Recaps of Alaska, Norway, the Red, and More!
We have had a few big weeks here at Explorer Chick with more right on the horizon!
Explorer Chick Guide Lauren and her crew of Explorer Chicks just returned from Norway after hiking 10 days in the Mountains and above the Fjords.
Meanwhile, Explorer Chick Guide Jaimie had a posse of Explorer Chicks up in Alaska where they took a bush plane and floatplane to camp off the grid in the wilds of Lake Clark National Park.
Oh, and then Explorer Chick Guide Erin celebrated her birthday with Explorer Chicks in the Red River Gorge instructing our backpacking workshop.
Below, I share our Post Trip Quips from our guides in the field and some of the stories of the Explorer Chicks on our trips.
What an epic 8 days. We’ve left the wilderness after being being wild and unplugged in Alaska. These women hiked, kayaked and totally worked their butts for some of the most unique landscapes we’ve ever seen. ⠀
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This was more than a vacation, this was a trip of a lifetime to see some of the most spectacular landscapes ever. ⠀
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What an incredible experience to share; we laughed, cried, sang, danced and more on the shores of Lake Turquoise and the mountains of Lake Clarke National Park. ⠀
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Memories for life.
-Explorer Chick Guide Jaimie – Alaska Wild and Unplugged
‘Takk for Turen’ is the traditional Norwegian way to thank your friends for an incredible hiking trip- but for our Explorer Chick Best of Norway Adventure, this honestly just doesn’t cut it!
On this eight day adventure, our five Explorer Chicks hiked 55+ miles through some of the most pristine, jaw-dropping, and historic trails in Norway. These intrepid women started the week off on the right boot, trekking 23 miles through Jotenheimen National Park- the Home of the Giants! These hikes took our hut to hut through some of the most awe-inspiring trails, leading us from turquoise blue alpine lakes to close encounters with a wild herd of reindeer.
After hiking to four of these hiker cabins and experiencing firsthand the deep love Norwegians have for their land, we hopped in our private mini-bus to head south to the fjords! Glaciers, Prest, Trolltunga, Preikestolen, Kjeragbolten- we hiked to every Insta-famous view to put our feet on those once-in-a-lifetime precipices and take our glamour shots. Each night we returned to our cozy local hotel to share a 3-course meal, drinks, and stories from our day, building friendships that will truly last.
This trip was more than a vacation- it was a chance to experience Norway as a native. We wholeheartedly embraced ‘friluftsliv’- a Norwegian word that literally translates to ‘free air life’- the perfect way to describe the connection to nature that we found so incredibly strong in Norway. We all felt this connection then, and I know we’ll carry a passion for life on the trails with us into the future.
-Explorer Chick Guide Lauren – Norway Mountains & Fjords Hiking Adventure
What’s on the horizon? Well, Explorer Chick Guides Becca and Katie picked up a crew of Explorer Chicks in Salt Lake City today for a weekend of hiking in Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. They’ve already taken over our Instagram Story with SHE-naningans. And I know more is on the way!
Meanwhile, we have Explorer Chick Guide Lynsey in Scotland exploring Edinburgh as she waits for her Explorer Chicks to kick off their Unplugged adventure on Saturday. Yep, she’ll be posting on Instagram Story too!
Holy snot. That’s quite a bit!
I also just want to take a second to reshare the Podcasts that Explorer Chick Amanda Valentine of Pound This Podcast recorded from mountain huts on our Banff trip a few weeks ago. They are about 25 minutes long and definitely worth a listen. On episode 354, you’ll learn what to expect on our trip, why women chose to adventure with us, and just some good ol’ inspiration. On episode 355, you’ll hear from Explorer Chick
Pound This Podcasts:
Episode 354: EXPLORER CHICKS LIVE FROM BOW GLACIER!
355: HOW POUND THIS HELPED MEGAN LOSE 60 POUNDS!
Lastly, if you are considering the Inca Trail Trek with us in 2020, please book your spot ASAP. The reason is the Government releases the permits in October. There are 500 per day which includes spots for the porters and chefs. This leaves roughly 200 permits for trekkers. You can only snag a permit with your passport and it is non-refundable. This prevents the big tour companies from simply buying up all the spots and selling them as bookings come through. Did I just drop too much info for you?
Here’s what you need to know:
At booking, you’ll need to make a $550 non-refundable deposit. Then you can make payments at your discretion until the full balance is due. You will need your passport information on hand. (If you do not have your passport yet, please provide your Driver’s License and immediately email Info@ec-old.design-works.com to notify us of your situation).
As soon as the permits go on sale, we snag your permit for you. Then as we receive more bookings, we immediately book your permit. We will do this until permits are completely sold out. Then we have to close the trip. The summer months go fast.
Our July 24-31, 2020 departure is tentatively confirmed. As soon as we have permits, it will be a hard confirm.
Alrighty, that’s quite a bit to take in, but I just can’t hold back on all the epic SHE-nanigans you all have been up to!
Cheers to endless boundless adventures, Explorer Chicks!
Nicki Bruckmann
Explorer Chick, Founder
“Someone asked me what my favorite Explorer Chick trip is this week! I told them the truth- Any of them where you see people go one step farther than they thought they could. To be there to help create an environment so that they can is awesome. I know that every time I’ve done a little more that I thought I could or was comfortable with my self love has increased and man do we need to love ourselves! I just want others to find themselves like I did outside the roles our lives have given us “mother, sister, daughter, co worker, lover,” to just be insert your name here.”
– Explorer Chick Sarah
