Explorer Chicks of Cleveland

Ready to take on Alaska, she-wolf?! Explorer Chick is howling over this stunner of a week-long women’s Alaska Hiking, kayaking, and Glacier Tour to Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Prince William Sound and the Talkeetna Mountains. Bring your Mukluks, a flask and plenty of Lord Huron. Alaska is gonna swallow your heart whole.

Hike through legit caribou tundra in the Talkeetna Mountains. Fly over volcanic mountains before wandering America’s largest National Park, Wrangell-St. Elias, for three days. Stay in a friggen ghost town near the base of yet another glacier and shame every lame tampon sport commercial as you ice climb a glacier.

Water proof your phone for all the iceberg selfies while sea kayaking Prince William Sound. Just when you think it can’t get more beautiful, Columbia Glacier will “calve” millions of pounds of ice into the bay like the badass Mama Nature is.

There will be moonshine, ferry rides, wildlife, abandoned mines, ice fields, lodge-cooked meals, nights out on the “town,” coastal national forest, pure Alaska hiking, and more snowy peaks than you can count from the SEVEN mountain ranges you’ll see.

Caw into the cold air and Alaska will echo back. You’re about to fall hard for this wild world that gives America its midnight sun.

By Foot, Paddle, And Fork

Do you identify as orca? Are you craving stupid-fresh air, dense-as-night forests, weird sandal tanlines, and probably the best kayaking in the world? Get your paddle-happy butt on this women-only sea kayaking and camping adventure in the San Juan Islands! We treat you to Washington’s most stunning archipelago from the comfort of glampsites (with perfect cocktail decks) and traditional backcountry camping. Over the next 5 days, you’ll explore Orcas Island, San Juan Island, and Stuart Island by foot, paddle, and fork. There will be cheese.

The San Juan Islands are home to three pods of killer whales. Over 80 tail-flapping giants call these waters home, along with harbor seals, river otters, Steller sea lions, common minke whales, Dali’s porpoises, and bald eagles. Catch a guided whale watching tour at sunset on Day 1 and explore the secret universe of tide pools on the shoreline. It’s okay, blowholes make us misty too.

Live like a Wilderness Queen as you explore the mighty forests and mountain lakes of Orcas Island, the largest of the San Juans. Hoof the best trails including a steep hike to the highest point, Mount Constitution. From the top, you’ll gaze upon rugged coastlines, insane ocean views, and snow-capped mountains before breaking for a picnic lunch and winery visit.

The rest of our adventure is filled with backcountry kayaking to Stuart Island. Feel like a pioneer as you load up your two-person kayak expedition-style––all your camping gear, food, and personal items are coming with, Explorer Chick! We’ll paddle up to 15 miles, making our way across channels and straits to reach Stuart Island to set up our homey primitive camp. Here we’ll do more hiking and paddle to other nearby islands while your co-workers back home collate copies.

Whenever we’re back at camp, your guides cooking up bougie backcountry meals. Sink your pearlies into fresh, organic, locally sourced ingredients that you didn’t have to lift a finger to make. Expect wine pairings also. And dessert. And never wanting to leave. Are you coming or what?

Hit your bucket list with all the feels on this women’s guided hiking and backpacking weekend! During your Yosemite Half Dome Hike adventure, tour Yosemite National Park as you climb the famous cables of Half Dome with ladies who do their own stunts. Live out every last one of those John Muir nature quotes in the backcountry of Yosemite National Park. Mountains calling? Check. Between two pines? Check. Walk with nature? Double-check.

GUIDED BACKPACKING IN YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK BACKCOUNTRY
Romp through the backcountry on a demanding, yet epic backpacking trip. Meet your new woman crushes in the Yosemite Valley as the landscape gives way to mountains, waterfalls, and a piney perfume that’ll make Yankee Candle totally jelly. Mother Nature swiped ALL THE WAY right. Leave the phone on airplane mode to immerse yourself in stunning national park backcountry over the course of four epic days. Climb steep, challenging trails to look down upon the Valley with a panoramic view that includes Mt. Starr King, Half Dome, Nevada Falls, Illilouette Falls, and plenty of ant-sized tourists with tiny selfie sticks.

HALF DOME: HIKING TO THE TOP
Fuel up for the real MVP—the famous cables of Half Dome! Blast that hiker booty (and bring plenty of water) while ascending 500 feet up a .5 mile of steps carved into the rock. Then, the real fun begins. It’s a 400-foot gain up the top of Half Dome with some points at 70%+ grades. Pace your footwork on wooden slabs spaced out on the climb as you get the upper body workout of a lifetime. Worth it? HELL YES!

BACKPACKING EQUIPMENT PROVIDED
Don’t have backpacking equipment, but can Beastmaster the stairs? Perfect. Explorer Chick has you covered with:

• a backpack
• sleeping bag
• sleeping pad
• shared tent

All you need to do is show up for this Yosemite Half Dome Hike to backpack like a boss and get that National Parks bucket list checked.

Explore the mountains, wildlife, thermals, hot springs and geysers of Wyoming on our 7-day Yellowstone Hiking and More with Grand Teton adventure! Cue the goosebumps as the SHE-nanigan Shuttle passes below the Roosevelt Arch inscription: For the benefit of the people. Preach, Teddy!

EPIC YELLOWSTONE TOUR, EXPLORER CHICK STYLE

Welcome to the world’s first-ever national park, where you’ll go deeper than a highlight tour to see ALL of Yellowstone’s stupid-pretty glory. This means exploring by foot, shuttle, horseback, raft, cliff, backstroke – and maybe that Lord of the Rings eagle.

LAMAR VALLEY

Blow up your photo roll tracking Lamar Valley wildlife on and off trail as the sun creeps up. Our local wilderness guide leads the way as we break out the scopes searching for wolves, grizzly bears, bison, pronghorn, badgers, bald eagles, osprey, deer, and coyotes—who knows what we might see?

GEYSERS, THERMALS, AND HOT SPRINGS – HELL YES!

Spend an entire day chasing enough geothermal beauty to create an entire gallery wall in your house. Catch Old Faithful being a total diva. Rise above the tourists for an osprey’s view of Grand Prismatic Spring. Soak and soothe your amazing muscles in heavenly hot springs.

YELLOWSTONE + GRAND TETON HIKING

Gaze into the Grand Canyon in search of rainbows from Artist’s Point in the South Rim. Scramble up talus slopes to the top of Avalanche peak for an eye-full of the Grand Tetons – 50 miles away! Enter Grand Teton National Park for an all-time favorite hike up Cascade Canyon. Keep your peepers peeled for moose! You’ll be surrounded by towering mountains and will start to feel part-marmot. Slap an inspirational quote on your Insta post before splashing with your new besties in a cold mountain lake.

BEST OF YELLOWSTONE TOUR ACCOMMODATIONS

You’ll get plenty of chill time in our cozy inn (first three nights) in the small town of Gardiner, followed by a Yellowstone National Park hotel (next two nights). End your girls’ trip in a hotel nestled in the heart of Jackson with plenty of time to shop and throwback shots.