New Trips For 1999 - vacation ideas

Sierra, Nov, 1998

Start out the new year on the right foot--with a Sierra Club Outing. The desert Southwest offers warming weather and glorious wildflowers, the fresh snow of the Sierra Nevada awaits you, and the wildlife and natural splendor of Alaska beckon. Our International trips explore the world's wild places and introduce you to other cultures and environmental concerns.

Alaska

Birds and Wildlife of Alaska: Exploring the Last Frontier. May 27-June 11. Alaska is North America's ultimate birding and wildlife destination. From the Kenai to Nome, to Thompson Pass and at last to Denali, we will explore taiga and tundra, mountains and marsh, shorelines, rainforest, and ocean. Travel will be by van, boat, and on foot in search of Alaska's specialty birds and mammals--puffins, eagles, musk-ox, orcas, hawk-owls, loons, bears, eiders, wagtails, humpbacks, gyrfalcons, and even bristle-thighed curlews. Accommodations in hotels and rustic lodges. Leaders: John O'Donnell and Carol Dienger. Price: $2,895; Dep: $200. [99020A]

High Romanzof Mountain Adventure, Arctic Wildlife Refuge. June 6-18. These mountains define the remoteness and grandeur of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Explore two river valleys surrounded by some of the Brooks Range's highest peaks. Travel from valley floors to lofty peaks, from mountain streams to their glacier source. Witness the return of summer as birds, wildlife, and wildflowers assemble under the enchanting midnight sun. This naturalist-led, moderately strenuous backpack focuses on understanding the Arctic ecosystem and identifying its plant and animal inhabitants. Leaders: Bill Gomez and Ed Debevec. Price: $1,995; Dep: $200. [99021A]

Caribou Special: Arctic Wildlife Refuge Backpack. June 7-18. This trip is timed to coincide with the annual migration of the porcupine caribou herd. We will begin close to the calving grounds along the Jago River in the coastal plain and work our way up into the mountains of the Brooks Range. Opportunities to experience caribou, sheep, midnight sun, flowering tundra, and the serenity of true wilderness. Leaders: Carol Hake and Gary Keir. Price: $1,995; Dep: $200. [99022A]

Alaska Sampler: Traveling Base Camp, Denali, Wrangell-St. Elias, and Kenai Fjords Parks. July 5-17. A gentle introduction to the splendor of Alaska, our expedition takes us through its diverse treasures. we experience an intriguing blend of environments from fjords to ice fields to the highest mountain in North America. By van, boat, and sea kayak we explore this land of endless panoramas and contrasts. This is a trip for those seeking a leisurely introduction to Alaska's varied topography and wildlife. Two nights at an island lodge, a fjord cruise, and sea kayaking. Leader: Blaine LeCheminant. Price: $1,795; Dep: $200. [99023A]

Top of the World: Northern Ellesmere Island, Canada. July 20-August 3. Throw away your compass, it's useless here--400 miles from the North Pole and above the Magnetic Pole It's the Arctic of your childhood imagination, land of the musk-ox and Arctic wolves. Northern Ellesmere is the most remote place in North America, steeped in the history of Polar exploration. If you're looking for true adventure, join this journey in the extreme north. Leader: Rich Gross. Price: $3,495; Dep: $200. [99024A]

Backpacking the Remote Brooks Range, Arctic Wildlife Refuge. July 22-August 3. Hidden in the Franklin Mountains of the Brooks Range it is still possible to find canyons, peaks, and glaciers that have never been explored. Begin with a leisurely walk at lower elevations and then ascend to rock and ice in two higher passes. We'll explore the confluence of several rivers and a hidden waterfall near the source of the Canning River. The principal route has been traveled only once previously. With time for layovers and side trips this journey is suitable for moderate backpackers. Leaders: Craig Deutsche and Ken Dawdy. Price: $1,995; Dep: $200. [99025A]

Kayak and Cruise the Inland Passage, Tongass Forest. August 1-14. We'll start with a few days in Sitka, the Russian capital of Alaska with its totem park and unique heritage. Then we hop on board The Snow Goose, our small private-captained yacht, for a ten-day cruise up the Inland Passage. We'll take time to explore the nooks and crannies of the passage by kayak. The small (but comfortable) size of our boat allows us to go where others can't and take in the sights up close--whales, seals, glaciers, and cozy coves. Our journey ends in the quaint village of Petersburg. Beginning kayakers are welcome. Leader: Jon Kangas. Price: $2,895; Dep: $200. [99026A]

Angling Alaska: Kenai Peninsula, Central Alaska, and Bristol Bay. August 2-13. Fish and camp in Alaska! Traveling by van between base camps, we'll test a variety of waters seeking salmon, trout, and char in the Kenai area and south-central Alaska. Then we'll fly by bush plane to drainages entering Bristol Bay for several days of remote fishing. Outstanding sport fishing, gourmet meals, and discussion of fisheries issues affecting Alaska and the world. Leaders: Don Murch and Chuck Schultz. Price: $2,395; Dep: $200. [99027A]