THE UNITED STATES
HIGH-STYLE TREKKING ON THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL
Brace yourself for a debate as luxury through-hiking arrives on the Appalachian Trail in spring 2007. Foot Travel, an outfitter based in Black Mountain, North Carolina, will begin offering gear transport and other logistical services at key points along the trail, which means that the only chores left to you on this 2,170-mile, 153-day slog from Georgia to Maine are carrying a daypack and setting up your tent. Foot Travel does the dirty work—from cooking to cleaning to carrying that heavy load of Russian classics. Price: $10,120 ($66 per day) Outfitter: Foot Travel, 866-244-4453, www.bighike.com
CYCLE ACROSS THE USA
This epic, coast-to-coast challenge takes you from Santa Barbara, California, to Charleston, South Carolina—2,949 miles with 167,000 vertical feet of climbing—in 33 grueling days. You'll pedal on two-lane blacktop across the Mojave Desert, over Rocky Mountain passes, and through southern prairies en route to the Atlantic seaboard, staying in roadside hotels along the way. You'll earn a lifetime's worth of bragging rights (you're averaging a century ride per day) and get a two-wheeled take on the classic American landscapes that most travelers experience only as a blur through the car window. Just be sure to remember to dip a toe in both the Pacific and Atlantic or your efforts might be in vain. OUTFITTER: Trek Travel, 866-464-8735, trektravel.com; PRICE: $10,000; DIFFICULTY: Challenging; WHEN TO GO: September–October
ALASKA
PADDLE TOWARD THE ARTIC OCEAN
If any splurge is called for this year, it's this journey into America's still untapped, northernmost reaches from luxury outfitter Abercrombie & Kent. The trip starts in Fairbanks, from which bush planes fly eight guests to the North Slope of the Brooks Range. Too-loó-uk River Guides will paddle you on 14-foot rafts through 50 miles of the Marsh Fork of the Canning, a mostly lazy river that meanders through green valleys in the shadow of white peaks toward the Arctic Ocean. "You've got 5,000-foot peaks right off the river, treeless tundra, open hills and ridges," says lead guide Juliette Boselli. Bring your waterproof hikers for day trips along the way, and carbo-load each night on fresh-baked breads in the dome-tented camp. Scramble up a small peak and you'll spot Dall sheep, musk ox, eagles, and falcons. End the trip where the Canning meets the Beaufort Sea and fly out over the famous Porcupine caribou herds. Top of the world, Ma. Four departures between June and August; 10 DAYS, $10,000 abercrombiekent.com.
PADDLE TO WRANGEL IN THE BERING STRAIT
See how close Alaska and Russia really are on Aurora Expeditions' new trip from Nome, Alaska, across the Bering Sea, and along the Chukotka Peninsula, at Siberia's northeastern tip. Your base is the 100-passenger Marina Svetaeva, but Aurora's guides offer daylong sea-kayaking options along Chukotka's rugged coast, where sea otters and harp seals play. And pending icepack levels in the Arctic Ocean, Aurora plans to explore Wrangel Island, home to hundreds of polar bears. "We hope to get the sea kayaks in the water around Wrangel and hike onshore," says owner Greg Mortimer. August 6–18; 13 DAYS, FROM $5,500 auroraexpeditions.com.au.
CRUISE WHALE COUNTRY IN KENAI FJORDS GLACIER LODGE
Comprising 16 cabins and a dining building, Alaska Wildland Adventures' Kenai Fjords Glacier Lodge is the only hotel within the boundaries of 700,000-acre Kenai Fjords National Park. Fresh-caught salmon in the restaurant is nice, but the draw is the setting: The lodge, which opens in July, sits on a pebble beach in 1,700-acre Pedersen Lagoon Wildlife Sanctuary. And because Glacier is accessible only by boat, your stay comes with a cruise through humpback whale migratory waters. Doubles, $425, three-night minimum; alaskawildland.com.
