July 16-19, 2017<\/b><\/font><\/font><\/span><\/p> <\/font><\/span><\/p> During this special 4-day wilderness adventure in the heart of the Alaska Range, you\u2019ll have the chance to learn and practice your outdoor photography skills and explore the rugged and remote beauty of Denali National Park in a way that very few people every get to experience.<\/p> Beginning with a breathtaking floatplane ride up the massive Ruth Glacier through The Great Gorge, we\u2019ll enjoy spectacular views of some of America\u2019s highest and most impressive peaks, (weather permitting, of course), including Denali, Mt. Dan Beard, and Mount Dickey, before being dropped off by on a small lake nestled right in between the Ruth and Tokositna Glaciers. (A 35-mile long landscape of ice, rock and fast flowing rivers, the Ruth is truly one of most impressive glaciers on earth.) With unparalleled views and rugged terrain, this remote wilderness trip is set in a virtually unexplored part of Denali, and it provides the ideal setting for a true adventure photography workshop. We'll have incredible photo opportunities each day, and a variety of lighting conditions for capturing the scenery around us. Weather permitting, we can take advantage of the midnight sun and catch Magic Hour on the Alaska Range, and we can even practice shooting \"adventure subjects\" by setting up scenarios with each other and our willing guide.<\/p> With only a light daypack, you'll spend your days hiking over vast tundra and exploring massive, endless glaciers, and photographing in the shadow of the highest, most rugged peaks of the Alaska Range. Each night, you'll return to basecamp for a delicious lakeside dinner and share stories, take pictures and congregate with your fellow participants under the midnight sun. In short, you'll see and experience Denali up close in a way that few people have.<\/p> Our small group setting will allow you nearly constant one-on-one opportunities for mentorship and instruction with me, as well as the camaraderie of the other photographers on our trip. We\u2019ll be able to learn and practice together and taylor to the techniques YOU want to learn and talk shop in camp every evening, and hopefully make this an unforgettable Denali National Park photography workshop.<\/p> A deposit of $1000.00 (or payment in full of the trip price is less than $1000) per person is required to reserve a spot on this trip. \ufeff\ufeffThe remaining balance is due 60 days prior to the start of the trip. Reservations made within 60 days of the trip starting date require payment in full. If the participant cancels a reservation earlier than 60 days prior to the starting date, the deposit will be refunded, minus a $100.00 administration fee. If the participant cancels within 59-31 days of the starting date, 50% of the trip balance will be refunded. If \ufeff\ufeffcancellation\ufeff\ufeff is made within 30-0 days of the trip starting date, there will be no refund of any costs.<\/span><\/p> <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n Day 1<\/span><\/p> We'll start with a morning 8:15AM pickup and complete an orientation and gear check at Alaska Alpine Advnetures before loading up for the 2.5 hour drive to Talkeetna, Alaska. By late morning, we\u2019ll make our way to K2 Aviation and board a floatplane bound for the Denali National Park. This 1\/2 hour scenic flight will take us over alpine tundra, braided rivers, and cascading waterfalls and the massive icescape of the Ruth Glacier. Weather permitting, we'll enjoy spectacular views of Mt. McKinley, the highest peak in North America as we travel up the Ruth to the entrance of the Great Gorge - the deepest trench on the planet. Our skilled bush pilot will land on a small lake nestled in a cleft between the Ruth and Tokositna Glaciers, which will be our home of the next 4 days. We\u2019ll set up camp near the lake, bask in the new-found solitude, and then take a short early evening hike before dinner. We'll have plenty of time for photography sessions before and after dinner. Distance: 1.5 miles, Elevation Gain: 500'<\/p> Day 2<\/span><\/p> The hiking and photo options for our first full wilderness day are truly staggering! With almost unlimited daylight during this time of year, we\u2019ll head for the tundra hills above camp, destined for magnificent views of the Backside Glacier, Ruth Glacier, and if weather permits, we'll be able to see 20,320 foot Denali. On the first day's hike, you\u2019ll learn in practice the skills necessary to hike off-trail in the Alaska wilderness \u2013 including reading a topographic map, choosing the best route, using trekking poles, and traveling efficiently. We'll also have lots of time for learning and practicing our photography skills and shooting photos in our amazing environment. After a full day of exploration and photography, we\u2019ll tally our wildlife and mountain peak sightings as we enjoy a filling meal in the wilderness. Distance: 6-10 miles, Elevation Gain: 1500-2500\u2019<\/p> Day 3<\/span><\/p> After another hearty breakfast, we\u2019ll grab our day-packs and again head out in search of adventure and more great images in Denali. During this day's