I was drawn to Alaska for years before I took the plunge to move here. My work in the “Lower 48” as a fish biologist lined up well with a love of the wild…and Alaska called (not quietly) as a place I had to see.
Stuffing only what would fit into a ‘99 Nissan Frontier, I wandered up the ALCAN highway with a freshly rescued dog (an excellent scout on top of boxes in the truck’s king cab).
Accepting the position of Executive Director for the Copper River salmon brand, I settled into a bush community only accessible by plane or boat. Between this role and a later one for a trails outfit (with a 25,000 square mile territory), I was able to experience this state in ways many others have not. And then I wanted to share it. So the question became, “how?”.
I decided to start inviting people up so they could see these things too. Next, I assumed they’d like it so much, they would want to enjoy it with another person…or ten…or forty…so Run Alaska Trails was born.
Our company tagline is “trails and other adventures in Alaska with the people we love”. These experiences are reciprocal; the guests are intentional. We build custom trips with particular affinities in mind which results in instant community when our groups come together. Events are typically in collaboration with one or more co-hosts; public personalities who invite their communities to spend time together in the great outdoors of Alaska.
As retreat facilitators, our co-hosts bring their unique interests to the 49th state; conducting fun, engaging, often transformative workshops interspersed with seeing the best Alaska has to offer. Past events have centered around such themes as seafood sustainability and women’s health and fitness, as well as contemporary societal issues such as racial equity.
No matter the co-host or the event’s theme, each trip is open to all and prioritizes safety, comfort, and fun, while making memories - and often friends - that last a lifetime.
Regularly I’ve been asked, throughout a career of connecting people to the outdoors, if these places are too special to share. If, by revealing them to more people, I might be placing them in jeopardy.
I push back (firmly). How can a society care for something they’ve never seen? Never felt, never experienced? I fall squarely into the camp of “share it” on this note. Intact ecosystems are fundamental to life on Earth. If we’re going to be here a while, it’s imperative that more people know what these ecosystems look like…that they care for them, love them, and protect them. I'm sharing what I care about so others can care too. I offer this in the form of bespoke experiences; right-sized for communities we visit and larger than life for guests.
I’m made of saltwater (in addition to being “salty”). I took my first plunge into the ocean before I could walk. Jacques Cousteau figured prominently in my formative years when he said, “for most of history, man has had to fight nature to survive; in this century he is beginning to realize that, in order to survive, he must protect it".
So there you go. That’s why I want you up here. Take our homepage for a spin and see what appeals to you. And no matter where you connect with the wild, be sure to share it with a friend. It’s good for you, it’s good for us, and it’s good for our future.
Contact
I'm always looking for new and exciting things to talk about up here. Let's connect.
907-707-9299