When a group of 10 guys came to EXP Journeys asking to explore the great outdoors in a less-traveled destination, we knew The Last Frontier, with its jagged peaks, untouched rivers, and remote glaciers, was the perfect setting.
Arrival at Chelatna Lake Lodge
Departing from the largest seaplane base in the world, Lake Hood, the group loaded into two seaplanes and began their journey east towards the Alaska Range and their base for the week at the foot of Denali National Park: Chelatna Lake Lodge. Upon arrival the guests were greeted by their hosts and guides, and settled into the environment with a sauna and hot tub session and cold plunge into Chelatna Lake.
The smooth-as-glass water of Chelatna Lake
Cocktail hour at the lodge that evening included an overview by the host of what adventures were to come in the following days exploring the wilderness of the surrounding mountains and lakes. A private chef-prepared dinner, featuring salmon caught from the river which flows out of Chelatna Lake, was a perfect ending to the first evening in this serene destination.
A morning spent kayaking is a morning well spent
The following morning, the guests awoke not only to sizzling bacon and hot coffee, but also to clear skies, calm waters, and paddle boards and kayaks beckoning them to explore. Later, two helicopters whisked the group up in the air for stunning views of Denali and Mount Foraker before delivering them to the banks of a remote river to begin a whitewater rafting adventure. The guys navigated the rapids as the oar crew rowed down an incredible stretch of seldom-explored wilderness. After a short helicopter flight back to the lodge, the group spent the rest of the evening fishing on the banks of the river, telling stories in the hot tub, and relaxing around the fire.
Whitewater rafting through Alaskan wilderness
Clear skies and little wind the following day made for the perfect opportunity to explore deep into the backcountry of the Alaska Range searching for remote alpine lakes and waterfalls. The group took off after breakfast and landed in a glacier-carved saddle where they walked along the ridge and swam in the clearest water most of them had ever seen. Lunch was enjoyed on the top of the ridge right on the border of Denali National Park, and as the group enjoyed their chef-prepared picnic the feeling of isolation and becoming one with this vast wilderness was something they will never forget. On the helicopter transfer back to the lodge, they spotted bears and moose in the pristine wilderness below, a fitting ending to this magical day in the backcountry.
A helicopter takes the guys deep into the backcountry
The final day of the journey shaped up to be the most dramatic and awe-inspiring. A skiplane landed at the lodge, and the guys boarded to begin their flight over Denali National Park complete with a landing at Denali Base Camp. Soaring through the mountain range, getting a 360-degree view of Denali, the guests also saw glaciers and several thousand-foot cliff faces. Touching down on the glacier, they were reminded of how small they all were compared to the towering surrounding peaks. Another short flight took them to the south face of Denali and yet another magnificent glacier, before returning to Chelatna Lake Lodge for a final afternoon of fly fishing and relaxation in the hot tub and sauna. A chef-prepared Alaskan meal followed by after-dinner drinks and storytelling around the fire was the perfect ending to this Alaskan adventure the group of friends will never forget.
The Last Frontier is best explored by helicopter
