AAVE Trip BLOG » Ultimate Alaska
July 18, 2008
UAK1B
Posted by Nate in : Ultimate Alaska , add a comment
Dear AAVE Family and Friends,
Last we informed you we were about to set foot on our rafting trip. The 29 degree Matanuska river has four straight miles of class 4 rapids where everyone has an amazing time learning to read the river, paddle through rapids, and camp in the beautiful Matanuska Valley; next to the river and in between enormous mountains.
After two wonderful days on the Matanuska River, with super friendly guides and a little bear incident, we were ready to start our service project in Anchorage. But first we took at pit stop at the musk ox farm in Chickaloon. Our counselor, the super awesome Kelsey, knew one of the guide/farmers leading tours, so we were able to get on a free tour! We then headed south to Anchorage to help out at the local Boys & Girls club. Our Steller TL Nate knew one of the directors at the club, (T-Mac), so we helped out by washing windows, filing papers, and painting furniture. We had such a great time helping out that we now really appreciate how much this organization does.
We then headed down to Seward, which is a quaint, small fishing village on the coast of Alaska. The second day at Seward we went sea kayaking with two guides. We kayaked two miles to a small beach where our guides took us on a beautiful hike. The forests along the coast look like something out of a Dr. Suess book with large moss growing up the sides and the greenest vegetation we had ever seen! Our next day in Seward was an educational day. We started the morning at Exit Glacier in Kenai Fjords National Park. Our guide, Hallie, led us around the glacier explaining its history and interesting facts. Did you know this glacier still moves twenty inches a day?!
Even though the group has been busy doing so many fun things, we were able to squeeze in some “town time” where we all played the quarter game. This was our opportunity to barter, buy, and interact with the locals in order to get the biggest and best item with our twenty five cents. People came back with the funniest things!!
After the fun times in the fishing town, we made our way back to Anchorage to resupply our food and catch a flick at the theater. There was mixed feelings about Hancock when the movie was finished, but everyone was happy to spend time doing “normal” things again!
We are leaving today for Denali State Park to hike the Kesugi ridge over the next four days. We hope for beautiful views of Denali (Mt. McKinley, 20,320) during the hike. The group is getting really excited to spend time in the wilderness and push themselves in everyone’s new favorite hobby, backpacking!
Best wishes to everyone from this Amazing Alaska! We love you guys, love the AAVE Life and we’ll see you soon!
July 14, 2008
Alaska 1A
Posted by AAVE Leader in : Ultimate Alaska , add a comment
Hello Families,
Absolutely outstanding! We have finished our third day of ice climbing and the guides rate us “the most ambitious group yet!”. We are super cohesive, awesome group. Everything is going really well and safe. Sorry there has been so little news but we are far away!!!! We are off to rafting and backpacking. The Tyrolean Traverse was amazing, wait till you see the pictures.
We are loving the AAVE Life!
Lyn, Amber and the Ultimate group
Hello UAK1B Family & Friends,
Posted by Nate in : Ultimate Alaska , add a comment
All is well up here in the Last Frontier. We are nearly halfway into our Ultimate Alaska trip, and everyone is happy, healthy, safe and enthusiastic! As you might expect opportunities to communicate are limited.
We started our trip with a four-day backpacking trip in Chugach State Park, just east of Anchorage. Bushwhacking through thick forest and trekking over arctic tundra proved challenging, but the scenic beauty of the park was well worth the effort.
After enjoying a pizza lunch at “Moose Tooth”, one of Anchorage’s hot spots, we headed north to the Matanuska Glacier, Alaska’s only glacier accessible by road. We spent four days learning to ice climb on “the Mat”, a breathtaking and surreal site bulging from the Chugach mountains. Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate the first two days, and we had to rely on our trusty rain gear to keep us dry. But by the third day, the sun was out and the climbing was ON! Everyone showed off their skills on the ice and their newly learned knot-tying skills. Just WAIT until you see the pictures!
We are hitting the river today for an overnight whitewater rafting trip. We will no doubt have more great stories and memories when this trip is through!
As for the campers:
Fitz has kept us all upbeat with his perpetual smile and positive attitude. His “never-say-die” mentality while climbing the ice walls of the glacier secured him the “hero of the day” nod from the rest of the group yesterday.
