hiking Alaska takes SKILL

Any idiot can hike in California.

But hiking the far North takes smarts. Route finding skills. Bush whacking skills. Survival skills.

GPS is essential, we feel.

Don’t count on calling in rescue with a satellite phone. They are far from 100% reliable.

If you plan to trek Alaska in future, start your research with Eric Molvar’s book. Published in 1996, it covers river crossings, snowfield travel, and glacier travel and wildlife very well.

Alaska on Foot: Wilderness Techniques for the Far North (Hiking & Climbing)

If we’d only studied this book in advance we’d have never crossed this snow bridge over a raging Alaskan creek above Whittier. Turns out it’s dangerous!