ALASKA YAK TREK SUNDAY, JULY 15 FRIDAY, JULY 20, 2018

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1 ALASKA YAK TREK SUNDAY, JULY 15 FRIDAY, JULY 20, 2018 Join Skin Cancer, Take a Hike! and help the American Academy of Dermatology create a world without skin cancer. Photos provided by Alpine Ascents.

2 Skin Cancer, Take a Hike! launched in 2014 with a hike up Mt. Kilimanjaro. Dedicated hikers raised awareness and funds for the American Academy of Dermatology s SPOT Skin Cancer campaign, which is dedicated to reducing the incidence and mortality rates of skin cancer. With each passing year, the momentum continues to grow with hikes taking placing across the United States and most recently in Chilean Patagonia where hikers raised more than $214,000. Our vision is a world without skin cancer, and we need your help to get there. Join our community of dermatologists, skin cancer survivors, family and friends, and other skin cancer advocates as we work toward our shared interest in ending skin cancer. WHY ALASKA: We re dispelling the myth that people with darker skin color are not at risk for skin cancer. Did you know American Indian/Alaskan Natives are of the top minority groups likely to develop skin cancer? In fact, those that live in remote or rural areas are at a greater risk of death caused by cancer because of the lack of access to quality health services for cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment. Raising skin cancer awareness and providing access to preventive programs and services helps save lives! YOU MAKE THE DIFFERENCE! Through your support, you will help the AAD reduce skin cancer rates by: Providing free skin cancer screenings. More than 2.5 million free skin cancer screening exams have been performed and nearly 29,000 melanomas have been detected, to date. Funding permanent shade structures for schools and non-profits. More than 350 structures have been built, each structure providing sun protection to as many as 219,000 individuals annually. Educating millions of Americans about the importance of skin cancer detection and prevention. Public awareness campaigns, through the media and over social media, provide the public with tips and instructions on how to prevent and detect skin cancer. Building a network. Together, a community of skin cancer survivors, dermatologists, and local advocates, work towards a shared interest in ending skin cancer. 9,500 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with skin cancer every day One American dies from melanoma every hour Skin Cancer, Take a Hike! was a meaningful way for me to give of myself. Dr. Diane Madfes (right) with daughter Mallory, Patagonia Hike

3 HIKING REMOTE ALASKA WITH YAKS Beginning with a flight to our camp, we spend the long Alaskan days hiking below the great beauty of mountains such as Denali and Foraker. The trails are moderate and surrounded by the lush green landscape of arctic wilderness. Hikers will likely pass a wide array of wildlife, including wolves, bears, caribou, moose and sheep. EXPERT LEVEL: MODERATE You will be hiking off-trail over steep and uneven terrain, often covering more than 6 miles in a day with up to 2,000' of elevation gain/loss. Walking on tundra and tussocks is a bit like walking on a beach covered in small mounds of sand it can be a bit tiring. So, while the distances and elevation gains may not seem too arduous, the trek can often be a bit more tiring than expected. NOTE: All nights camping during the trek are in the remote outback wilderness of Alaska. No showers or facilities are available while in the field. WHAT S INCLUDED: Highly trained guides to lead the group and yaks to help carry gear during the trek All camping gear, including expedition quality tents, group tent, all cooking equipment & eating utensils Safety equipment, such as satellite phone, maps, GPS, and medical kit Flight transfers to/from campsite All meals during the trek Ground transportation to/from airport and hotels A celebratory dinner on the final night Overnight hotel accommodations on first and last nights of the adventure Want me to carry your bags? 3

