North to Alaska

[mobilefamily]

Well if you've already done some guiding you know the hard parts of it, such as dealing with ungrateful slobs that don't appreciate the experience they're having or how hard everyone is working to support their hunt.

Take some rubber rain gear. Seriously.

Be nice to everyone and don't lose your cool. On my first trip we heard a story of a packer that got a bad attitude and was left in the bush for a few days to think about it. Once you have a good season of packing under your belt, new opportunities will present themselves in great abundance. Bite your tongue and pay your dues.

Here's a specific tip: every customer, every opportunity (if not stepping on the guide's toes) make it a point to take pictures of your hunter. This simple courtesy is a big deal. The guy is there on what might possibly be a once in a lifetime hunt and he's going to want lots of pics when he gets back. But he may not want to slow everyone down by stopping to take them, or he may just be too damned tired. This one simple act of courtesy can go a long way. It's also a way of celebrating the hunt while it's taking place, which will pump him up and thereby increase the likelihood of success. You can airdrop them to him before he leaves, or better yet-get an email. Then you can follow up when you get back to service...and that sir is a big step in making a lifelong connection that can pay major dividends for years to come.

 

[mobilefamily]

Also, get up early and make the coffee. Again, a small thing to you but a big thing to everyone else that gets the day off on the right foot.

 

[SaltySailor]

Sounds like the Yanert or Wood River drainages, pretty country. I echo the post above about 100% DEET, just don't spray it on your sunglasses or anything else plastic. Crap will even eat the decals off your hoodies. A couple mesh head nets may save your sanity when the breeze stops and the black clouds of skeeters come for ya.

 

[SLDMTN]

Bring:

-good attitude
-good rain gear
-solid pack, not ultralight anything for moose
-enough clothes to stay warm
-good boots

If you’re packing to a Cub don’t make the pilot wait. Always have a plane-load waiting for them. Take extra food from camp or be prepared to eat the animal you’re packing. Weather sets in and planes don’t fly. You’ll be the last one flown out every single time. It may be days before they can get you and raw meat gets old real quick.

 

[western406]

Thanks for all the good info. Through a little research and what I have acquired over the years, I should have proper gear. Sounds like my biggest worry will be the bugs. I’m exited for this opportunity and will be sharing my experience and some pictures upon my return.

 

[Salmonchaser]

There are bugs worse then the mosquitoes. The no see ums will form clouds so thick you’ll suck them up your nose when you breathe, that gets old.
the worst is a fly called “white socks”. they get under your hat brim and the cuffs on your pants and shirts, down your collar. You don’t feel them until they bite a hole in you.
I rarely use bug spray, but always have it with me. You will develop a systemic tolerance to the skeeters and no see ums. I always start the season with liberal applications, eventually just applying it on unusual bad days or locations.
every evening I take the dogs on a three mile. I dress for the weather, grab a rifle or the 454, pepper spray and double check ive got bug spray. 8/10 evenings I’ll bump into a grizz, that normally won’t stop our run but the bugs have turned me around many times.

 

[AKDoc]

You've gotten very good suggestions already. I'm sure your training and current guiding experience has prepared you well. I also moved from Colorado to Alaska (and stayed)...thirty years ago! I'll simply say that those two worlds are very different.

For you personally, excluding camp gear which I assume is provided by the employer, I definitely endorse that there are primarily two major variables that you will need to manage...and manage VERY effectively up here, e.g., the wx and bugs. Those two primary variables are very dynamic up here, and can be very extreme.

You already know this, but really multiply it...you must be able to effectively dress for the highly variable and extreme wx, e.g., get cooled off, get warm (and stay warm even when wet), and be as dry as you can (staying dry is an elusive goal). You'll also want to make sure that whatever you bring can dry easily after being soaked. I know, it's a tall order...oh, and being especially weight conscious makes it even more fun. Start with the best rain gear you can afford and work inward from there. You likely already know this as well...bring a good patching kit because you are probably going to put holes in that expensive rain gear.

The bugs can be pretty crazy or nonexistent...and notice that it's bugS. We have quite the variety of flying insects that can rip you a new one...and there could be clouds of them around you! Be as prepared as you can, and hope you don't have to use any of it. BTW, 100% DEET, a head net, and a light pair of gloves with good dexterity to cover your hands are a must. I'm not particularly bug aversive, and the wind is your friend in the mountains (at least the windward side). I've used my head net only a handful of times, but I was very glad I had it in my pack...noseeums are the worse, and bug-dope doesn't seem to work as well on them.

You're going to have an adventure...good for you doing it! Be prepared, be safe, and have fun!

 

[AKDoc]

My apologies for my previous post...I started responding, got side-tracked with a task, and then came back to finish and post, only to see that what I mentioned was already covered and now redundant. Sorry guys.

 

[mtnwrunner]

Good for you! Have fun and enjoy the journey and in true Rokslide fashion, embrace the suck.
And remember...goretex ain't waterproof. Get some good quality pvc rain gear.

Randy

 

[western406]

Well it’s been a few years since I first posted this. But wanted to give and update and share my experiences so far. I was set to come to Alaska and work as a packer in 2020, but as we all know covid came along and that put a damper on that. Life happened and I wasn’t able to make it up till the summer of 2022. Through word of mouth I found an opportunity to work for an outfitter outta SW Alaska. I spent all summer in the bush and enjoyed every minute of it. Even when I had a hind quarter of a moose on my back fighting my way through a tag alder thicket. After putting my time in I got my assistant guide license. I work for the same outfitter now as a guide. Between the spring and fall seasons I found work at a fishing lodge.
Everyone couldn’t have been more right about the bugs and rain gear. I always make sure I have a head net or two on me and my Grunden commercial fishing rain jacket too.

 

[western406]