
What weâre about
CLICK HERE to see our main meetup events calendar[ http://www.socialfundation.com](http://www.socialfundation.com)
All the best in one place! Think of this as Summer Camp for Adults.
In our digital world the more online, plugged in and connected we become the more disconnected we become from others.
This group, with intention, uses social media to be Social in Real Life.
The mission of this group is its name.
Los Angeles is vibrant and diverse city. We have the opportunity to explore it and make new friends while doing so. Meetup is one of the few (maybe only) websites dedicated to having it's participants get offline and do things in reality.
"There are no strangers here; Only friends you haven't yet met." (William Butler Yeats )
EVERYONE IS WELCOME INTO THE GROUP!
This is a place where everyone can just come as they are, and mingle with people who are like them AND who are NOT like them. We are not limited, restricted or exclusive by age, gender, gender preference, national origin, relationship status, etc.
To put it more simply this group is open to all. All ages, all genders, all sexual orientations, all types - And that includes you!!!
There are plenty of meetups that exclude based of one reason or another. Or there plenty meetups where people self segregate. This meetup is neither of those. Diversity is coveted here. People are not monochrome and neither are we. You will fit in perfectly and find a lot of folks who just like you in certain aspect, and differ from you in others. It's the good kind of variety of life.
Some events on this group may specify limits at times. Those will be clearly noted when needed. At times they may be age delineated, or even gender related. Limits are placed often as a means to control size. The event can then be repeated/recycled with a different limit range. If there is an event you really wish to go to with a limit, . . . please contact me. You can be the impetus and the catalyst for the next event in the different limit/range. Other times the limit can be waived or bent as needed.Â
Challenge yourself and importantly, BE yourself and expand your horizons and comfort zone. Let your hair down! Go wild! Be open minded and be non-judgmental. The group is based off quality events to bring people together from positive social interaction. Anyone who wants to explore an alternative, bohemian, experimental, strange, obscure, weird, wild, absurd, bizarre, avant garde, unconventional, wild-at-heart side of Los Angeles is welcome!
In the interest of making events successful . . . I will spread events across other meetup groups to bump up attendance. For as you know, . . . sometimes people don't show up. Some Organizers get really bent out of shape if people have life get in the way and for whatever reason are a 'no-show".
We do however know that life happens. Even if it's 10 mins before the event. Just change your rsvp. No worries. No harm-no foul. There is not any sort strikes or penalty system, and there is nobody keeping score. The exception will be if it is listed as a "no flake" event. On those you gotta give good notice of changes. It's about fun and community. What I have found is that by being mellow and and having good events more show up. We tend to have 80% or more attendance. Approach with compassion. So if you don't make one event or another. . . try and make it to the next, or the one after that. When you do make it, .. . . we will be glad you are there and all are welcome.
Here are the basics of group rules.
- Do NOT contact members who you have not met in real life.
- Avoid Put Downs.
- Speak For Yourself.
- Listen To Others.
- You Have The Option To Pass.
- Expect Unfinished Business.
While there are flexible attendance rules. There are sex/gender related rules. As a guideline do not message people you have not met in person. This is not an online dating place. Ladies: If a guy messages you please contact me. There have been problems with that happening over meetup in general. It's just not cool. Meetup is about real life and not virtual. Guys, . . . get off your computer and come to an event. Say hello in person. Smile, . . . be personable and decent. And just be there to get to know people and make friends of whatever gender. You can always use new good friends. And this is one way to make/meet them. Wingman tactics and and Pickup artist tactics are similarly not allowed in this group. Organizers of another group that are not an organizer or host here are also not allowed to solicit members.
The rest of the rule are just good ways to live and be.
Photo and Name: You are allowed to join with whatever name and whatever photo. HOWEVER the main organizers may request you change either name or photo a their discretion. Names that are products, promotional, advertisements are red flags that will be requested to change or be removed.         If you are using a photo that is not your face, a current face photo may be requested. Here is the rule of thumb. Fake name and fake photo will be requested to change to a real photo and a real name or face removal. Real photo and fake name is usually fine. Fake photo and real name is usually fine.Â
IF you need to maintain privacy of both then contact the main organizers and just ask. That's all it takes usually.
All organizers on the group do have different set of rules.Â
The rules simplified.Â
â˘Â No Emailing (do not use the bulk email feature in any way)
â˘Â No outside linksÂ
â˘Â Great CopyÂ
â˘Â Great Pix
â˘Â 4 weeks notice is best.Â
â˘Â List any money costs in the first 2 or 3 lines.
