! Beginning of June can sometimes still be chilly and you might spot some snow piles in shady areas. That being said, if you follow our guidelines for gear to bring with you, you’ll be comfortable throughout the trip.
July: Days are still long and on average this is probably the warmest and driest out of the four summer months. July starts berry season and where there’s berries, there are most likely bears chomping away on hundreds of thousands of these delectable treats. Along with the berries, the salmon runs are finding their way along the shorelines and into the world-renowned Kenai and Russian Rivers. Anglers will test their skill along with their courage, as brown bears love to watch the local fly fisherman catch a potential meal.
August: Nights will bring some hours of darkness and at the end of the month in some regions temperatures during night might get a bit chilly, all the more reason to build ourselves a beautiful campfire. The highest peaks will get their first dusting of snow, which amplifies the amazing scenery. By August, the mosquitos have almost tapered off completely and rainfall can be more common. The salmon are running up all rivers and streams and the ecosystem is saturated with an abundance of food sources.
Mosquitos in Alaska and Canada
Did you hear some bad stories about mosquitos in Alaska? Maybe you’ve even came across the term “mosquitos – the state bird”? There are 35 different species in Alaska and yes, sometimes these little insects can get annoying. But they are not nearly as bad as rumors have it. While the legend is correct that mosquitoes can gather in big swarms, the reality is that mosquitos in that intensity occur only in very rare instances. A set of different circumstances must align, such as wind, moisture, and a stagnant lake to make these swarms truly happening. We spent one of the warmest summers since weather has been recorded in Alaska and never saw any of those swarms.
Nevertheless there are a few places where mosquitos definitely can be a pain in the butt. But the good thing is: You can do something about it!
- Cover up! Alaska can be warm, but especially in the late afternoon when mosquitos are the biggest problem you will be fine with an extra layer anyways. Long pants and a long sleeve will already solve the problem for the most part
- Spray your neck and your ankles with some mosquito spray. Usually we always have some on our overland vehicle anyways
- We carry two big cook tents with mosquito mesh on the sides to make it breathable yet mosquito resistant. So while we are cooking and hanging out in the evenings we will be covered for the most part. Also the entrance to Atka is protected with a magic mesh so that we don’t have to deal with a mosquito invasion while having our next truck party.
- If you really get angry and some mosquitos bite you, go and take revenge with our two electric tennis rackets. They are fun to play with while doing a good deed for your fellow passengers!
Gear for Alaska and Canada
We can’t, with 100% certainty tell you what will give you the optimal comfort in your overland adventure. But, we can give you a good idea as what you should bring and then you can add on whatever you might feel is essential to your personal needs.
We get lots of questions about the weather conditions and climate in Alaska and Canada. All we can say is that the summer up north can average between 15 to 25 C during the day, and the nights can get chilly. Weather can change pretty quickly; the best way to dress is in layers! Here you can find a packing list with what we think is worth to bring with you, only suggestions from our many years leading tours.
High quality outdoor gear is a nice thing to have, but is not a necessity! As long as you have some decent rain gear, shoes you feel comfortable hiking with, comfortable sleeping pad, a warm sleeping bag and some layers to keep you warm in chilly nights you will be fine. But as already mentioned you need to know which things you need for your own comfort. Please feel always free to ask for advice when booking with us.
Ice Climbing and Sea Kayaking - what to expect?
Ice Climbing
Ever watch one of those films about the North face of the Eiger and wondered if you could climb it? Well, here’s your introduction to the task. Wrangell/St. Elias is largest national park in North America and home to 9 of the 16 highest peaks. Climbing on the Root Glacier is all about technique and fun. Your guide will teach you about the 3-anchor system and the figure-8 knot that will keep you safe. A full day walking the glacier and climbing with your fellow adventurers will allow you to tick off a few boxes on your bucket list.
