Initial Costs

My $755 cost for Four Seasons Guides (FSG), and the initial 1/2 down payment was my first solid commitment to this Life's Dream. I had determined a good date for the 3 day hike using the FSG Calendar, basing it on seasonal temperatures and giving me enough time for TRAINING.

I'm a self-employed artist (see Tlingit Tribal Art), so I had to be creative in my financing. I made all purchases on a 0% interest credit card, and figured out a way to deal with the balance when it would come due in July. It's easier to keep track of expenses this way too.

Because FSG provides all the camping gear, my expenses only fell into a couple categories:

• Travel
• Lodging
• Hiking Clothes
• Supplies and Incidentals

TRAVEL AND LODGING
Alaska Airlines is the only airlines to fly out of Alaska, and I didn't want to take the slower alternative, the Alaska Marine Highway -- which would have added 4 extra days on each end of the trip. Although it is a wonderful and cheap way to travel and see the beautiful scenery.
Life in Alaska is expensive! Getting in and out of Alaska ain't cheap either. Most folks casually drive to the nearest city or airport, and travel is fairly reasonable. Here in Sitka, on Baranof Island, we call it "Getting off the Rock."

Since it's so expensive traveling in and out of Alaska, I added a few extra days on each end of my trip. That way I get to see the Heard Museum in Phoenix, and the Burke Museum in Seattle to see the Northwest Coast Native art collections. I ended up booking a 9 day trip, with 7 of those days in 5 different hotels. Sound complicated? It wasn't. See "My Itinerary" next.