ARRIGETCH PEAKS
GATES OF THE ARCTIC
NATIONAL PARK
ARRIGETCH PEAKS
GATES OF THE ARCTIC NATIONAL PARK
EXPEDITION TO THE ARCTIC:
AMERICA'S LEAST VISITED
NATIONAL PARK
Deep inside the Arctic Circle lies The Arrigetch, an enchanted valley flanked by forbidding peaks. The unforgiving wilderness of Gates of the Arctic National Park is so remote that we’ll charter two planes to reach it. You’ll backpack into the mysterious valley, set up a basecamp, and discover her secrets… if she allows it!
- 8 Days
- 37 Miles
- Strenuous
Price: $7,295
$500 deposit to book your trip
Call us to schedule (mid July–August 2026)
Groups limited to 5. We can match you with other hikers.
Price: $7,295
$500 deposit to book your trip
Call us to schedule (mid July–August 2026)
Groups limited to 5. We can match you with other hikers.
THE ISOLATED ARCTIC FRONTIER
Hidden deep in the Arctic Circle, backpack through Gates of the Arctic, America’s most remote national park.
Spend a week under the midnight sun exploring the Arrigetch Peaks, a dramatic valley filled with monumental spires. Scramble through rugged terrain to reach the icy blue lakes of Aquarius Valley, traverse high ridges with endless panoramas, and walk beneath the legendary walls of Xanadu and Ariel Peak.
Gates of the Arctic is remote, even by Alaskan standards. Getting here takes two flights, including a stop in Bettles, a tiny bush town completely off the grid. Once you arrive, it’s nothing but wilderness, so remote you’ll feel like one of the first humans to ever step foot here.
By the end, you’ll return with stories only a handful of adventurers in the world can tell and memories that will last a lifetime.
ADVENTURE ITINERARY
DAY ONE
Two flights to Gates of the Arctic
Meet your guide and hiking companions in the morning at the Fairbanks air office. Review the packing list, receive group gear, and store personal belongings in the hangar.
Board a scenic flight to Bettles, a town completely off the grid. No roads lead here, and the community survives entirely on its own in the wilderness. You explore the tiny town while waiting for your chartered float plane deep into Gates of the Arctic.
The flight office staff announces the pilots are on their way. You gather your gear and board the float plane. It darts through jaw-dropping valleys, past towering mountains and snaking rivers before landing on Circle Lake.
Even after two flights, we have some hiking to do. You follow your guide across a bushy hillside that pulls at your boots, each step reminding you that this land won’t accomodate you. Your guide assures the group that a trail runs along the river ahead, and you celebrate when you discover it’s true.
Hiking through a dark spruce forest, you reach your first campsite perched high above Arrigetch Creek. Tents are up, dinner is cooking, and the wilderness stretches endlessly around you. You peer through the trees, feeling the intense remoteness. You made it. Welcome to wild Alaska!
3.5 miles +600 ft | -200 ft
DAY TWO
Arrive at the Arrigetch
Your guide gently wakes you as breakfast cooks. Feeling more at home, you leave your tent eager to venture deeper into the wilderness.
The trail winds alongside Arrigetch Creek through a fairytale forest dripping with green moss. You pause by the creek for lunch, watching the glacial blue water cascade by. As you continue, the trail opens into a wide tundra. The jagged peaks finally emerge.
You stop in awe. The mountains dwarf your small group. Their sharp peaks slice through the clouds like a mystery lost in the mist. These mountains feel like ancient sentinels guarding the valley, watchful, menacing, or indifferent to your presence.
Your guide leads you to the middle of the valley’s soft green tundra, where you pitch your tent beneath East Maiden, one of two twin peaks that seem the most welcoming. After dinner, you explore the area with your trail companions. You look up at the Maidens in wonder. Will they grant you safe passage on the adventure ahead, or simply watch to see if you belong in this untamed land?
5.5 miles +1,100 ft | -200 ft
DAY THREE
Discover the lakes of Aquarius Valley
For the next three days, basecamp remains in place as we set off to discover the valley’s treasures. On a misty morning, we might hike into Aquarius Valley to find three glacial lakes.
You venture toward the Maidens, across the spongy tundra. As you follow your guide through the bushes, we make plenty of noise to warn off any lurking brown bears. Your guide leads you up a steep hill. You scramble over boulders until you reach the first brilliantly blue lake.