Sydney has proved to herself throughout the trip that she really can accomplish anything. Whether hiking towards the summit of Tikishla Peak, or pausing halfway up the ice wall before continuing to the top, she has shown great resolve and perseverance throughout the trip.
Jillian refuses to wipe the smile off her face. Even when her clumsiness kicks in (usually once per day), she is smiling, laughing and making friends with the rest of the group.
Ben’s enthusiasm and zest for adventure is an absolute asset to the group. He gives every part of himself to our activities, and fits right in with the adventurous nature of the great state of Alaska.
Zach is keeping the group in stitches with his incessant humor and “free-styling”. He is always there to lend a hand or joke to the Trip Leaders and campers.
Jamie is always upbeat and helpful, whether leading great evening meetings, cracking us up with her t-rex impression or preparing her “Jamie Surprise” dessert after dinner.
Adam is a blessing to the Trip Leaders. Whenever we holler for help, we turn around and find Adam waiting to lend a helping hand. He has definitely come out of his shell and is making friends with ease.
Lauren, although quiet and reserved, is enjoying every minute of her adventure in Alaska. She is friends with EVERYONE, and is contributing fully with all of her job teams (cook crew, clean crew, van and camp crew).
Melissa has impressed us all with her expert backpacking abilities. She even earned the moniker “The Robot” for her ability to hike for hours on end without a break. She has also introduced us all to the wonders of Barbara Streisand.
Ryan found the ice climbing quite challenging, as his Shaq-like feet were too much for his crampons to handle. He showed great determination while scaling the ice, and has been among the most outgoing members of the group.
After pushing her personal limits during the backpacking trip, Soo has found her niche within the group and embraced our crazy camp games. She had a blast with ice climbing, and looks forward to more challenges ahead.
Peyton’s infectious smile has been a huge part of the trip. After getting over the fact that she won’t be taking a shower every day, she has embraced life in the wilderness. She even said that this experience is “the best thing she’s ever done.”
That’s all for now. Stay tuned for more stories from Alaska Living the AAVE life! …
Nate & Kelsey
Trip Leaders
UAK1B
July 2, 2008
UAK1B
Posted by AAVE Leader in : Ultimate Alaska , add a comment
Hey!
From gorgeous 24 hour bright day light Alaska - how fun to have all day and night to see everything! Everyone has arrived safely and happy. We have to make this quick because we are on our way to the Chugach Mountains to start our 4 day backpack.
We’re going to be practicing safe camping and learning the ins and outs of vegetation and “leave no trace”. Can’t wait!! We actually hope to see the other group about half way because we are starting on one end and they are starting on the other.
We’re so exciting about evening campfires and never having to use our headlamp at night! How cool!
Tall to you soon - check back with us and we’ll let you know what animals we’ve seen (moose, sheep - no snakes, because the state doesn’t have them!!!)
UAK1A
Posted by AAVE Leader in : Ultimate Alaska , add a comment
Hey from 24 hour day light Alaska - how fun to have all day and night to see everything! Everyone has arrived safely and happy. We have to make this quick because we are on our way to the Chugach Mountains to start our back pack. It’ll be so exciting to get into this gorgeous states woods - it’s so green and smells fresh and oh wow! - look at the belugas in Turnagin Arm - an inlet on the way to our trail head - the belugas come in when the tide is high and they leave when it’s low - we can only see the tops of their backs!!!
We’re going to be practicing safe camping and learning the ins and outs of vegetation and “leave no trace”. Can’t wait!!
Let’s not forget about evening campfires and never having to use our headlamp at night! Woo Hoo!
Tall to you soon - check back with us!
January 2, 2008
Summer Adventure Camp Heads to Alaska!
