2002 Domestic & International Trips - Directory

as we set out to explore, enjoy, and protect the planet. Adventure to Alaska, watch whales in Hawaii, do service in the Southwest, or go birding in Brazil. Our unique trips take you to all the corners of the world. What are you waiting for? To reserve your space or to learn more, call 415-977-5522, email national.outings@sierradub.org, or visit us on the web: wvvw.sierradub.org/outings.

Activist

Shining the Spotlight on Wild Nevada. March 17-24. Within sight of the neon lights of Las Vegas are the Lake Mead National Recreational Area and the Red Rock Canyon Conservation Area. Setting aside these unique southern Nevada areas as wilderness is crucial if they are to remain wild. Join us as we tour by van and dayhike through multicolored mountains and sinuous canyons. Leader: Vicky Hoover. Price: $485; Dep: $50. [02010A]

Wild and Scenic Eel River Rafting and Wilderness, Northern California. May 6-12. Spend four days floating the wild and scenic Eel River, and three days exploring on-foot the old-growth forests, oak woodlands, scenic ridges, and canyons that comprise this special region. The magnificent Eel River Watershed contains 10 potential wilderness areas and 27 tributaries considered eligible for protected status by the California Wild Heritage Campaign. Leader: Margaret Pennington. Price: $545; Dep: $100. [02011A]

Discovery Backpack: Exploring Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. June 11-22. Watch the tundra change from winter brown to summer green as the migrating caribou return to their calving grounds, and arctic wildflowers bloom in this threatened area. Explore the coastal plain and foothills of the Brooks Range while learning about arctic ecosystems. Experience the wonders of this remote wilderness refuge under the midnight sun and understand why "America's Serengeti" deserves permanent protection. (Rated M.) Leader: Leslie Nicholls. Price: $2,095; Dep: $200. [02012A]

Alaska & Arctic Canada

Birds and Wildlife of Alaska, and Wildflowers too! Denali and Kenai Fjords National Parks. June 4-22. Alaska, the last frontier, is a premier destination for birders, botanists, and wildlife watchers. Explore tundra and taiga, mountains and marsh, rainforest, shoreline, and ocean. In vans and boats and on foot, we'll search for Alaska's specialty wildlife, and hopefully see wildflowers in peak bloom. Accommodations in rustic lodges and hotels. Breakfasts, lunches, three dinners, and roundtrip flight to Nome included. Leaders: Carol Dienger and Les Chibana. Price: $3,595; Dep: $200. [02013A]

True Wilderness Backpack, Noatak National Preserve, Brooks Range, Alaska. June 9-22. Trek through one of the least-visited places in the Brooks Range, America's wildest mountains. We start in Kotzebue with a bush flight (cost included) to the DeLong Mountains. From there we hike broad valleys and mountain passes, enjoying spectacular views while hoping to catch a glimpse of one of the world's greatest wildlife spectacles: the spring Porcupine caribou migration. (Rated M/S.) Leaders: Eric Rorer and Rebecca LeCheminant. Price: $1,895; Dep: $200. [02014A]

A Naturalist's Trek North, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska. June 10-21. With a naturalist to guide us, we'll attempt to join the greatest wildlife migration on earth as spring arrives on the tundra. With sun up for only six short weeks, the Porcupine caribou herd heads north as wildflowers bloom and birds return. In this untracked wilderness we backpack between glacier-fed streams, taking time for close observation and photography. (Rated M.) Leaders: Carol Hake and Jay Anderson. Price: $2,095; Dep: $200. [02015A]

Early Summer in the Canadian Arctic, Yukon Territory, Canada. June 10-22. At the summer solstice, hills turn green, rivers rage, and wildlife wakes up. We'll travel by helicopter into the Richardson Mountains near the Alaska border. With no trails, no trees, a big sky, and 24 hours of daylight, the feeling of freedom is complete. After backpacking for 13 days, we'll be met by another pilot to begin our return. (Rated M.) Leader: Craig Deutsche. Price: $2,095; Dep: $200. [02016A]

Midnight Sun Backpack, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska. June 14-23. Experience the amazing diversity of our last complete arctic ecosystem With wildflowers in bloom and wildlife abundant, our moderate route traverses the awesome glacier-carved mountains of the Brooks Range to the threatened North Slope calving grounds of the Porcupine caribou herd. We hope to see some of these great creatures during their spectacular migration. Several layover days are planned for exploration and photography. (Rated M.) Leader: Wilbur Mills. Price: $2,095; Dep: $200. [02017A]

Kongakut River Expedition, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska. June 17-26. The Kongakut River winds its way through the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (summer home of the Porcupine caribou herd). Our bush plane will take our group and two paddle rafts to the Kongakut headwaters, where we'll begin our exploration of the Kongakut River valley. Several layover days are planned to explore side canyons, look for caribou, and quietly enjoy the immense solitude. Leader: Jon Kangas. Price: $2,495; Dep: $200. [02018A]