Route Description: There are several routes possible for exploring the ridge between Boulder Creek and Whistler Creek, which I call “Whistler Ridge”. The rocky high elevations are guarded by extremely dense brush down low, most of which can be bypassed by hiking a couple miles up Boulder Creek or following a hard-to-find trail that ends a little too soon and leaves some routefinding work to do. There are really two main ridges, a north ridge bordering Boulder Creek that is fairly simple to follow despite how craggy it appears, and a south ridge bordering Whistler Creek that features many prominent rock spires. Exploring the south ridge requires some difficult scrambling and eventually results in a dead end at some impassable rock spires, but the spires make for interesting photographs and it’s possible to follow an easier (but not easy) route back down to Whistler Creek, which is very colorful and scenic. The north ridge joins with the south ridge above the rock spires and if you follow the north ridge you can continue to a high point along the ridge at 5800 feet which features great views, and from there you can continue to explore the upper reaches of the Whistler Creek basin which includes some interesting cliffs and a small cirque glacier.
Route Length (South Ridge, Expert Only): 2 miles (one-way); 2000 feet elevation gain; very difficult, experienced hikers only
Difficulty: Very Difficult
Route Length (North Ridge, Expert Only): up to 4 miles (one-way); 3500 feet elevation gain
Difficulty: Difficult
Rates
Expert Tour (8-12 hours)
1 Person $400
2 People $450 ($225pp)
3 People $575 ($192pp)
4 People $675 ($165pp)
5 People $775 ($155pp)
6 People $875 ($146pp)
Alaska Resident & Military Discount: Parties with at least one Alaska resident or active duty military personnel receive a 10% discount. Enter code “AK_AND_MILITARY_DISCOUNT” at checkout.
Add $50 per person for professional adventure portraits. (High-resolution digital files delivered via web download after your hike.)
Receive a discount when you also book an Aurora Borealis Photography Tour. (Please inquire.)
Rates above do not include transportation from Fairbanks! Optional transportation is available for an extra fee.
Standard tours are limited to approximately 6 hours maximum, while Expert tours don’t have any strict time limitations. Clients who want to press farther into the wilderness or spend more time exploring, photographing, or otherwise enjoying their time outdoors should consider the Expert tour option, though Standard tours are designed to offer impressive sights and a fun experience on routes where offered. If you require optional transportation from Fairbanks, please note the tour durations above do not include travel time, and that travel time from Fairbanks is approximately 2.5 hours each way.
All tours are PRIVATE and involve no technical rock or ice climbing. Maximum group size 6; special arrangements must be made for larger groups up to 10. Children are welcome on tours but there is no youth discount; see age recommendations in difficulty ratings below. Full payment is required to reserve a tour. A 5% cancellation fee is charged when reservations are canceled at least 10 days in advance. A 50% cancellation fee is charged when reservations are canceled less than 10 days but at least three days in advance. No refunds are given for cancellations made less than three days in advance. Tours may be canceled due to extreme weather (e.g. thunderstorms), highway closures, etc., in which case your tour will be rescheduled or fully refunded. However, rain, wind, and temperatures near freezing are quite common in the mountains, especially at higher elevations, so customers should dress appropriately and be prepared to face the elements. Note that light rain showers are much more common than heavy downpours. While I can sometimes shift the date of a tour to align with better weather (subject to availability), I cannot guarantee perfect weather on the day of your hike and do not provide refunds if you experience rainy or cloudy weather. If you are afraid of catching a single raindrop or clouds hampering your landscape photo opportunities, please do not bother booking! For complete tour policies and more tour information, see the Black Rapids Tours FAQ.