Posted by AAVE Camper in : General, Ultimate Alaska , add a comment
I accomplished more than I ever thought possible and formed lifelong friendships.-Brad Braunstein, camper, UAK
It was very successful in that I made 12 other amazing new friends. Another reason I felt it was successful was just the fact I was in Alaska. It was so beautiful and I still have not stoppped talking about.-Lindsay Aaron, camper, UAK
I was doing things I hadn’t ever done or ever thought I could do. I had the most fun I’ve ever had on a trip and I met some amazing kids. I worked out some personal fears as well.-Theo Hoffman, camper, UAK
The successful part of the trip was surely the fact that I’m pretty confident about my skills in the wilderness now. I’ve learn a lot and I really love the fact that I can now be almost perfectly independent in any condition while I’m in the nature!-Camille Gervais, camper, UAK
Scott just returned from Alaska, and had his third fantastic trip with AAVE! He is healthy, muscular, mellow and confident upon his return, and has shared many stories and great pictures with us. You all do a fabulous job, and I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for being a part of Scott’s life. I would recommend your organization to all parents and teens who want to have an experience that will shape them for the rest of their lives.-Jill Zimmer, parent, UAK
Numerous successes took place on this trip. I feel I was successful in reaching my goal of becoming a better leader during the trip. I left my box which has helped me exponentially for activities I’m involved in back home. I also think that I learned a lot about being in the outdoors and backpacking. Meeting my group leaders was by far the BEST success of the trip.-Rick DeVoss, camper, UAK
March 12, 2007
Alaska Summer with AAVE
Posted by Chris in : General, Ultimate Alaska , 1 comment so far
I would recommend definitely doing the Ultimate Alaska trip. It was the best experience of my life. While I was there I had a blast, met some of the greatest and most diverse friends, and when I came home I was extremely bored haha!! I had been backpacking once before in New York, but it was a really lame half day trip, so I would say I went there without backpacking experience. I had no trouble with it. As long as you’re in shape or athletic or willing to give it a try you’ll be fine and I’m sure you’ll have a BLAST! I actually met great friends from all over the world from Belgium to New York, and I recently met up with two of my friends, one from Philly and one from New York, in the city last month. The views are great, the activities are so much fun, and you’ll come home completely matured and changed … your parents will notice it. And AAVE is the best possible company to go somewhere with. Abbott is in contact with the leaders throughout the trip, he pays for the group to go to a movie or dinner when we’re in town, and it is just a very professional yet personable company. I am going on another trip with AAVE this summer to Costa Rica to study spanish, and I can’t say enough things about them. The Alaska trip was great, I have great pictures and videos from it. If you have any questions feel free to email me.
Kaitlyn Smith
Connecticut
September 26, 2006
Ultimate Alaska Summer Camp
Posted by Jenny at AAVE in : General, Ultimate Alaska , add a comment
“This was David’s second AAVE trip and he enjoyed it even more than last year’s trip, which he said was GREAT! We like that AAVE gives David the opportunity to see and experience new places and activities that are varied and that he get to make new friends from around the world and the US. Most importantly we know he will be take care of. Thanks for another great summer camp experience!
-Barbara Hopland, parent, UAK 2006
“AAVE teen summer camps are very successful at challenging everyone involved with great adventures and allows for an amazing opportunity to grow. The organization is successful in preparing participants physically and emotionally to take on the world either alone or in a group setting.”
- Adam Gross, camper, UAK 2006
July 19, 2006
Ultimate Alaskan Summer Adventure Camp
Posted by admin in : General, Ultimate Alaska , add a comment
A big ‘Hello’ to all of our families. We wanted to check in with you all and give you an update on what we have been up to out here where the sun never sets.
Ice climbing was incredible. It was such a cool experience to be able to walk on and be a part of such unique terrain and then be able to grasp it because of the tools we had at our disposal. Our guides have been very interesting people, some native Alaskans who live to do this stuff and have been teaching us everything they know. It has been inspiring to meet them and hear their stories.
We would like to give a big shout out to Dave Hopland has been the man at cooking unbelievable meals on the grill and the family who taught him how to do all of this.
Sea Kayaking was unreal! Being able to see the glaciers calving into the water was an unforgettable experience. They are so majestic and powerful.
We have seen procu[pines, moose (5 or 6) and we hope to be seeing a lot more wildlife on our next backpack which is more known for that. We are about to pass through Talketna which is a very cool little town on the way to Denali.
More soon,
Anna, Levi, and the Ultimate Alaska Crew
June 1, 2006
Ice-Climb, Kayak, Backpack Alaska Teen Camp!
Posted by admin in : Ultimate Alaska , 1 comment so far
howdy!
this is Anna. i love summer and can’t wait to get back to Alaska and to see y’all there!
come on and say HI.
Anna