4 DETAILED ITINERARY DAY 1: SUNDAY, JULY 15 Arrive in Anchorage, AK (ANC) by 3pm. Board a private shuttle and travel to the quaint town of Talkeetna, Alaska (2.5-hours). Spend an evening in the comfort of your hotel taking in the fantastic views or journey into town to explore. Dinner not included. Hotel rooms based on double-occupancy. Additional upgrade for single rooms. DAY 2: MONDAY, JULY 16 After an early morning breakfast, transfer to the Talkeetna Alpine Ascents Office at 8 a.m. We ll complete our gear check and prepare for our flight to Sheep Back Lake where we meet the yaks and guide team. This lake lies in the Talkeetna Mountains and we will enjoy an evening campfire in this beautiful setting of mountains, water, and granite. All meals included. DAY 3: TUESDAY, JULY 17 Cross through high alpine valley for a chance to see Dhal sheep, caribou, bear, moose and fox. We finish the day with an 800-foot climb up to Yak Pass for our first view of Denali and the Alaska range. Camp will be visible from the pass and ready to welcome us after we descend moderate scree slops to Yak Camp. This day consists of tundra, tussocks and creek crossings. 6.5 miles. All meals included. DAY 4: WEDNESDAY, JULY 18 In the morning, we ll pack our gear on the yaks and make our way across the valley with great opportunities for spotting wildlife. We ll traverse on the side of the mountains to circumnavigate a low valley that descends to the Talkeetna River passing and serene alpine lakes on our way to Lake Camp. This day consists of about 900-feet ascent and 1,100-feet of decent across tundra and tussocks with a few creek crossings. 5.5 miles. All meals included. DAY 5: THURSDAY, JULY 19 We wake a bit early to make our way out of the Alpine environment and into the lower elevation tundra. We will be rewarded with compelling views of the Alaska Range and the entire Susitna Valley as we gradually descend from Lake Camp. We cross through rolling hills of tundra watching for moose, caribou, bear, beavers and wolves. A final ridge rises a few hundred feet to Moon Shadow where we will be flown back to Talkeetna for our celebration dinner. On this day, we will descend about 1,800-feet with some light brush and mostly walking on tundra. 8.5 miles. All meals included. Hotel rooms based on double-occupancy. Additional upgrade for single rooms. DAY 6: FRIDAY, JULY 20 Transfer back to Anchorage, AK (ANC) for your return flights home. Breakfast included. 4

5 GEAR LIST CLIMBING EQUIPMENT FOOTWEAR Trekking poles Collapsible skiing/trekking poles. Threesection, adjustable-height models are preferred. Wool or synthetic socks 3 pairs of medium to heavy hiking socks. Gaiters Waterproof gaiters sized to fit your boots snugly. Tall mountaineering gaiters or shorter trekking gaiters are both sufficient. Light hiking boots or trekking shoes Light weight, high comfort, plenty of room in the toe box, and good support should be stressed here. Sport sandals/water shoes Crocs, Teva-style sandals, or similar footwear will work well. TECHNICAL CLOTHING Short underwear 2-3 pairs, synthetic or wool fabrics only. Baselayer bottom Non-cotton baselayer bottoms that should fit snugly without contriction. Baselayer top 1-2 long-sleeved baselayer tops. Baselayers must be constructed of a non-cotton material such as merino wool or polyester. Light-colored, hooded baselayers for sun protection preferred. Trekking pants 1-2 pair of lightweight nylon trekking pants made with synthetic fabrics with pockets for convenience. Softshell pants Stretch, comfortable, non-insulated softshell pants which should fit comfortably with or without your baselayer bottoms. Zip-off style trekking pants are too light to be considered softshell pants. Softshell jacket Breathable but wind-and-weather resistant jacket is a key part of a mountaineering layering system. We recommend a hooded model. This layer must fit well over your midlayer top and baselayer top. HANDWEAR HEADWEAR Hardshell pants Non-insulated, fully waterproof shell pants that must fit comfortably over your baselayer bottoms and softshell pants. Full-length separating size zippers are preferred; shorter side zippers are allowed if you can put on and take off your pants without removing your boots. Hardshell jacket A non-insulated, fully waterproof shell jacket with a hood. Must fit comfortably over your baselayer, midlayer, and softshell. Helmet-compatible hoods are required. Insulated synthetic hooded jacket - A synthetic insulated, hooded jacket sized to fit comfortably over your baselayer and midlayer. Softshell gloves Midweight, lightly insulated gloves for use when mittens are too warm and liner gloves are not warm enough. Leather-palm construction is always ideal for the sake of durability. Insulated mittens - Waterproof shell mittens with removable insulating liners. We recommend that your liner gloves can fit inside the mitten system as well. Buff A must-have for all outdoor activities, the UV Buff is a versatile replacement for the bandana and serves a multitude of purposes. Sun hat Any style of lightweight hat for shading the head will work well. Baseball caps and sombrero-style sun hats are the most common. Wool/synthetic ski hat - A non-cotton wool or synthetic hat that covers the head and ears comfortably. Sunglasses - High-quality, UV-blocking sunglasses with good all-around protection are recommended. A good fit is critical for comfort- try on glasses to check for a comfy fit and good light blockage. Keep in mind that high-quality lenses are an absolute must due to mountain sun. 5