Not too many rules. Not too complicated. They all have to do with respect for the membership.
Let's talk a little more about age: Are you in your 20s 30s 40s 50s 60s 70s 80s 90s ? (btw some write 20's 30's 40's 50's 60's 70's 80's 90's ). I am often asked "What age range is this group?" 20 40 maybe? 30 50 perhaps? Or even 60 70. Forties ( forty's forty ), Fifties ( fifty's fifty ) of sixties ( sixty's sixty ) or older does matter. 24-39 3000 20+ 30+ 50+ 60+ & under or over. We are just aiming at good community.Â
Yeah, . . . All that is great, . . . But I still have one question, . . . What age is your group?Â
Age is a state of mind. And our state (this group) has no borders.Â
If so then you may be looking for us!Â
We do NOT discriminate by age, sex or gender, gender preference, origin, religion, belly button lint, etc . . . .
Do you enjoy friendship, activities, key networking, casual socializing, parties learning, sharing, inspiration? You do!?!?! How about personal and professional development with active nerd adult ( adults ) who like adventure ( adventurers, adventures, adventurous ) stuff that may involve silly dance game ( games ) and cool nerds with addicting, amazing fun? Great!!!! There will be sweet things to discover while engaging in retro revival underground unique geeky exploration of fringe play plus speed punk quirky sophisticated spectacular geek socials with high society making savvy friends. It will be an offbeat odyssey of an outing to nerdy paradise and we will party at random places (see locations below). Come and share fine no flake ( flakes ) fun that is free or inexpensive and goes late into the lovely night. Left, right or center, we will live life together and enjoy.Â
We do some sports related events. Are you interested in teammates players for your sport or hobby? Such as bowling, trivia, camping, biking, hike, hikes, hiking, snowboarder, snowboarding, ski, skiing, kayaking? Or even related to bmi, exercise, fitness, healthy, lock pong, recreation, recreational, outdoor, york Halloween, mammoth mountain, St Patrick's, Ensenada, un scrabble solitaire poker or more!!! We run the range. Â
A bigger majority of what we are cultural ( culture ), language, travel, music, arts, festival, performance, crave, dining, exotic, restaurant, food, foodie, architecture, art, artistic, urban, or ballet. But it does not stop there. We also do comedy, concert ( concerts ), cook, cooking, theater, theatre, culinary, cultural, tours, sub-culture, subculture sponge ( sponges ), performances, dances, dancing, museums, musical ( musicals ), bars, foodies, dinner, dinning, bbq, beach, restaurants, trips, cruise ( cruises ), cuisine.  And even with all that we still to even more!!! Including, flea n farmer (farmers) market ( markets ), boutique, burlesque, crafting, craft, create, creating, sushi, pho, pizza, tastings, tickets, kim chi, tai kimchi, deserts, eating, festivals, film, films, galleries, games, karaoke, movies, sutra kama karma.And now the important question. Did we miss one? Oh. . . OK then, . . Send that so we can add it to the list. Â
Aside from the High Brow we do engage in the Low Brow such as wine, beer, drink, bar hopping, dive bars ( dives ), rave ( raver ravers raves raving ), hip-hop hiphop, hole holes-in-walls, crawl crawls, trance techno, dubstep, night nightclub, nightlife, nights. As well as classic club clubbing, clubs eclectic, edm electro electronica, pubs, pub speak, speakeasy, drinks, meet meeting mix mixer mixers mixing, greet, happy hour hours haunts, Did somebody say volunteer mingle? Let's DoLA or make a Timeout and TimeoutLA. LAist anyone?Â
So the High Brow and the Low Brow get together and make up THE KNOW BROW and that is all about people and who makes us up. Â
By ethnicity we very much match the instagram ethnic makeup of Los Angeles with Caucasian and Non Hispanic Whites, Latino, Black or African American, Native American,Asian, Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander and others such as Middle Eastern such as Arab or Israeli, and many more from across the global atlas.