TREK WITH YAKS
When Seattle-based Alpine Ascents International started looking for a way to make the Alaska bush more accessible to hikers, they turned east—to the Himalayas, where Tibetan yaks have been shouldering trekkers' loads for decades. With the help of visiting Nepalese Sherpas, several yaks were trained on trails near Denali National Park, and this summer they're ready for prime time. This unique, weeklong trek begins with a flight from Talkeetna, about 75 miles north of Anchorage, to Moonshadow Lake, south of the park, where your guides and the shaggy bovines await. Each day, you'll be hiking—gloriously unencumbered—across open, untouched tundra and up 3,000-to-5,000-foot peaks; camping by clear lakes in alpine valleys; spotting moose, wolves, caribou, grizzlies, and black bears; and getting your fill of wild blueberries and salmon, always with the soaring Alaska Range as a backdrop. OUTFITTER: Alpine Ascents International; alpineascents.com PRICE: $2,500 DIFFICULTY: Moderate WHEN TO GO: July–August
CANOE WITH THE CARIBOU
The 23-million-acre National Petroleum Reserve, on Alaska's north coast, holds the largest swath of unprotected wilderness in the U.S.—and you needn't look beyond its name to guess its primary purpose. But the region harbors much more than black gold: Half a million western arctic caribou march across its sprawling plains each year, along with grizzlies and wolves. On this 11-day trip, you'll follow the herd by foot and in two-person canoes on the untamed Kokolik River, hiking where woolly mammoths and saber-toothed tigers once roamed. OUTFITTER: Equinox Wilderness Expeditions, 604-222-1219, equinoxexpeditions.com; PRICE: $4,495; DIFFICULTY: Moderate; WHEN TO GO: June
HIKING/MOUNTAIN-BIKING/RAFTING/KAYAKING
Your new luxury tented base camp for spying grizzlies at the foot of Mount Iliamna overlooks sweet, juicy berry bushes where the big beasts love to feast. Between hiking, mountain-biking, rafting, and kayaking forays on the Kenai Peninsula, recuperate in a lounge chair and watch one of the greatest shows on earth. Outfitter: Outer Edge Expeditions, 800-322-5235, www.outer-edge.com
ARIZONA
RAFTING THE GRAND CANYON
Few paddling experiences come close to matching the epic 297-mile Colorado River run from Lees Ferry to Lake Mead. There's the monster whitewater (including Lava Falls, called the fastest navigable rapid in North America), the mile-high bisque- and red-hued rock walls, the tent-perfect beaches, and the sheer, walloping Great American West feel of it all. About 22,000 people a year raft a portion of the Colorado's 277 Grand Canyon miles; most travel with one of 16 outfitters licensed by the Park Service, but those with strong river-running skills can arrange a private outing. Good news on that front: As of 2006, noncommercial launch permits are being awarded by lottery (800-959-9164, www.nps.gov/grca), replacing the laughable 25-year waiting list. Motorized or oar-powered rafts are the most common way to go, but purists say nothing beats the grace and responsiveness of a wooden dory. Veteran outfitter OARS offers 15- to 19-day full-canyon dory trips (from $4,535; 800-346-6277, oars.com).
CALIFORNIA
PADDLE THE TUOLUMNE AND HIKE YOSEMITE
This new, amphibious itinerary from rafting specialists OARS starts fast and ends slow. First up: an 18-mile paddle through Class IV rapids on the Wild & Scenic Tuolumne River, Central California's roiliest. From the take-out at Wards Ferry Bridge, it's a 50-minute drive to the bar-equipped Evergreen Lodge, on the western edge of Yosemite National Park. The next four days are spent "glamping" on air mattresses on the lodge's property and trekking to Yosemite classics like 8,842-foot Half Dome and wildflower-studded Tuolumne Meadows. Five trips between May and August; 5 DAYS, $1,900 oars.com. CASH TIP: Ask if there are any openings—or last-minute discounts—on the May trip, when the Tuolumne runs fastest.
CYCLING THE EPIC TOUR
Lance, Levi, and LeMond all trained on the 15-degree inclines of Northern California's roads, and after you finish this seven-day epic, you may be able to keep up with them—for a few minutes, anyway. Starting from Santa Rosa, you'll ride up to 75 miles a day on inland country byways. Once you hit Mendocino, you'll return to Santa Rosa via the coast—with plenty of opportunities to regroup in some of the area's finest restaurants and hotels, like Bodega Bay's Inn at the Tides. Price: $2,398 Outfitter: Bicycle Adventures, 800-443-6060, www.bicycleadventures.com
When to Go: October-November
HAWAII
ADVENTURE BOOT CAMP
When you wake to the sounds of your personal chef whipping up an egg-white omelet in your oceanfront villa on Kauai's north shore, you'll know this boot camp isn't Parris Island. Here you can customize all your meals and five days of activities to reach your fitness goals. Start out by surfing in Hanalei Bay or hiking to the base of 250-foot Hanakapeii Falls. After one-on-one yoga or weight training, recuperate with a massage, and cap off the day by learning how to grill fresh ahi. Price: $3,075
Outfitter: Pure Kauai, 866-457-7873, www.purekauai.com When to Go: Year-round
IDAHO
PADDLE THRU HELL'S CANYON
This five-day, 34-mile raft trip down the Snake River is a Class IV adventure—and an inward journey. Days begin with riverfront yoga, and shore time allows for journal writing, side trips to view Nez Perce rock art, and meditation. But cleansing your mind doesn't mean you can't indulge in the arsenal of lasagna, Idaho trout, and double-fudge brownies.Price: $1,130 Outfitter: ROW (River Odysseys West), 800-451-6034, www.rowinc.com When to Go: September
IDAHO, OREGON & NEVADA
PADDLE THE UPPER OWYHEE
A good measure of the quality of a float trip is the difficulty in getting there. By those standards, it's hard to beat River Odysseys West's new expedition-style journey to the Class II Upper Owyhee. "The road's crummy, there aren't any shuttle services, and the portages are a bitch," says ROW founder Peter Grubb. "But I've never been up there and seen another party." From the Nevada put-in, on either the South or the East fork of the Owyhee (the East is the more striking canyon by far), each guest paddles his own inflatable kayak 50 miles through a basalt gorge to the confluence with the main Owyhee. (A 12-foot raft totes gear.) From there it's another 30 miles to the take-out at Three Forks, in Oregon. The route goes through bighorn sheep country and passes abandoned stone pioneers' cabins. Day four is reserved for two tough portages, but hard work makes Dutch-oven brownies taste better. Bonus: ROW's new trip comes just in time for new federal legislation that, if passed, will add the desert canyon to the national Wild & Scenic Rivers registry, and protect an additional 570,000 acres of the area. Four departures in June and July; 7 DAYS, $1,890 rowadventures.com.