High in the alpine zone, you find yourself in a world made entirely of stone. Cold wind sweeps off the glaciers at the back of the valley, matching the icy blue of the lake. The lake sits against a rock cliff, and your echoes bounce across the water.
The boulders grow larger as you advance, and you use your hands to scramble over the jumbled terrain. The frozen valley turns a corner, and your curiosity draws you deeper into this strange world. At the back of the valley, a wall rises into a massive, inescapable bowl. Glaciers pour down from above, melting into the lakes below. It is a silent, barren, mesmerizing world.
By the end of the day, your most exhausted muscle is your finger… from capturing endless photos! You follow your guide back to camp, where a hot dinner and cozy tent await.
6 miles +1,400 ft | -1,400 ft
DAY FOUR
Choose a mountain. Hike up!
Although the main Arrigetch Peaks are inaccessible to ordinary hikers, we still seek a bird’s-eye view of the landscape. Over breakfast, you discuss with your guide where you’d like to explore, and your guide chooses a route.
You follow your guide across the tundra and up a steep hillside. Your guide creates switchbacks to make the strenuous route more gentle.
At the top, wind whips across the ridge, rippling your shirt. You scan the terrain. Mountains that seemed impossibly tall yesterday are now staring us straight in the eye. Looking down on yesterday’s hike through a maze of boulders, the path is now suddenly clear. You spot our tiny camp at the foot of Elephant’s Tooth. You are humbled to see the Arrigetch revealing herself to those who earn it.
After a delicious lunch and an unforgettable photo session, you descend to camp, grateful to have seen this glimpse of the Arrigetch, who you now know better.
2-6 miles +2,000 ft | -2,000 ft
DAY FIVE
Enter Arrigetch Valley. Find Xanadu!
Your guide has saved one final nook to explore… Arrigetch Valley. Hidden behind Elephant’s Tooth, unseen from camp, lies the most massive and legendary of the peaks: Xanadu.
You follow your guide into Arrigetch Valley where the river snakes through swampy meadows. Deeper in the valley, towering peaks rise around you, so icy and monumental they seem threatening.
On a clear day, Xanadu looms ahead, flanked by Ariel Peak and Melting Tower. Xanadu is a colossal wall, the king of the valley. Ariel is sharp and spindly. At the base of Melting Tower lies a massive glacier spilling into Arrigetch Creek. The air is still and silent as a cathedral.
On the hike back, the group is lost in the majesty of the peaks. Most hikers are quiet, contemplating the scale of what we’ve witnessed. You arrive at camp grateful to have discovered a taste of the valley’s secrets!
7 miles +2,200 ft | -2,200 ft
DAY SIX
Return to Circle Lake
After breakfast, break camp and begin the hike out of the Arrigetch, toward Circle Lake. We retrace our steps across the tundra until we reach the trail along the river through the woods. Before stepping into the trees, you pause and take one last look at the magnificent peaks behind you.
You wind through the forest on an undulating trail. Eventually, you reach the final hillside, where the path disappears and the bushwhacking begins. The first time we navigated this section, you were fresh off the airplane. Now it’s the final obstacle of the trip!
Just before Circle Lake, your guide leads you to a clearing beneath a mossy grove of spruce trees. It’s the perfect place to make camp! You settle in, your guide cooks dinner, and you crawl into your tent for one last night in the wilderness.
8.5 miles +400 ft | -1,700 ft
DAY SEVEN
Float plane pickup. Return to Bettles.
Follow your guide a quarter mile to the shore of Circle Lake. The distant hum of an engine grows louder, and a float plane skims across the water. Your ride has arrived!
Back in Bettles, you head to your hotel where a hot shower awaits. Once everyone is settled, we walk to the Bettles Lodge, the only restaurant in town, to enjoy whatever is on the dinner menu.
Under the midnight sun, you explore the village. Sometimes, we’ll join the town softball game, where all the local families, rangers, pilots, and civic employees get together with their community. After so many days deep in the wilderness, Bettles is the perfect step back into the civilized world!
*Lodging and meals in Bettles not included
.5 miles
DAY EIGHT
Back to civilization! Fly to Fairbanks.
We gather for breakfast at the Bettles Lodge. The town is so charming and friendly that it’s hard to leave! Still, you’re ready to return to the real world, carrying back everything you’ve learned out in the wilderness.
