The Yukon Territory offers some of the wildest terrain in North America, a landscape where you may step over the speckled eggs of a groundnesting bird or watch a grizzly bear feasting on roots growing in the outwash of a glacial river. A destination for backpackers seeking beauty, wildlife and remoteness, this course explores Kluane National Park, designated by the United Nations as a world heritage site. This course will begin in Haines, Alaska, and journey into the wild and remote territory of the Yukon.

Picture yourself camping in a field of purple and red wildflowers under the canopy of a birch grove. Navigate over high mountain passes, cross glacial creeks and trek over expanses of tundra. The grandiose scale of both the wildness and beauty of this area make it a world-class destination.

This comprehensive backpacking course is the perfect setting to achieve your goals whether you are looking to become a professional guide, hone your technical abilities for personal adventures, or expand your leadership skills. It focuses on teaching students to be safe, efficient, knowledgeable and confident outdoor leaders in the backcountry.

Haines: Haines, Alaska is the starting/finishing place for this trip. Haines is a small community located along the fjords at the top of the Inside Passage. The natural beauty and wilderness access found here are responsible for its reputation as a center for wilderness adventure in Alaska.

Kluane National Park: Kluane National Park is home to Canada’s highest peak (Mount Logan), its largest ice field, and a huge population of grizzlies. It is a mecca for calving glaciers, fields of wildflowers, beautiful glacially-carved lakes, and a profound lack of people. We'll take a 4-hour ride from our base in Haines to the trailhead in Kluane National Park.

The Donjek: Our route will follow the Donjek route, a looped route which rises above the Burwash Uplands and offers stunning views throughout. In the heart of this trek, we will reach the Donjek River, fed by the imposing blue-ice walls of the Donjek Glacier. The glacier is 56 km-long, flowing from the largest non-polar icefield in the world. The toe of the glacier, which is the most visible, is more than 4 km long and will leave you in awe.

Our Instructors: IWLS instructors and guides are highly-trained professionals recognized as some of the best in their field. They have a wealth of experience from guiding throughout Alaska, Canada, and the world. They genuinely enjoy sharing their knowledge of the outdoors in the wild places that they love. Their experiences and leadership help our students to have the best possible experience during their course. Students' safety, education, and enjoyment are their primary goals. The International Wilderness Leadership Schools’ educational model nurtures leadership development and creates an awareness of the guiding mentality that is essential for leading safe, fun adventures in the mountains. The combination of technical skills training, experiential education and practical leadership experience make the IWLS curriculum world-class.

Experience Level: No previous experience is necessary for this course. However, with a desire to learn and an enthusiasm for adventure, you’ll develop the skills necessary for a lifetime of wilderness exploration.

Certifications: Upon completion of the course, participants may qualify for the following certifications:

Backpacking Guide Training Certificate of Completion

Course Itinerary (printable PDF)

Day 0: Meet in Haines for a pre-trip meeting and orientation. Students will be responsible for lodging and meals on their own this day.
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Day 1 - 2: We’ll drive from Haines into the Burwash Uplands of the Yukon. We begin by hiking across open sub-alpine meadows teeming with wildflowers. There is potential to see Caribou and other wildlife in this area. We’ll cover the basics of navigation in alpine terrain.
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Day 3: Hoge Pass. Dall sheep and mountain goats frequent the high passes. The trail disappears as we descend the pass towards the rivers. We make our way down steep terrain to Hoge Creek.
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Day 4:Hoge Creek We’ll have a shorter travel day and make our way to the Donjek river valley. After crossing Hoge creek a number of times, we’ll bushwhack our way onto some old horse trails that lead us parallel with the Donjek.
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Day 5 - 6: Donjek River and Glacier Broad expanses, the heights of the St. Elias mountain range, and a calving glacier make this particular portion of the journey a highlight.
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Day 7 - 8: Bighorn Creek and Chert Creek After waking up early in the morning to cross Bighorn Creek and learn more about stream crossing and safety concerns, we’ll head up Chert Creek (aptly named for its high content of the mineral chert). We’ll camp in a beautiful alpine basin below Atlas Pass. We allow for a rest day in this drainage to rest up for a big day over the Atlas Pass.
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Day 9: Atlas Pass Today is another great opportunity to see Dall sheep and mountain goats. It often snows up at the higher passes even in the middle of the summer. We’ll descend and camp down by the Duke river.
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Day 10: Cache Lake Another early start allows us to cross the headwaters of the Duke river and hike uphill to our camp at Cache lake
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Day 11: Copper Joe Creek We descend Copper Joe Creek drainage which leads us towards our final camp near the Alaska Canadian highway where we’ll get picked up the following day.
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Day 12: On the last day, we’ll finish up at the trailhead. Students will receive final evaluations for the course and share feedback on the course. We’ll get picked up by our driver and head back to Haines.

