Supplier: M14907

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Supplier: M14907

InfoHub supplier since Sep 2006!
Base of operations: USA -- Number of InfoHub client requests accepted: 50

M14907 offers private guided wilderness adventures and expeditions throughout Alaska. A husband and wife team, we formed in 2001 to organize the world's longest winter adventure race on the 1000 mile long Iditarod Trail. We also offer winter schools for future racers. In the summertime we lead trips to Alaska's remote National Parks, State Parks and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

We raft and kayak on Alaska's "Wild and Scenic" rivers and offer backpacking trips into remote areas like the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes in Katmai National Park and caribou base camps in the Brooks Range. In the spring and fall we lead custom mountain bike tours from our base near St George, Utah. We believe Southern Utah has some of the world's best mountain biking.

We don't hire any guides and exclusively guide all of our trips ourselves. 2-6 clients maximum. We custom design most of our trips to suit the clients interests,fitness level and time schedule. We share our passion and knowledge for the outdoors with each and every client. We ensure guest's comfort and safety with 25 years of combined guiding experience.

Questions and Answers

We are a husband and wife team with a lifetime of experience in the outdoors who specialize in our guest's safety, comfort and satisfaction.

1. How long has the business been operating and how did it start?

Our company was formed in 2001. We guide wilderness adventures in Alaska's remote National Parks. We organize the world’s longest human powered winter race in Alaska known as the Iditarod Trail Invitational race by bike, foot and ski 350 and 1000 miles. Bill Merchant has been guiding on Alaskas rivers and wilderness since 1989. He owned Alaska Sled Dog Adventures in Fairbanks for 5 years and then started as a competitor in the 1998 Iditasport. He took over as race organizer in 2001 and added the wilderness guide service under the same company name. Since 2002 we organize this race and guide wilderness adventures throughout Alaska under our current name.

2. What is your company's mission?

Providing a unique visitor experience to Alaska visitors off the beaten path with a personal touch by longtime Alaskan guides. We offer a one of a kind experience to our clients and take special care in every trip and every client starting with many e-mails and phone call before the trip and a meeting with the clients before the trip. We have a lot of repeat clients. Not only do we offer small group trips, but a personal wilderness guide for your Alaska adventure, often with just 2 people. We will work with the client’s dates and schedule and work on a trip itinerary to satisfy the client’s needs and interests.

3. What does your company specialize in?

We mostly take couples, friends and families on our trips. We can offer a trip with just two people which are something you will rarely find in Alaska. We don’t add other people to the trips and we don’t hire inexperienced guides. We don’t set dates for our trips. The clients choose their dates. We guide all of our trips ourselves. Most times there will be both of us on the trip, two longtime Alaskan knowledgeable guides. We both have guided people from all over the world and cater to the international visitor to Alaska.

4. Who is the founder or owner of the company and briefly describe his/her past activities?

Bill Merchant came to Alaska in 1989 and moved from Wyoming to Fairbanks when he went from a horse packing and ski hosting guide to becoming a musher and offering dog sled tours. He later participated in the 1998 Iditasport with three of his huskies on skis and became race organizer of this famous human powered race along the Iditarod Trail in 2001. 2011 is his 15th year being involved in the Iditarod Trail Invitational whether by foot, bike, ski or snowmobile or checkpoint checker. Bill has guided with his German wife Kathi since 2002 and hope to keep guiding together. Kathi moved to Alaska in 2002 from Bavaria, Germany and guides alongside with Bill and she does all the office work and bookings. She designed and maintains company's website as well.

5. What is your most popular travel package and why?

One of our most popular trips is the Savonovski Loop Kayak trip in Katmai National Park. People get to see the back country of Katmai National Park away from the busy tourist sites and watch bears catch salmon in their natural environment. The kayaking is on a system of lakes and rivers. The scenery is stunning and the back country of Katmai rarely sees other people. This fly-in trip is still more affordable than for example a trip to the Arctic which requires more and longer expensive bush flights.

6. What is the best compliment you received from a client?

We are liked by the National Park Service in Alaska and places we go. We have a good relationship with the flight services/air taxis we use and they are always happy to see us every year. Our clients often comment on our good relationship with the Park Service and Agencies and locals we work with in Alaska.

