Skolai Pass

Overview

Skolai Pass is a Wrangells classic. Known for its impossibly wide glacially carved valleys, wildflowers, berries, proximity to the University Range, and The Seven Sisters. More frequently visited than many other areas in the park, but for good reason. Skolai Pass is a great option for families, people wanting to create a less physically demanding trip, and anyone looking to maximize their sightseeing in a limited amount of time.

Sample Itinerary

Day 0: We will depart from Anchorage and make the 8 hour journey to McCarthy. Your guide will meet with you before departure to double check your gear, go over the itinerary, and answer any lingering questions you may have regarding the trip.

Day 1: Arguably one of the most exciting parts of the trip, we will fly in early morning to maximize our time out in the wild. After nearly 30 minutes in the air we will land on the bumpy backcountry airstrip, unload our bags, and watch as the plane starts up its engine again and leaves us to the pristine wilderness we came for. Depending on our previously discussed plan for the trip we will hike off or set up camp near the strip.
*all meals included

Day 2-4: Our options are endless. We can trek down to the Russell glacier and explore the house-swallowing holes in the ice, we can hike up Chitistone Pass and explore the remnants of old mining camps and gaze into the Yukon, we can cross Skolai Creek and hunt for geodes, we can find a spot on the tundra and scan the open valley for caribou and bears, we can pick berries and examine wildflowers. Skolai is an area of great variety and ripe for exploration.
*all meals included

Day 5: After a hearty breakfast and coffee we will make our way back to the airstrip and ready ourselves for the transition back to modern life. Our flight back we will be looking at the landscape with new eyes after five days in the field. Once back in McCarthy we will celebrate our unforgettable trip!

Day 6: You will bid farewell to McCarthy and head back to Anchorage.

*As with all BA trips we strive to stick to our itinerary as best as possible but ask our clients to remain open to the possibility of change. The state is large, the weather is unpredictable, and the regions we endeavor to reach are remote. With that in mind please read the above itinerary as a rough outline of what to expect but be prepared for the unknown. More on this under Bush Flying 101.