After another scenic flight over Alaska’s backcountry, the plane touches down in Fairbanks. You’ve shared such a meaningful adventure with new friends that it’s hard to say goodbye. You step back into civilization with a new outlook. Like a true adventurer, you’re already dreaming of your next backpacking journey!
*Lodging and meals in Bettles not included
0 miles
Chat with a trip planning expert!
How challenging is this trip?
All backpacking trips are inherently strenuous. Compared to other backpacking routes, this adventure is considered very strenuous and rugged. You should be decently fit, enjoy challenging workouts, and enjoy trekking through a wilderness filled with obstacles.
What can I expect on this trip?
Expect an intense workout that tires you out each day. You will backpack five to seven miles a day while carrying a 40 lb pack.
You will hike through a total wilderness with few trails. The obstacles in your way will make one mile feel much harder than it would feel on a regular hiking trail. You will hike across fields of unstable boulders, up very steep and slippery mountain passes, through rivers that push forcefully against your legs, and through bushes that grab your ankles.
Who should join this trip?
If you are moderately fit, you exercise hard multiple times a week, and you train, you will find this trip to be challenging, but rewarding. If you can jog for 5 miles without stopping, or if you attend HIIT classes regularly, you should be able to complete this trip.
If you do not exercise regularly, and you do not train, you will find this trip to be incredibly strenuous or impossible to complete.
How should I train?
Even fit people must train for this trip. Practice hiking 6 miles with 2,000 feet of elevation gain while carrying a weighted pack. You can also jog, use a stairmaster, or a treadmill set to high incline. (Walking your dog is not sufficient.)
What's included?
Accommodations
• 6 nights camping in tents
Chartered Flights
• Chartered flight from Fairbanks to Bettles and back
• Chartered float plane from Bettles to Gates of the Arctic and back
Meals and Snacks
• All meals from lunch on day one to lunch on day seven
Group Camping Gear
• Bear canisters, water filters, stove, cookware, first aid kit
• Individual tent for each client
• See Gear List
Wilderness Guide
• Professional wilderness guide with a wilderness first responder certification
Wilderness Permit
• Permit to backpack Gates of the Arctic National Park
What's not included?
Transportation to Alaska
• Adventurers fly to Fairbanks & take a taxi to meeting point
Lodging & Meals in Bettles
• Adventurers purchase own dinner and hotel room for night seven. Adventurers purchase own breakfast on day eight.
Wright Air Luggage Fees
• The flight from Fairbanks to Bettles allows 40 lbs per passenger. Additional weight is charged at $1.80 per pound.
Personal Gear & Clothing
• Sleeping bag, sleeping pad, backpack
• Personal clothing
• Gear rental available
Gratuity for Guides
• Most people tip around 5% of trip cost
Gratuity for Float Plane Pilot
• Most people tip $20 for each flight
Trip Insurance
• “Cancel for any reason” trip insurance recommended
Backcountry Evacuation
• Read Terms & Conditions for full evacuation policy
What gear do I need?
Here is a link to the gear list.
Alaska is a rugged wilderness. It’s important to bring an excellent raincoat and rain pants, sturdy boots (no trail running shoes), and two trekking poles. You must bring a pack large enough to fit all your gear inside it. Bushes will grab anything hanging on the outside, and your belonging will be lost forever.
Are the trip dates guaranteed?
Once four clients book, we will schedule the chartered flight, and the dates will be set. Before that, the dates may shift depending on flight availability.
What airport should I fly into?
Fly into Fairbanks airport. It is necessary to fly in the day before your trip starts. It is customary to schedule your return flight for one day after our trip ends. This allows you extra time in case there is a weather delay in returning to Fairbanks from the backcountry.
Do I need a car?
You do not need a car. Fairbanks is a medium sized town, and you can schedule a taxi from your hotel to the meeting point.
What is your cancellation policy?
A $500 non-refundable deposit is due at booking. The remaining amount is due 120 days in advance of your trip start date.
• If you cancel your trip 91-120 days prior to trip departure, you will receive a 50% refund, excluding the non-refundable deposit, booking platform fee, and credit card processing fee.
• If you cancel your trip 0-90 days prior to trip departure, no refund is given.
• No refund is given for any unused portions of a trip, including due to flight delays from weather
How do I contact you?
I’d be happy to answer your questions!
• Email: LamplightersAdventures@gmail.com
• Phone: (209) 336-3147
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