-So, there are a lot of words here, but if you're flying with us its pretty much required reading. There may even be a test...-
For starters, you should know and understand what
Wild means.
The WILD foundation says that-
“Wilderness or wildland is a natural environment on Earth that has not been significantly modified by human activity.” It may also be defined as: "—those last truly wild places that humans do not control and have not developed with roads, pipelines or other industrial infrastructure."
Beyond the clichéd use of the word, this truly is a wilderness area. This means two things for you.
- The soul expanding freedom of an unpeopled environment.
- The total lack of certainty, protection, structure or control.
You'll see some classic photos on this site reminiscent of the "old days" mixed with the beauties of the recent years. We've shared this special place with many wonderful friends through the past four decades and the one thing that remains the same is: The wilderness is unpredictable. We live our lives and operate our business adhering to that rule.
If you want set flight schedules, basecamp managers and weather web cams then we might point you in the direction of Denali National Park or even Everest… While none of those things are bad, and can certainly be attributed to saving lives and furthering athletic achievements, they simply don’t exist in this wild land.
Keep that in mind.
We recommend the following-
Always Keep Your Options Open.
Enough said.
Carry a Sat. Phone
It doesn’t necessarily mean that your situation will change quickly, but hey, the technology is there and the weight is minimal and your girlfriend will appreciate it.
Keep in mind that if you call for a rescue where we can’t land (due to wx or terrain) a rescue helo’s minimum response time to the Wrangells is 12 hours… Even with the technology, you are on your own for real.
Overestimate Your Emergency Food Supply
How many days can you really stretch 1 bag of ramen? 10 day storms that make flying impossible really do happen.
Underestimate the Weather
Expect conditions will change hourly, quicker in most cases.
If its blue bird on your pick-up day, pretend like it was unexpected.
Prepare Physically AND Mentally for Your Venture
This is big, wild country. There are no safety nets. It’s the real deal man.
Prepare the Home Front for Your Venture
It's a good idea to help your loved ones understand the wilderness concept as well. Let them know that no news is most often good news and that a lot of times even your fancy communication and location devices will malfunction. We'll certianly fly out on a requested check up mission, but you might want to avoid that bill by making sure everyone understands the "worry date" ahead of time.
We can provide the following-
- Plastic touring sleds – bring your own rope/webbing to rig it.
- Wands- $15 for a bundle of 25
- White gas - $20 a gallon
(We’ll need to know if you want any of these things ahead of time.)
- Parking for your vehicle at the Chitina runway
- Camping space at the Chitina runway
- Extensive knowledge of the area
Van Transportation from Anchorage to Chitina -
No wheels of your own? No problem. We can pick you up in Anchorage and deposit you on the runway in Chitina for $250 pp round trip.
Meet the Plane in McCarthy for a Sweet Rate Discount!
If you can get yourself to this sleepy little mountain town, it means less flying time for us and you’ll see discounts up to $200 off the usual flight charges. The journey itself will be quite the adventure. Click here to read the pros and cons.
Our primary residence is located 100 miles up the Chitina River, right in the heart of the Park. This is the flight base for our aircraft and the site of our wilderness adventure lodge. Occasionally it is necessary, due to weather, for groups to spend a night here at the beginning or end of their trip. Keep in mind that Ultima Thule Lodge is a separate entity from the air taxi. If you find yourself stranded here, no worries, we’ll make sure you have tent space or a bunk house (based on availability) and access to our wood fired sauna.
There’s no way to guarantee that you will or will not end up here. Just a heads up.
Check out this page for more info about our plane assisted ski adventures in Wrangell St. Elias. These trips include a package stay at the Lodge!
And now, for the Fine Print –
Gear Weight Limit-
(YES, WE HAVE ONE!)
125lbs per person.
Above that, if we can’t safely fit it in the plane, we’ll have to arrange for another flight for which you will be billed additionally. *Sometimes there’s a little extra room but no guarantees!
Payment-
Due in full at the time of booking.
We accept cash, checks or wire transfers - Sorry, no credit cards.
No refunds. Contact us for rescheduling availability. We are generally nice people.
TRAVEL INSURANCE
Ultima Thule recommends that you purchase travel insurance immediately after paying for your flight. This special insurance may cover costs if you are unable to go on your trip due to personal emergency, personal or family medical reasons, or if a flight is canceled for reasons beyond Ultima Thules' control. It may also cover evacuation and medical expenses in the result of illness or injury. Ultima Thule is not responsible for costs associated with changes to your plan or schedualed flights, flights that cancel for reasons beyond Ultima Thules' control, and evacuations from the mountains. Check with your travel agent for more policies. We recommend Travel Guard »
Weather Affecting flight-
Here’s where that Sat phone comes in real handy. You can call the lodge hours before your flight is due to the area with a current weather report. Keep in mind, this system is not always dependable, as the lodge phone is satellite based itself. None-the-less, we do recommend that you attempt to contact us with WX BETA because continuous attempts to make it to you may result in additional flight charges.
The same applies for getting you into the field. Weather delays are very possible, be properly provisioned.
Off Mountain Date-
We realize that changes to your scheduled off mountain date do occur in the field (if you get done early or just want out.) For our scheduling purposes your pick up is not our priority until your set out date unless it's an emergency. However you can notify us and we’ll do our best to get to you as soon as weather and scheduling allows. Also keep in mind there may be communication delays.
Communication-
… Is limited at best. For reservations and information email works great. You can leave a message on our Anchorage based answering machine but we won’t get it immediately. From the field you can call the lodge with your sat phone. The phone here is also satellite based and we use it primarily for communication with climbers and emergencies; it is not a public number!
Liability-
Is yours and yours alone. By procuring our transport services you acknowledge there are risks and dangers inherent to the wilderness environment through which you are traveling. We will not be held responsible for property damage or loss, bodily injury or death, disruptions to plan or hardships incurred due to the wilderness.
The responsibility is yours.