Different than ethnicity is Nationality, or National Origin. And again . . . from that we run the range European, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Pacific Islander, Indian, Taiwanese (Taiwan), Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese ( China, Cantonese, Mandarin ), Hong Kong Mexican ( Mexico ), and more and more. Even USC or UCLAÂ
And that makes for sooooooooo many languages. We like language and the culture it is able to unlock It brings English, Spanish second ESL and ELL and ASL are big here. Hebrew, Yiddish, German, French, And the gamut of others to translate ( translation translator ) with class (classes).Â
Tolerance is a main tenet here as we are Christian ( Catholic, Mormon, etc), Jewish (Jew Jews), Muslim, Sikh, Hindu, Buddhist, tech Scientology and more. And even Republican, Conservative, Liberal, Democrat, Libertarian, Bernie / BernieCrat, or even Trump or Trumpian or Scientologist. This is a big tent and since it's decent social we will all be decent.Â
What it comes down to is we are making new friends ( friend freind freinds ) and to be friendly. Almost like finding your entourage Made up of Men (man men's mens) and women ( woman women's ) and non-binary too. Members may be young or old, married, single ( divorce divorced separated and never married ) or coupled (couple as part of a committed relationship / relationships ). Many are likely singles and looking to date in one way or another. Going on dates or dating is fine. But it does NOT happen via using the group like Tinder, Match.com, POF or eharmony.Â
This group is about real life. So online messaging of people you have not met in real life is not allowed. Why such a rule?Â
Because it is heterosexist of you to assume that all people are interested in you. Like is says above there are married or those in committed relationships. There is is also the range of sexual preference in the group. Gay, lesbian girls lgbt lgbtq queer bi poly swing swinger swinging and any sort of variation such as transsexual and transgender. We do accept all. Even rs40 and rso40. We do NOT accept SpeedDating or Speedating or whatever you call it. It's forbidden.Â
Whoever you find cute, hot, sexy or find attraction to that comes in person. Plenty a match and romance or spark may happen. You may find your love (or lover). But you also may just make great friends girlfriend ( girlfriends ). It's just down to good decent social. Conscious communication and engagement that makes for self-improvement and improvement of others. Conversation and network or networking of professionals. That's just smart l33t leet api entrepreneur groupting that will lead to inspirational international consciousness.Â
We just added Game of Thrones GOT and The Walking Dead viewing parties.Â
Where do you do events? We do them ALL OVER!!!! I have taken the time to look at past events and the cities they have happened in and near and put it together with the upcoming location too. Our groups IS different, . . . we DO range all over the city. Here are where we HAVE BEEN, and where we are GOING!! All of it is obscure or obscura.
So I have gone in great detail to cover who we are and what we do. This is accurate and verifiable by going to our past events and looking that what we have done. This is all fact based on the breadth, scope and mission of this group.Â
If you have made it this far. Then watch this and then, . . .get off social media and on meetup. The social part of social media. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEWnXmDfVZg
This group is also very Reddit and Redditor affiliated. As such redditors events will be doing activities that do involve meme memes dank redidit subeddit snu snoo lurker boardgames board gaming gamer video cardgames card cards against humanity computers anime internet upvote downvote vote secret santa harry potter wow world warcraft karma programming digg cheap low cost nsfw league legends wtf youtube hearthstone twitch csgo narwhals bacon bacons midnight overwatch lol bernie sanders front page reddiyt r/all homepage android apple iphone mac samsung s6 s7 s8 r mobile funny dota dota2 nba politics discussion pokemon aww askreddit app apps comicon comic con convention disneyland disney diy diablo rams dodgers raiders cosplay star trek wars trekkie scifi sci-fi science fiction gif troll thrones got comment comments ama til today i learned ask me anything steam pc independent yorker independents artemis jackbox jack box com firefly serenity citizen& something comedy urban nightlife foodies friendship sierra wine food drinks dining american ny karaoke Â
And the other members will have events involving cuisine recreation organizations snowboarding recreational fitness pubs eating culinary consciousness psychology philosophy growth conversation snowboarder theatre theater performances movies films creating galleries museums speak easy speakeasy opening nights music film festivals dancing street performance literature hikes greet tastings tours crawls outdoor activities beer * " ! +Â Â