outing, we\u2019ll make our way up onto the Backside Glacier. This may be your first time hiking on a glacier, and you\u2019ll quickly understand why this area draws mountaineers from all over the world. While not at all technical, your trek on the ice will give you the chance to explore and learn firsthand the glacial features of this frozen river of ice, the valley that bears the scars of thousands of years of glacial activity, and the more recent visual indications of climate change on the Alaska landscape. You'll also have another day of one-on-one personal photography instruction from Dan and plenty of time to practice your skills and capture images of our amazing landscape and the adventure around us. Distance: 8.0 miles, Elevation Gain: 2000'<\/p> Day 4<\/span><\/p> Another breakfast and hot drink will fuel us for our last few hours in the wilderness. After breaking camp, and moving our gear back to the beach, we'll await our bush ride back to Talkeena. We\u2019ll return to Talkeetna by early afternoon, enjoy a short walk around town, and by 4:30pm will be boarding the Alaska Railroad's Denali Star train bound for Anchorage. This 3-hour trip will take us through the beautiful Matanuska-Susitna Valley, through southcentral Alaska's boreal forests and small farms & homesteads, and finally to Anchorage by 8pm. Options to stay in Talkeetna or Anchorage for an extra night are available. If departing Anchorage this evening, please book your return flights for no earlier than 10:00PM. Breakfast & lunch included.<\/em> Distance: 1.5 miles, Elevation Gain: 500'<\/p> Please note<\/span><\/span>:<\/span><\/span> Alaska often has a way of derailing the best laid plans. Depending on weathe<\/span>r, wildlife and other <\/span>factors, there's a chance we <\/span>may need to deviate from our itinerary. Our guides will continuously monitor things like weather, group preferences, individual abilities, safety considerations and potentially unforeseeable circumstances and make decisions accordingly. In any case, you can be guaranteed of a great adventure!<\/span><\/p> \u200b<\/p> Our itinerary allows for up to 30 hours of wait time in Talkeetna. In the event that weather prevents us from flying into our basecamp location in Denali National Park, we will initiate a contingency itinerary.<\/span> \u200b<\/p> \u200b<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n \u200b<\/p> During our Friday night presentation and our long night out in the landscape, Dan will discuss methods for shooting dramatic, eye catching landscape and adventure images, as well as exploring whatever styles of photography interest you, such as environmental portraits or flash. In the field, he will talk you through methods for making the best image at our location, based on the current light, weather conditions and subject matter we have on hand. (The glacier and iceberg landscape changes from year to year.) Some of the topics included in work-sessions include:<\/p> Dan is there to help you take your photography to the next level and his focus is teaching you how to see, compose and grab powerful photos quickly, and how to efficiently manage your gear. Essentially, you'll learn firsthand the techniques an methods he covers in his book, Outdoor, Action and Adventure Photography<\/a>. His goal is to help you take your image making to the next level.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n \u200b<\/p> Your safety is my primary concern. To insure this, please review the following carefully and inform us in advance of any limitations and\/or restrictions:<\/p> Physical Requirements:<\/span> Moderate to excellent condition. Although we won't be doing strenuous hikes or climbing, we'll spend all of our outside time on uneven rocky ground and we could take some long walks up and down the shores of the lake. A general level of fitness and good footwear are all that's needed to enjoy this workshop. And although it's won't require strenuous paddling, if you choose to kayak on the lake, you'll need to be comfortable in watercraft on flat water.<\/p> Weather:<\/span> Summer temperatures can range from 40\u00b0<\/span> F to 70\u00b0<\/span> F, with a chance of rain or showers and cool mountain winds.<\/p> Mental Requirements:<\/span> A flexible and positive attitude is essential<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
This is where we\u2019ll set up our base camp for exploring the surrounding terrain. From here, we\u2019ll spend 4 days and 3 nights camping and day hiking over vast expanses of tundra, rocks and ice as we explore and photograph the incredible landscapes of this humbling mountain environment. You\u2019ll actually trek on a glacier and see firsthand the effects of glacial activity on the landscape. After breaking camp on the last morning and being flown back to Talkeetna, where we\u2019ll board the Alaska Railroad and enjoy a 3-hour scenic train ride back to Anchorage. This will give us a chance to relax and reflect on our trip before returning to civilization.<\/p>![\"\"](\"\/\/danbaileyphoto.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/HikingBanner-e1478037385385.jpg\")
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