IWLS General Curriculum outlines the essential components for effective outdoor leadership. Here are a few points that your course will focus on.

• Leadership: We not only exemplify leadership – we teach it and implement it. Students will have
  opportunities to lead the group through a variety of activities, objectives, and responsibilities.
• Safety and Risk Management: Safety is always our #1 consideration. As the course progresses, students
  will develop an awareness to appropriately assess risk and make safe decisions in and out of the field.
• Expedition Behavior and Group Dynamics: Because this course is a true wilderness expedition,
  interactions between group members need to be supportive and contribute to the efficacy of the group. The daily
  dynamics of the group, combined with guided instruction, will teach students not only how to be a member of a cohesive
  team, but how to influence and lead an expedition.
• Environmental Ethics: As adventurers in some of the most pristine environments on the planet, it is
  our duty to respect the natural world. All of our courses practice and teach Leave No Trace® principles.
• Communication Skills: Speaking in public, managing a personal conflict, or leading a group in the
  wilderness - all of these situations require effective communication. Students will gain confidence in their
  communication abilities while developing personal leadership styles during this course.

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The IWLS Backpacking Curriculum prepares students for exploration into remote, backcountry settings. Here are some points we’ll cover on your course:

• Travel Techniques: Course instruction will help you discover ways to safely maximize your efficiency,
  whether hiking down a well-beaten path or traversing an exposed ridge.
• River and Stream Crossings: In river crossings, attention to detail and safety is paramount. Students
  will learn and practice safe techniques for wading across a small stream or doing a Tyrolean traverse across a raging
  river.
• Stoves and Campfires: The ability to repair a broken stove, make an emergency fire after being
  submerged in an icy river, and melt snow efficiently for water are key components for leading a group in the
  wilderness.
• Route Finding and Navigation: The Donjek Route often has no obvious trail. Students will learn
  important fundamentals for route finding, using a compass, and navigating in order to negotiate this remote terrain.
• Camp Skills Learn about the tents we'll be utilizing, how to organize our kitchen and keep our food
  secure and appropriately protected from bears and other wildlife.

Course Documents:

• Course Overview- Printable detailed course overview & itinerary.
• Equipment List - Overview of personal clothing and equipment that you'll need for this course.
• Rental Gear List - List of backpacking gear, and personal items available for rent
• Registration Form - Outlines policies, and essential information. One required per participant.
• Health Form - This form enables our guides to have accurate health information in the event of an emergency.
• Land Based Activity Waiver - One required per participant. Guests under the age of 18 may go on one form.
• Travel Info - Helpful information on how to get to/from Haines, Alaska.

What is included in the course price:

• Camping gear - group camping equipment, tents, stoves, etc...
• Expedition food - all food while out in the field.
• Transportation during trip - travel to the trailhead, and back to Haines after.
• Professional guides - Our guides have extensive knowledge of the area and a passion for backpacking in wild places.

 
Students are responsible for the following:

• Personal clothing & equipment
• Food and Lodging in town - We can happily recommend lodging around Haines!
• Travel insurance - we highly recommend travel insurance for all of our programs.
• Airfare
• Reviewing course policies - please reference our policies page for policies regarding payment, cancellations, refunds and student responsibilities.
• Gratuities

 
To Book your adventure, follow the steps below:

• Please call to confirm availability at 1-800-766-3396 or fill out an online form to request more information: Request More Info
• Place a deposit of $500 or 25% of trip cost (whichever is less) to reserve your spot: this can be place over the phone by credit card, check in the mail, or through our payment gateway.
• Once you've reserved your spot, you'll receive a welcome packet with all the necessary registration forms and trip information.
• Be sure to submit all trip registration documents at least 45 days prior to your course. This includes information on your arrival/departure, lodging, dietary, and medical information.

Feel free to call or email anytime if you have questions about your upcoming trip. Our team is excited to help you prepare for your adventure!