left eclectic couple couples mel town mixing jason la professionals business lovers lover exercise referral hike boating boat hollywood adventurers ballet eow tips asian downtown dtla ladies lady socal oc orange county english esl korean strategy jewish yid yiddish jew hebrew catholic healthy california connect hot christian cute beach wednesday ivy south bay pasadena woodland hills men man male gay european realities parents americans newly inland empire southern thai japanese chinese vietnamese filipino service empowerment females female law badminton mountain biking cooking book zandra sub-culture holes-in-walls hidden haunts seminars art classes, 3,000 jan 2017 boutique twist organized welcome boxing line camping archery trivia architecture classes burlesque baseball beat flee kyaking chi early morning adventures skin walls deserts small venues farmers trips written spoken word soooo losangeles los angeles ucla usc cantonese westside west ass artistic arts citizen cook crafting dances dinning learning festival foodie girl jews mens organization snowboardingsocal tip wall hong kongÂ
LA is made up of MANY smaller cites. Those living ANY of those cities are of course welcome in the group. They include: ventura thousand oaks monica silverlake san fernando valley, studio city beverly marina del rey redondo long barbara l.a. east eastside gabriel valley ventrua angeles, palos verdes peninsula, gateway cities, harbor region north crescenta portions conejo antelope clarita central: mid-wilshire northeast acton adams-normandie forest agoura agua dulce alhambra alondra park altadena crest arcadia arleta arlington heights artesia athens atwater village avalon avocado azusa central baldwin hills/crenshaw bel-air bell bellflower gardens grove beverlywood boyle bradbury brentwood broadway-manchester burbank calabasas canoga carson carthay castaic canyons alameda century cerritos charter oak chatsworth reservoir chesterfield square cheviot chinatown citrus claremont commerce compton covina cudahy culver cypress aire desert view highlands diamond downey duarte eagle rock mirada northwest echo elizabeth lake el monte segundo sereno elysian encino exposition fairfax pomona florence florence-firestone gardena glassell glendale glendora gramercy granada green meadows griffith hacienda hancock hansen dam harvard hasley canyon hawaiian hawthorne hermosa highland historic south-central huntington hyde industry inglewood irwindale jefferson koreatown k-town caùada flintridge montrose ladera habra balboa hughes terrace lakewood lancaster puente larchmont verne lawndale leimert lennox leona lincoln littlerock lomita lopez/kagel feliz lynwood malibu manchester manhattan mar vista mayflower maywood mid-city mid wilshire monrovia montebello montecito monterey mount washington northridge palmdale whittier norwalk mountains pacific palisades pacoima palms estates panorama paramount pico rivera robertson union playa porter ranch quartz hill ramona rancho dominguez reseda ridge route rolling rosemead rowland dimas marino pasqual pedro fe springs sawtelle sepulveda basin shadow sherman madre signal silver southeast gate jose stevenson sunland sun sylmar tarzana temple toluca topanga torrance tujunga unincorporated catalina island susana universal university valinda glen val verde van nuys venice vermont knolls vermont-slauson verdugos vernon veterans administration park-windsor vincent walnut watts adams westchester westlake westmont whittier-los nietos westwood narrows willowbrook wilmington windsor winnetka
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- Featured International Meetup Trips for 2025 & 2026Link visible for attendees
This group has some great local outdoorsy/adventure events.
As the main group leads for the group we do have some more involved adventures that take more planning than your average weekend hike or camping trip.
These are treks or adventure trips to epic places around the world.
Bucket List Experiences if you will.Here is what's ahead:
Aug 10-20, 2025 EPIC MACHU PICCHU! vis Short Inca Trail or Train!!
Aug 10-20, 2025 The Salkantay Trek EPIC MACHU PICCHU!
Oct 12-23, 2025 Jordan: Dana to Petra Trek with bonus of Wadi Rum
Jun 05-14, 2026 Costa Rica Eco Adventure
Jun 18-27, 2026 Mt Kilimanjaro Trek! One of the 7 Summits
Jul 05-14, 2026 Gorilla Trekking in Uganda and Rwanda
Mar 06-16, 2027 Galapagos Islands Expedition
Apr 25-May 11, 2027 Everest Base Camp Yoga TrekWe have other overseas events, which are not that adventurous, but more refined and cultural.
How to learn more about the itinerary and prices?
What to do next?
How to attend?
What to pack?
What's included and not included?
Or any question you might have!!!You can send a direct meetup message:
https://secure.meetup.com/messages/?new_convo=true&member_id=273063881In your message say which one and we can get the ball rolling from there and get you info.
The other easy way is to fill out our form. You can check-box several events that way.
https://forms.gle/cQdqYw74gAYqphXX8ALSO . . .
We have a monthly Q & A video conference call to answer it all!