Vacation Packages offered by supplier M14907
Picture	Name	Highlight	Activity	Price	Destination

	Wood Tikchik Lakes Kayaking Trip - Contact Supplier	On this amazing two-week long tour you will visit Wood Tikchik - the largest State Park in the US with 1.6 mio acres and the remotest in the nation, a paradise for kayak adventures. Read more >>>	Tour Package Canoeing/Kayaking/Rafting	USD 4500	Alaska

	Yukon River Kayak Tour 10% off. - Contact Supplier	Join us on this unique adventure into a beautiful part of Interior Alaska and into Alaska's history. Along the journey learn about Alaska lifestyles,old trapper cabins, fish wheels and salmon. Read more >>>	Tour Package Wildlife Viewing Canoeing/Kayaking/Rafting	USD 2900	Alaska

	Savonovski Loop Kayak Trip in Katmai National Park - Contact Supplier	The best kayaking tour that Katmai National Park has to offer! See bears and fantastic scenery! Read more >>>	Tour Package Canoeing/Kayaking/Rafting Wildlife Viewing	USD 2800	Alaska

	Kesugi Ridge Hike in Denali State Park - Contact Supplier	Get an up close and personal look at North Americas tallest peak Mt McKinley and hike one of Alaska's most beautiful trails. Read more >>>	Tour Package Hiking & Trekking Wildlife Viewing	USD 1600	Alaska

	Crow Pass Traverse 10% off. - Contact Supplier	Hike along a scenic part of the historic Iditarod Trail in Alaska's Chugach Range! Follow the footsteps of gold miners. Great for an add-on trip to your Alaska vacation. Read more >>>	Tour Package Hiking & Trekking Wildlife Viewing	USD 800	Alaska

	Noatak River Canoe Trip 10% off. - Contact Supplier	During this challenging canoe tour you will experience true wilderness,completely above the Arctic Circle, on the Noatak River - the largest river basin in North America. Read more >>>	Tour Package Canoeing/Kayaking/Rafting	USD 4500	Alaska

	Copper River Rafting - Contact Supplier	Raft this large glacial river on the edge of the Wrangell St. Elias and the Chugach Mountains. See harbor seals and the 300 feet tall Child's Glacier. Read more >>>	Tour Package Canoeing/Kayaking/Rafting National Parks	USD 2000	Alaska

	Charley River Rafting 10% off. - Contact Supplier	Moose,bears,caribou,sheep.Explore Alaska's gold rush history, white water rafting on a clear swift wild and scenic river.Yukon Charley Rivers National Preserve. Read more >>>	Tour Package Canoeing/Kayaking/Rafting Wildlife Viewing	USD 3200	Alaska

	Chilikadrotna Wild and Scenic River Float in Lake Clark National Park - Contact Supplier	Do not hesitate to experience and adventurous and challenging river rafting along the wilderness river float in Alaska's isolated river territories and wild Lake Clark National Park. Read more >>>	Tour Package Canoeing/Kayaking/Rafting Wildlife Viewing	USD 3200	Alaska

	Kongakut River Expedition - Contact Supplier	Experience pure wilderness in the arctic summer of Alaska in one of America's remotest corners! Read more >>>	Tour Package Wildlife Viewing Canoeing/Kayaking/Rafting	USD 5700	Alaska

	Hulahula River Expedition, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge - Contact Supplier	This spectacular rafting trip leads us into the remote Arctic National Wildlife Refuge into the far north of Alaska with 24 hours of daylight of the Alaskan summer. Read more >>>	Tour Package Canoeing/Kayaking/Rafting Wildlife Viewing	USD 4990	Alaska

	Backpacking into Katmai's Valley of Tenthousand Smokes - Contact Supplier	We will hike on the ash flow and cross the river Lethe of the Valley of Ten thousand Smokes, exploring fumaroles, lakes, glaciers and possibly see grizzlies crossing the valley floor. Read more >>>	Tour Package Hiking & Trekking	USD 2800	Alaska

	Moutainbike Tour Utah slickrock & singletrail 10% off. - Contact Supplier	Ride the best singletrack and slickrock trails of Southern Utah. Custom trips available for your group of friends or coworkers. Minimum 2 people. Read more >>>	Tour Package Bicycle Touring National Parks	USD 3500	Utah

	MTB Tour from Zion to Bryce Canyon Utah 10% off. - Contact Supplier	Enjoy some of Utah's finest mountain biking trails near Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks. Read more >>>	Tour Package Bicycle Touring National Parks	USD 1250	Utah

	John River Canoe Trip 10% off. - Contact Supplier	Explore Gates of the Arctic National Park in Alaska by kayaking down the "Wild and Scenic John River. Read more >>>	Tour Package Canoeing/Kayaking/Rafting National Parks	USD 3200	Alaska