6 GEAR LIST (CONTINUED) Headlamp - A modern outdoor LED headlamp offering lumens of output. Fresh, installed batteries plus spare batteries. Weather-resistant models are strongly preferred. PERSONAL EQUIPMENT Boundary bag Burly, roll-top waterproof bags are required for protecting your gear. Be sure your bag is approximately 115 liters in size, and has backpack-style shoulder straps for ease of carriage. Sleeping bag Whether filled with down or synthetic insulation, this sleeping bag must be rated to 0-degrees Fahrenheit and feature a collared hood for warmth. Be sure to include a compression stuff sack. Small pack An internal frame climbing/trekking pack of approximately liters in carrying capacity. Emphasize simple, lightweight designs. Inflatable sleeping pad A full-length, modern inflatable sleeping pad is recommended. Older-style three-quarter length pads have been superseded by ultralight full-length pads. We recommend bringing a valve repair/body patch kit. Foam pad This pad should be either 3/4 or body length. Cut pieces of closed cell foam or industrially-crafted pads are both acceptable. Umbrella In wetter climates, umbrellas can provide excellent protection from the elements around camp, during rest breaks, etc. This should be a small, collapsible lightweight umbrella. Water bottles (Two to three 1 litre capacity bottles) Bottles should be wide mouth made of copolyester (BPA free plastic). No water bag or bladder systems, they freeze or are hard to fill and no metal bottles as lips have a tendency to stick.. Pee bottle (1-1.5 liter) One wide-mouth, clearly marked collapsible container or wide-mouthed bottle for use overnight. Trash compactor bags Three bags for use as waterproof pack/stuff sack liners. Compactor bags are made from a heavy plastic and stand up well to prolonged mountain use. Camera Optional: Small point-and-shoot cameras (including compact SLR's) are ideal & work well at altitude. Smartphone cameras are good too. Small duffel This item can double as carry-on luggage for your flight, and is used to store any items you do not plan to take into the mountains. Think light and simple, with liters of total capacity. Bring a travel lock for peace of mind. Toiletry bag Include toilet paper (one roll stored in a plastic bag), hand sanitizer, toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, and some wet wipes if desired. Water purification tablets One set of chemical water treatment drops or tablets. We recommend AquaMira. Lightweight Steri-Pens with extra batteries can suffice, but do not work well in the event of very cold conditions. Be sure your system will be sufficient for the entire duration of your trip- some packages of tablets treat only a very small amount of water! As a general guideline, allow for 4-6 liters of water per day when treating water is necessary. Sunscreen Several 1-2 ounce tubes of SPF 30+ sunscreen. Zinc-oxide added versions are preferred. Lipscreen Several tubes of SPF 30+ lipscreen. As with sunscreen, be sure your lipscreen is new. Recommended: A Running shoes - Lightweight, comfortable running or walking shoes are recommended for off-mountain use and pre-and-post trip travel. In some situations, these may also serve as approach shoes. Insect Repellent - One small bottle of insect repellent. TRAVELING Travel clothes Clean 'town' clothing is recommended for use traveling as well as pre-and-post trip. We recommend bringing a comfortable variety of clothing for peace of mind, including some t-shirts. 6