Rsvp on this event and join us on the listed date at 6pm Pacific time.
Here is the link to join https://meet.google.com/irp-rnyi-fgbRSVP here and we will send you a reminder too!!
What's that? You want to see what the events look like?
pix Pix PIX . . . everybody lives pix!! Here are some galleries of past Treks
Everest Base Camp Trek Photo Album
https://photos.app.goo.gl/jtHi3tTjVhYGjtc19
Machu Picchu Salkantay Trek Photo Album
https://photos.app.goo.gl/1cveVTS54VkziKba6
Kilimanjaro Trek Photo Album
https://photos.app.goo.gl/xxemRMegDqTHHi4UA
Galapagos https://photos.app.goo.gl/chQ3swWt4jGiAabx5Take a look at the pix. Send us a note. Fill out the event form. RSVP here . . . whatever!! Get the ball rolling on your next adventure. Come and join us!!
The posted date and time of this event is a zoom call.
Here is the video call link to join https://meet.google.com/irp-rnyi-fgb - Our Extraordinary, Life-Changing, 17-Day Trip to FIVE Alaska National Parks!Needs location
*****
RIGHT OFF THE BAT, PLEASE KNOW: THIS TRIP ENDS ON AUGUST 6TH, not August 3rd (Meetup's website does not have the ability to extend a trip longer than 14 days).
Therefore, THIS TRIP BEGINS ON JULY 21st AND ENDS ON AUGUST 6th.
ALSO: It is not necessary to participate in the entire trip. It is possible to participate in selected segments of the trip. However, this possibility must be discussed in full with the trip participants and agreed to by Michelle Mozell who has the sole/unilateral right to make this decision.
***
As many of you are aware, eight years ago, I began a renewed journey to backpack again.
I began with Yosemite, then, every California National Park.
Then, the entire West.
This quickly morphed into my desire to backpack/kayak all sixty-three National Parks in the United States.
And, now, as of this writing, I have backpacked/kayaked/boat-camped/car-camped/visited all fifty-one US National Parks in the âLower 48,â plus the National Parks of Hawaiâi and the Virgin Islands*.
To do so, I designed and led twenty-four carefully-planned trips, most of which appeared right here on Meetup.
But, now, what's next?
The EIGHT ALASKA NATIONAL PARKS, of course.
To get this accomplished, Iâve planned THREE trips to backpack or kayak all eight parks.
Our FIRST trip is an extraordinary adventure to the first of Alaska's eight National Parks, Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve. On this fifteen-day expedition, we cruise via ferry for four days through the breathtaking Inside Passage, arriving in charming and quirky Juneau for a three-day exploration. Then, we'll venture into Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve, where we'll spend five days immersed in its raw, unspoiled, and unforgettable beauty. Included is an all-day catamaran tour to the base of the 250-foot, blue-hued Margerie and Grand Pacific Glaciers to witness icy monoliths calving into deep turquoise waters below. The highlight of the voyage is a guided three-day, two-night kayaking and tent-camping journey into Glacier Bayâs resplendent Beardslee Islands.
This is a fully awesome exploration of extraordinary Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve - a stunningly beautiful, wild and wonderful World Heritage site - that commences on May 29th and continues through June 12th.Our THIRD trip, a trip to beautiful Lake Clark and bear-full Katmai National Parks in September, is designed and ready to post. Keep an eye out for this trip!
Our SECOND trip of the three is this one, "Our Extraordinary, Life-Changing, 17-Day Trip to FIVE Alaska National Parks," wherein I immerse you within the five breathtaking "central" Alaska National Parks:
Denali National Park & Preserve
Gates of the Arctic National Park & Preserve
Kenai Fjords National Park
Kobuk Valley National Park
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & PreserveTherefore, today, I'm excited to invite you to join us in this SECOND of three extraordinary adventures to Alaska, our nation's magnificent "Last Frontier."
*****
HERE IS OUR ITINERARY:
DAY ONE, July 21, 2025: Fly into Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport. Arrive in Anchorage. Shuttle to our hotel (TBD). Check in. Meet up with trip participants. Dinner together. Evening at our hotel.
DAY TWO, July 22, 2025: Awaken very early. Breakfast together in our hotel. Shuttle to Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport. Fly Alaska Airlines to Kotzebue. Arrive mid-morning at the Ralph Wien Memorial Airport. Check our luggage into our hotel (TBD) in Kotzebue. Explore Kotzebue. Visit the Northwest Arctic Heritage Center. Check into our hotel. Have dinner together in town. Evening at our hotel.
