Ketchikan Mountain Lake Trek to Alpine Overlook
Offered by Tongass Teague In Ward Cove, Alaska
: $
About us
Welcome to Tongass Teague LLC’s Mindfulness Rainforest Treks!
We are a summer-season shore excursion that offers mindful hikes into Ketchikan's rain forest for up to seven people at a time. We pick you up downtown at the docks or wherever you may be staying, drive you to the trailhead, and guide you down the trail and back. We offer morning and afternoon tours roughly from May into October. Our focus is on mindfulness, or in other words, practicing how to be more present and alive at the moment so that we can better connect with ourselves, one another, and the environments we find ourselves in. Our tours are a great way to temporarily unplug from the hustle and bustle of the cruise ships and downtown crowds and to remind yourself of the importance of taking a breath, slowing down a little, and relaxing into just being where you are without worrying about what comes next. We greatly look forward to meeting you!
About Your Guide:
Hello, I’m Teague Whalen, a local Ketchikan, Alaska resident who is here to guide you on a hike through the rain forest down to the secluded Coast Guard Beach. As a grad-school graduate with a newly minted M.F.A. in creative writing, I moved from Marquette, Michigan in the Upper Peninsula to Ketchikan, Alaska in the summer of 2009 in order to teach English and communication at the University of Alaska Southeast’s Ketchikan campus as a tenure-track assistant professor.
I first experienced Ketchikan in the late 90s when I visited my younger sister who had moved out here, and I immediately jumped on the opportunity to hike the trails. There’s nothing more exciting than discovering a new trial, a new place. I grew up with two younger sisters and parents who were both teachers, so this meant we had the summers off to travel. We caravanned all over the United States with other families and bicycled toured, canoe camped and backpacked into the wilderness. I’ve hiked the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee multiple times and many of the trails around the Great Lakes in Michigan and Canada—Pictured Rocks, Porcupine Mountains, the Bruce Trail, the North Country Pathway, Lake Superior Coastal Trail, and Agawa Canyon to name a few. I’ve also guided Northern Michigan University students on hikes as an English instructor in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula as well as University of Michigan students in the White Mountains of New Hampshire and upstate Maine as part of the New England Literature Program. And now I’ve started a summer-season hiking tour here in Ketchikan: Tongass Teague LLC’s Mindfulness Rainforest Treks. So, if there is one thing I know about, it’s hiking and how to do it safely.
We are a summer-season shore excursion that offers mindful hikes into Ketchikan's rain forest for up to seven people at a time. We pick you up downtown at the docks or wherever you may be staying, drive you to the trailhead, and guide you down the trail and back. We offer morning and afternoon tours roughly from May into October. Our focus is on mindfulness, or in other words, practicing how to be more present and alive at the moment so that we can better connect with ourselves, one another, and the environments we find ourselves in. Our tours are a great way to temporarily unplug from the hustle and bustle of the cruise ships and downtown crowds and to remind yourself of the importance of taking a breath, slowing down a little, and relaxing into just being where you are without worrying about what comes next. We greatly look forward to meeting you!
About Your Guide:
Hello, I’m Teague Whalen, a local Ketchikan, Alaska resident who is here to guide you on a hike through the rain forest down to the secluded Coast Guard Beach. As a grad-school graduate with a newly minted M.F.A. in creative writing, I moved from Marquette, Michigan in the Upper Peninsula to Ketchikan, Alaska in the summer of 2009 in order to teach English and communication at the University of Alaska Southeast’s Ketchikan campus as a tenure-track assistant professor.
I first experienced Ketchikan in the late 90s when I visited my younger sister who had moved out here, and I immediately jumped on the opportunity to hike the trails. There’s nothing more exciting than discovering a new trial, a new place. I grew up with two younger sisters and parents who were both teachers, so this meant we had the summers off to travel. We caravanned all over the United States with other families and bicycled toured, canoe camped and backpacked into the wilderness. I’ve hiked the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee multiple times and many of the trails around the Great Lakes in Michigan and Canada—Pictured Rocks, Porcupine Mountains, the Bruce Trail, the North Country Pathway, Lake Superior Coastal Trail, and Agawa Canyon to name a few. I’ve also guided Northern Michigan University students on hikes as an English instructor in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula as well as University of Michigan students in the White Mountains of New Hampshire and upstate Maine as part of the New England Literature Program. And now I’ve started a summer-season hiking tour here in Ketchikan: Tongass Teague LLC’s Mindfulness Rainforest Treks. So, if there is one thing I know about, it’s hiking and how to do it safely.
What we'll do
Come join us on a stunning 5.5-mile roundtrip hike in a small group of up to no more than 7 guests! This tour is led by owner and operator, Tongass Teague. Enjoy connecting with him, each other, and the wilderness of Southeast Alaska. Ask about how to practice mindfulness on the hike and in other areas of your life!
