Backpacker Magazine – January 2011

Trip Finder: Alaska

Your favorite Alaska hikes—from dayhikes to weekenders to multiday trips.

by: Kristy Holland

Tags:
• Destinations
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• Alaska
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WEEKEND
WILDLIFE Swan Lakes Canoe Trail
Glide through moose country on this 14-mile paddle in Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. Put in at Canoe Lake; camp on Gavia Lake’s south shore. Day two: Stay alert for more moose (especially in spring, when calves frequent the shore) before taking out at Portage Lake. kenai.fws.gov

FISHING Russian Lakes Trail
Symphony Lake’s stocked Arctic grayling are only a half-hour drive from Anchorage in Chugach State Park. Hike south and follow the spongy valley on a gentle uphill for 5.2 miles to Symphony’s shoreline (and campsites). Hint: Use size 0 or 1 spinners for a good fight. dnr.alaska.gov

GLACIERS Harding Icefield Trail
The massive Harding Icefield—the destination for this overnight—blankets the Kenai Mountains and spawns more than 35 glaciers. From Exit Glacier Ranger Station, switchback above treeline past the Top of Cliffs Overlook to the icefield. Pitch your tent on the ice. nps.gov/kefj


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