DAY THREE, July 23, 2025: Awaken early. Breakfast at the hotel. Uber/walk/shuttle to the Ralph Wien Memorial Airport. Board our Bering Air flight to the tiny Kowagniut IĂąupiat Eskimo town of Ambler 45 miles north of the Arctic Circle. Shuttle to the Kobuk River Lodge along the banks of Alaskaâs Kobuk River. Check in our luggage at the Lodge and prepare our backpacking/hiking gear. Board our boat for a guided trip into Kobuk Valley National Park and Preserve to our campsite at Paatitaaq-Onion Portage and the historic J. Louis Giddings Cabin. Set up camp (with our electric fence**). Explore the nearby Onion Portage Archeological District National Historic Landmark and the surrounding wilderness of vast tundra and rolling hills. Await in anticipation a potential witnessing of the great Caribou migration that passes through yearly. Settle down for dinner, then for an evening, under the extraordinary, billion-star Arctic skies.
DAY FOUR, July 24, 2025: Awaken early. Have breakfast deep in the Arctic wilderness. Explore the wild Arctic outback and the shores of the wild and chilly Kobuk River. Board our guided boat for our return trip back to our eveningâs stay at the Kobuk River Lodge. Explore the area. Prepare dinner in our Lodge. Evening comfortably within our remote Arctic Lodge nestled warmly within the Alaskan outback.
DAY FIVE, July 25, 2025: Awaken early. Have breakfast deep in the Arctic wilderness. Explore more the wonders of the Kobuk River Valley. Have meals in our Lodge. Shuttle back to our airstrip in Ambler. Board our late afternoon Bering Air flight to Kotzebue hopscotching into the tiny, remote IĂąupiat towns of Shungnak and Kobuk before reaching Ralph Wien Memorial Airport in Kotzebue. Board our plane back to Anchorageâs Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport via Alaska Airlines. Arrive Anchorage. Drive to our hotel (TBD). Dinner together at the hotel or in town. Evening at our hotel.
DAY SIX, July 26, 2025: Awaken early. Have breakfast at our hotel. Pick up our rental vehicle. Drive along the western coastline of the Kenai Peninsula having lunch along the way. Continue onward southwest to the quaint, yet funky, charmingly cutting-edge town of Homer. Check into our hotel (TBD). Explore town and find our dinner on a warm July Saturday evening. Make our way back to our hotel. Settle in for the night.
DAY SEVEN, July 27, 2025: Breakfast at the hotel. Drive to Kenai Fjords National Parkâs Exit Glacier. Seek to secure an evening at Exit Glacier Campground. If not, we will find shelter in Seward. Explore the Exit Glacier Nature Center. Hike the Exit Glacier Trail to Exit Glacier. Have dinner together at Exit Glacier Campground or in Seward. Enjoy our evening in beautiful southern Alaska.
DAY EIGHT, July 28, 2025: Awaken and have breakfast. Shower. If at the campground, shower in Seward. Purchase cabin food and supplies in town. Pick up our marine radio and our satellite phone at our kayak rental store***. Drive to the south boat launch in Seward to board our chartered boat service to take us to our nightâs stay at Holgate Cabin deep within the Holgate Arm of Aialik Bay (across from the magnificent Holgate Glacier). Along the way, our guide will treat us to a full three-hour tour of the stunning Kenai Fjords coastline in search of whales and sea lions and puffins. After setting up within our cabin, kayak*** along the shoreline of Holgate Arm to a small island at the base of the massive Holgate Glacier. Watch for whales and bears and puffins steering clear of calving ice sheets. Return to our cabin to walk the coastline listening for the sounds of untamed wildlife and the roar of glacial calving. Cook our dinner (inside our cabin) and enjoy our meal on our cabinâs deck. Then, enjoy our eveningâs rest nestled warmly inside our cabin within the wild Alaskan coast.
DAY NINE, July 29, 2025: Awaken when we wish. Prepare and enjoy our breakfast on the deck of our cabin. Kayak*** along the shoreline searching for berries and bears. Board our chartered boat for out 2.5-hour trip to Seward. Shower in Seward. Drive northward via the beautiful Seward Highway back through Anchorage. Rent/buy crampons in Anchorage. Continue north along the famous Dalton Highway to our campground or our hotel (TBD) in Denali National Park. LOOK to see if Denali is visible through the clouds. (Hereâs nearly everything you need to know about Denali National Park.) Have dinner in or near the park entrance or at our campsite. Stay the evening in our campground or our hotel within an eagleâs flight to the tallest mountain in North America.