OREGON
PADDLE THE RIVER WILD
If your idea of an ideal float involves low cost, high refreshment, and Oregon's lush landscapes, have we got a trip for you. Two, actually. On Rogue Wilderness Adventures' Paddles and Pints trip, 18 guests spend three days rafting the Rogue's Class IV rapids and two nights sampling the finest local hops with the Golden Valley Brewery's Mark Vickery, who spent ten years brewing up magic at Bend's Deschutes Brewery. August 27–29; $935; wildrogue.com. Meanwhile, on ROW Adventures' Kayaking 101 trip, aspiring river rats learn to read whitewater, paddle an inflatable boat, and prepare camp meals on eastern Oregon's fir-lined, Class III Grande Ronde. You'll cover ten miles of smooth water per day, cook Dutch-oven ribeye by night, and, by trip's end, be ready to lead your own expedition. Three departures in June and July; $1,000; rowadventures.com
MOUNTAIN BIKING THE UMPQUA RIVER TRAIL
The 79-mile Umpqua River Trail, completed in 1997, is a line of undulating singletrack from southern Oregon's Maidu Lake to Swift Water Park, perfect for a five-day blast through Douglas firs, cedars, and ferny hillsides. You'll chase the river along sheer drop-offs and to low points where you can cool your feet—as a chase van ferries your gear to camp. Price: $925 Outfitter: Western Spirit, 800-845-2453, www.westernspirit.com When to Go: July to September
TEXAS
CYCLE WITH LANCE ARMSTRONG AND THE RIDE FOR THE ROSES
What could be better than a long road ride? Try a long road ride interspersed with a yuk-it-up session with Lance Armstrong himself. You'll be treated to a 20-mile "morning spin" with the six-time Tour de France winner, just one of the highlights of this eight-day whirl through the Texas Hill Country from San Antonio to Austin. You'll spend 30 to 45 miles a day in the saddle, overnighting at a dude ranch and the Hangar Hotel before settling in at Austin's superluxe Driskill Hotel. There you'll join 8,000 volunteers and survivors in the weekend-long Ride for the Roses, a 100-mile Lance Armstrong Foundation benefit for cancer research.
High Point: Spinning wheels with Lance. Low Point: Parting with a whopping $10K, half of which goes to the Ride for the Roses. Travel Advisory: You're in Texas—don't mess with it. Price: $10,000 Outfitter: Trek Travel, 866-464-8735, www.trektravel.com
When to Go: October
UTAH
HIKING THE WATERPOCKET FOLD
Grant Johnson has been exploring southern Utah's Waterpocket Fold, a 3,000-foot-high, 100-mile-long dinosaur-era geological formation, for 30 years. Thanks to drought conditions in nearby Lake Powell, he recently discovered an ancient Anasazi trail that allows him to lead trips into this remote, unmapped backcountry region. For six days, shimmy through two-foot-wide narrows and hike on slickrock to incredible vistas, camping beneath the cottonwoods while listening to his stories of the prehistoric landscape. Price: $1,375 Outfitter: Escalante Canyon Outfitters, 888-326-4453, www.ecohike.com When to Go: April, October
WASHINGTON
MOUNTAIN BIKING THE WESTERN SPIRIT
Local mountain bikers have been riding southern Washington's lush Gifford Pinchot National Forest since the mid-eighties. But it wasn't until 2007 that the Forest Service opened this 2,138-square-mile forest—home to more than 700 miles of singletrack—to commercial trips. The first outfitter to take advantage: Moab, Utah–based cycling specialists Western Spirit, which debuted this five-day tour last July. The 100-mile haul starts near Mount Adams and traces a series of three subalpine lakes. "The old-growth cedars we ride through make the perfect canopy, keeping the trail surface tacky," says Western Spirit owner Mark Sevenoff. Other highlights include postcard views of the Lewis River's descent from the Cascades; nights spent camping and mauling grilled salmon (guides cook while you sip local beer); a trip-capping ride off the flanks of Mount St. Helens; and a price so low you'll want to book a second date. Eight trips in July and August; 5 DAYS, $1,200 westernspirit.com.
TREKING THE WILDS OF OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK
Despite its proximity to Seattle, Olympic National Park is still untrammeled—especially in its mountainous interior, home to more than 30 glaciers and 300 climbable peaks. Explore a handful of those on Mountain Madness's 77-mile Bailey Range Traverse. Days one and nine put guests deep in lush, moss-draped forests. The rest of the time you're finding high-alpine routes, gawking at the Pacific crashing to the west, and, on days seven and eight, traversing the Blue Glacier en route to the summit of 7,969-foot Mount Olympus. July 24–August 1; from $1,800; mountainmadness.com