Hike an improved gravel trail alongside a forested lake below a mountain. Plenty of spots for picture taking. From there, the second mile’s more natural tread is mixed with gravel, large rocks, and roots as you ascend through an old-growth rainforest displaying large specimens of Sitka spruce and western hemlock.
At 1100 feet of elevation, you arrive at the bottom of an avalanche chute. The next 3/4 of a mile ascends another 550 feet to an alpine overlook at 1650 feet, our destination. Be one of only two tours a day allowed on this cherished trail.
Who Is This Tour For?
This hike can be considered somewhat strenuous and is for those who are in relatively good shape and enjoy exercise and hiking up elevated, uneven terrain. Not recommended for those who lead mostly a sedentary life or who have health issues or injuries.
Hike an improved gravel trail alongside a forested lake below a mountain. Plenty of spots for picture taking. From there, the second mile’s more natural tread is mixed with gravel, large rocks, and roots as you ascend through an old-growth rainforest displaying large specimens of Sitka spruce and western hemlock.
At 1100 feet of elevation, you arrive at the bottom of an avalanche chute. The next 3/4 of a mile ascends another 550 feet to an alpine overlook at 1650 feet, our destination. Be one of only two tours a day allowed on this cherished trail.
Who Is This Tour For?
This hike can be considered somewhat strenuous and is for those who are in relatively good shape and enjoy exercise and hiking up elevated, uneven terrain. Not recommended for those who lead mostly a sedentary life or who have health issues or injuries.
What to expect / what's provided
*Duration 4 hours
*Length 5.5 miles roundtrip
*Up to 7 guests
*If children under 8 or infants, please note at checkout - carseats are required by Alaska State Law and will be installed for tours!
*What to Bring
- Jacket, sweater or sweatshirt.
- Hiking boots or trail shoes that have some traction and support.
- Rain Jacket and rain pants
- If possible, a backpack (we suggest lining the inside of your backpack with a garbage bag)
- We will have backpacks and rain ponchos available if needed.
*What's Included
- Dock-side pick-up and drop-off from Berth 3 or as arranged if arriving via plane or ferry, transportation to and from the trailhead.
- Bottled water.
*Though the trailhead is only a ten-minute drive from Berth 3, this is a rural hike. No facilities are available at the trailhead or along the trail. If needed, public restrooms are available at Berth 3 before or after the tour. However, if there is a #2 bathroom emergency, we have toilet paper and military waste kits--Wag Bags--one can use and cart out. This is a leave-no-trace excursion, including no littering or food left behind. This is also a tobacco-free, drug-free, and alcohol-free excursion.*
*Please note: Children under the age of 8 years old must have their own car seat for the initial car ride.
*Length 5.5 miles roundtrip
*Up to 7 guests
*If children under 8 or infants, please note at checkout - carseats are required by Alaska State Law and will be installed for tours!
*What to Bring
- Jacket, sweater or sweatshirt.
- Hiking boots or trail shoes that have some traction and support.
- Rain Jacket and rain pants
- If possible, a backpack (we suggest lining the inside of your backpack with a garbage bag)
- We will have backpacks and rain ponchos available if needed.
*What's Included
- Dock-side pick-up and drop-off from Berth 3 or as arranged if arriving via plane or ferry, transportation to and from the trailhead.
- Bottled water.
*Though the trailhead is only a ten-minute drive from Berth 3, this is a rural hike. No facilities are available at the trailhead or along the trail. If needed, public restrooms are available at Berth 3 before or after the tour. However, if there is a #2 bathroom emergency, we have toilet paper and military waste kits--Wag Bags--one can use and cart out. This is a leave-no-trace excursion, including no littering or food left behind. This is also a tobacco-free, drug-free, and alcohol-free excursion.*
*Please note: Children under the age of 8 years old must have their own car seat for the initial car ride.
Cancellation Policy
As John Lennon said, life is what happens to us when we are busy planning. As we all hope to see our plans through, sometimes plans change, emergencies happen, and we need to cancel tours. At the same time, a booked tour does not allow for others to book in its place, so last-minute cancellations are strongly discouraged unless it is a must.
A 100% refund for cancellations made at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience. Cancellations made within 24 hours of the start date of the experience or no-shows at the time of the tour will receive no refund.
If you have cause to request a refund, please contact us in order to inquire about the possibility of a refund.
A 100% refund for cancellations made at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience. Cancellations made within 24 hours of the start date of the experience or no-shows at the time of the tour will receive no refund.
If you have cause to request a refund, please contact us in order to inquire about the possibility of a refund.
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