Aleutian Island Adventure with Backpacking

This is a trip to Adak Island, in the Central Aleutians of the Aleutian Island Chain. I have chosen Adak for ease of access - you can fly there with Alaska Airlines. For reference, I paid ca. $1,500 for my roundtrip ticket from ABQ (August 9-20, 2025).

We will do two 3-4 day backpacks during our stay, longer, if the weather plays along. Note that the Aleutians are known for atrocious weather (wind and rain), and the 40-year average for Adak is 5" of rain in August, with rain 19 of the 31 days. This is not meant to discourage you, just to set appropriate expectations. The reward is spectacular wilderness in one of the remotest places in the US.

To account for the weather conditions, I have rented a lodge (there is a small settlement on the island, hence the ease of air access) for the entire duration of the trip. While not the most economic option, it gives us a maximum of flexibility. We can choose to do the backpacks based on the best weather windows, and do single-day outings on the days in between. Depending on weather conditions, rather than doing loop backpacks moving camp every night, we may also choose to set up camp a day hike or two from town and do day hikes from there (taking down and setting up camp in a rainstorm is a great way to get your gear wet!). In addition, by doing two shorter outings, the consequences are less dire if the weather does not cooperate.

Adak is hilly with plenty of lakes and covered by arctic tundra. It's known for its relatively good hiking conditions (sparse vegetation, no bush whacking) and best of all, there are no bears. The northern part of the island has a few roads and one can rent a truck for exploration (we may do this for a day or two). There also are hot springs on the northern coast.

All food must be brought in (even for lodge days), there are only extremely limited (and super expensive) options to buy food there, and I think those sparse resources should be preserved for the locals. The lodge is heated and has running water and a kitchen, so we'll have a safe haven to warm up and dry out gear. Cost for the lodge is ca. $660 per participant.

I call this an adventure as nothing may go as planned, starting with the flights - there may be delays due to weather conditions although we will be much less affected in a jet airliner than in a puddle jumper. If we are unlucky, the weather may be awful every single day. Hence what I'm looking for in trip candidates is a positive attitude with a strong team spirit to make the best of unexpected conditions and adapt as needed.

We are looking for two more participants. If there is a lot of interest, we can accommodate a maximum of four.