Free Backpacking and Kayaking Trips for Alaska Teens
Contributed By Joey Sirois with Alaska Geographic
Are you between the ages of 13 and 18? Do you want to expand your knowledge of Alaska’s forests, mountains, and oceans while immersed in them? Then check out Alaska Geographic and our amazing outdoor expedition programs!
At no cost, selected youth can explore the public lands of Alaska with other like-minded teens. Our trips bring students to the Prince William Sound via sea kayaking, the Chugach National Forest via backpacking, Denali National Park and Preserve via interpretive education, and many other places within Alaska. These trips will introduce students to outdoor professionals with a wealth of knowledge in their work areas.
Students will participate in stewardship projects to further connect with the land they are exploring and learning from. These trips are great for teens who have never gone camping, backpacking, or sea kayaking before and are also great for teens who want to improve their skills. If you think you or someone you know would be a good fit for these types of adventures, then visit our website and our programs at akgeo.org
Want a better idea of what one of our trips is like? Read on to learn about our Johnson Pass Backpacking Trip.
“Adventure into the spectacular peaks, whitewater creeks, and lush forested and alpine terrain of the Kenai Mountains. Backpack 23 miles along a section of the Iditarod National Historic Trail and the old Johnson Military Road, a wagon road that connected the boom towns along the Turnagain Arm. Learn fundamental backpacking skills while contributing to the longevity of the Chugach National Forest by helping with basic trail maintenance such as dispersing fire rings, brushing, trash pickup, and collecting GPS coordinates for rangers. You can explore this area deeply as you move to a new camp every night and meet with Chugach National Forest rangers, staff, and trail crews.”
If this trip sounds like something up your alley, check out our website to view other trips and see how our application process works. Once again, these trips are free for every student who is accepted.
Opportunities like this are an excellent way to create a summer memory that will last a lifetime, do not miss your chance.