DAY TEN, July 30, 2025: Arise early. Breakfast in our campground or at the hotel. Drive to the Backcountry Information Center in Denali National Park to secure our eveningâs backcountry permit. Attend our mandatory Backcountry Orientation (or, better yet, watch all of the backcountry orientation videos before we leave for Alaska). Explore the Denali Visitor Center and the Murie Science and Learning Center. Hop onto a âFree Busâ at the Denali Bus Depot Parking area. Enjoy a leisurely bus ride to our Backcountry Unit drop-off. Backpack into the extraordinary Denali backcountry stopping where we find a perfect eveningâs campsite. LOOK to see if Denali is visible through the clouds. Set up camp (within our electric fence**). Have dinner at our site. Spend the evening beneath the broad and beautiful endless Denali sky.
DAY ELEVEN, July 31, 2025: Awaken at any time. Have breakfast together. LOOK to see if Denali is visible through the clouds. Hike out to our trailhead at the park road. Take any bus back to our vehicle. Drive north on the Dalton Highway to our hotel (TBD) in Fairbanks. Check in. Explore Fairbanks. Have dinner together. Evening at our hotel.
***
NOTE: Our next adventure is a little difficult, though we have the full permission and confidence of the areaâs federal rangers to do so. You may choose, therefore, to stay in Fairbanks and explore/relax until we return OR return home from here.
***
DAY TWELVE, August 1, 2025: Awaken early. Breakfast in the hotel. Pack our backpacks and drive north on the Dalton Highway to our entry point for Gates of the Arctic National Park. Park our vehicle safely. Backpack into the park and settle camp (within our electric fence**). Dinner near our campsite. Spend our evening in the near-Arctic wilderness far, far from civilization and from home.
DAY THIRTEEN, August 2, 2025: Awaken early. Breakfast near camp. Hike out to our vehicle. Drive south on the Dalton Highway to our hotel (TBD) in Fairbanks. Check in. Explore Fairbanks. Have dinner together. Evening at our hotel.
DAY FOURTEEN, August 3, 2025: Breakfast at hotel. Drive southeast along the Alaska Highway and Alaska Route 4 toward Wrangell-St. Elias National Park (WSE). Explore the WSE Visitor Center in Copper Center. Visit, if open, the Ahtna Cultural Center. Drive toward the old mining towns of Kennicott and McCarthy along the McCarthy Road. Check into our hotel/hostel (TBD, but this must be done soon!). Explore the area. Have dinner together. Evening at our hotel.
DAY FIFTEEN, August 4, 2025: Awaken early. Breakfast. Ready for backpacking. If in McCarthy, take the five-mile shuttle to Kennecott. Visit the Kennecott Visitor Center (the hub for the Kennecott Mines National Historic Landmark). When done, backpack up the Root Glacier/Erie Mine Trail to the end of the Root Glacier Trail storing our excess at the Jumbo Creek Bear Storage. Turn northwest onto the Root Glacier (with crampons affixed). Hike onto the glacier and set up camp for the night (within our electric fence, if safe to do so**). Have dinner together well before the sun sets. Watch the extraordinarily dark and beautiful Alaska night sky open above us.
DAY SIXTEEN, August 5, 2025: Awaken early and have breakfast. Hike back to Kennecott. Take the shuttle back to our vehicle. Drive the McCarthy Road and Alaska Routes 10/4/1 back to Anchorage. Return our crampons (if rented). Drive to hotel (TBD). Check in. Dinner together in town. Evening at our hotel.
DAY SEVENTEEN, August 6, 2025: Awaken early. Breakfast at the hotel. Drive to Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport. Return our vehicle. Board your flight home remembering fondly a life-changing trip to the extraordinary Alaskan Arctic!
* Please read the "About Us" section on our "Backpackers of the American West" Meetup page for a fuller description of my National Park visits.
** We are considering the purchase of a portable electric fence to install each backcountry evening to deter bears.
*** Kayak rentals are expensive. We may decide NOT to rent kayaks.
PLEASE KEEP IN MIND:
- IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE, PLEASE PRESS THE âATTENDâ BUTTON BY 6/14/25, THEN: CALL ME AT 602-292-0753 TO DISCUSS.
