Are you looking for an Alaska hiking trip away from the crowds and immersed completely in the wilderness? Then you need to see Alaska’s Twin Lakes! Enjoy long day hikes from our comfortable, established camp along the shores of Twin Lakes. These rarely-visited, paired tarns draw abundant wildlife for wonderful wilderness wildlife viewing. Explore the lakes' edges, hike up some of the peaks that ring the glacier-carved basin, or simply sit back and enjoy your camp side meal under the midnight sun. This hiking trip is Alaska’s epitome!
About 150 miles due west of Anchorage and nestled in the southwest corner of the mighty Alaska Range lies Twin Lakes, perhaps the finest and most appreciated piece of wilderness in Alaska. Tucked away in an amphitheater of glaciated 5000' peaks, this pair of crystal-clear bodies of water provides some of the finest wildlife viewing and alpine hiking in the country! Given its elevation of 2000' above sea level, Twin Lakes sits tantalizingly close to the alpine tundra that inspires hiking. Our endeavors here will focus on the peaks and valleys of the area around Hope Creek, a small watershed feeding the south side of Upper Lake. From our comfortable basecamp, we'll spend our time here exploring the high country around Upper Twin.
Perhaps the greatest treat of a Twin Lakes adventure is a visit to the hand-hewn log home of Dick Proenneke, a man who, until his departure in 1998, lived a 30 year dream as the only full- time resident of Twin Lakes. As you wander around his stunning piece of property and marvel at his handiwork, keep in mind that even in this age of information and technology, Dick chose to live without electricity, running water and telephone. The fuel for his wood stove came from the surrounding forest, the fuel for his body from the land and water in his backyard, and the fuel for his soul from the total wilderness of which he was ambassador. To many of us, Dick Proenneke is a hero, and his small cabin is our reminder.
Though Dick's footprints have long since faded into the ecosystem, we still follow his tracks to places like Hope Creek, Low Pass, Cowgill Bench, Teetering Rock and Eye of the Needle Pass. After a week of hiking in this amazing place, you'll understand why it took very old age to pull Dick from the country. Twin Lakes is Alaska at its absolute finest!