- Of course, you may call me at any time prior to pressing the "Attend" button and before 6/14/25 at 602 292-0753 to discuss the trip fully.
- Please know that PRESSING THE "ATTEND" BUTTON DOES NOT GUARANTEE PARTICIPATION. ONLY A CONFIRMATION OF PARTICIPATION BY MICHELLE MOZELL. Therefore, for possible participation, you must first discuss this trip with Michelle Mozell at 602-292-0753.
- It is not necessary to participate in the entire trip. It is possible to participate in selected segments of the trip. However, this possibility must be discussed in full with the trip participants and agreed to by Michelle Mozell who has the sole/unilateral right to make this decision.
- The minimum of participants is FOUR; the maximum is SIX.
- You are responsible for all individual transportation to, from, and within our scheduled itinerary AND any individual transportation you separately secure within our scheduled itinerary. NO individual transportation is provided. We will discuss this THOROUGHLY.
- THIS WILL BE A VERY PRICEY TRIP. TOTAL COST TO YOU IS TBD. Many costs will be shared by participants equally. Many costs will be borne by each participant singly. As we progress, these costs will become known. Periodic payments/deposits based upon this progression will be required.
- IMPORTANT: Due to this tripâs difficulty in securing certain essential reservations, as a confirmed participant on this trip, we each shall agree that, from time to time, some payments/deposits shall be required that are, by their very nature, non-refundable. These deposits shall be fully discussed in detail before each deposit is due.
- For most evenings that do not include backpacking or camping, overnight accommodations have been pre-booked, but not yet paid for, including hotels, vacation rentals, and hostels. For some evenings, multiple bookings have been made to provide options. For a few evenings, as of this posting, accommodation choices are yet to be made. Pricing for these accommodations varies widely. Therefore, it is our desire to include all participants in the final booking process before confirming. It is also our desire to share, as equitably as possible, the cost of the confirmed overnight accommodations among our trip's participants.
- NO meals are provided, except: meals at the Kobuk River Lodge and breakfast, if offered by the hotels. The hotels are, as of this posting, TBD. THEREFORE, YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL OTHER MEALS FOR THE ENTIRETY OF THE TRIP.
- NO BACKCOUNTRY FOOD, WATER, SNACKS, OR SUPPLIES ARE PROVIDED. THEREFORE, BRING SUFFICIENT FOOD, WATER, EQUIPMENT, AND SUPPLIES FOR ALL BACKPACKING, HIKING, AND TOURING ADVENTURES.
- There is NO INTERNET CONNECTION in most of Alaska, especially in the backcountry of the National Parks. Be prepared to be out of COMMUNICATION FOR MUCH OF THE TRIP. BRING A SATELLITE PHONE AND/OR A PERSONAL LOCATOR BEACON(PLB)/SATELLITE MESSENGER (such as a Garmin InReach or a SPOT).
- NO âtrip cancellation/interruption/travel insuranceâ or âemergency evacuation insuranceâ are provided. No health insurance is provided. YOU ARE STRONGLY ADVISED TO PURCHASE ALL INSURANCES, ESPECIALLY "EMERGENCY EVACUATION INSURANCE," THAT YOU DEEM NECESSARY AND APPROPRIATE BEFORE YOU GO. Call me to discuss!
- All reservations are final confirmation dependent and may change at any time. THERE ARE NO GUARANTEES THAT ANY RESERVATION IS FULLY SECURE.
- Bring your National Park Pass to enter the parks.
- BRING YOUR PASSPORT and/or all other necessary forms of identification.
- PARTICIPATION IN THIS MEETUP AFFIRMS THAT YOU HAVE READ, UNDERSTOOD, AND AGREED TO THE FULL LEGAL DISCLAIMER AND RELEASE OF LIABILITY on Meetupâs Backpackers of the American West's website: (see: Meetup's Backpackers of the American West Rules and Regulations).
- MICHELLE MOZELL RESERVES THE SOLE/UNILATERAL RIGHT TO CANCEL, ALTER, OR MODIFY THE TRIP ITINERARY AS SHE DEEMS NECESSARY AT ANY TIME FOR ANY REASON WHATSOEVER.
- Photo citation: "NPS Photo."