Frequently Asked Questions

Small groups are the best way to witness our national parks and forests. Our trips are limited to six guests. With a guest to guide ratio of 3:1 you are assured of our commitment to risk management and your safety are paramount. Beyond that, it is a “best practice” to keep groups small to minimize our impact in our national parks and forests by following Leave No Trace principles.

The number of flying insects that can be bothersome depends on their hatching season, annual weather conditions, specific locations and time of year. While you are bound to encounter some insects during a trip, their numbers are rarely a major problem. If you are concerned, please arrive prepared with insect repellent and a head net to fend off any bugs that may be present.

There are both grizzly and black bears in most of the wilderness areas we visit in the western United States. We love seeing bears in the wild and consider bear sightings a privilege in the wilderness. Traveling safely and taking precautions to minimize a negative encounter are considerations we take very seriously. In addition to conducting a pre-trip safety orientation, your guides also take  precautions on all trips where bears may be present. We make sure all the food we carry is packaged to minimize odors. We make noise when we are in thick brush or when hiking in windy conditions to minimize surprise encounters. And as a last resort, guides travel, as well as guests, armed with pepper spray.

It is important to keep in mind that while we do have abundant wildlife in the areas we visit, animal can often be obscured by the landscape, bothered by noise, people and often affected by weather patterns. While viewing wildlife on our trips has been reliable, there are simply too many factors to make any guarantees.

During our spring to fall season, depending on locations, average daytime temperatures range from 60 to 90+ degrees F. Nighttime and morning temperatures are cooler and rarely dip below 40 degrees F. Depending on the trip location, you can expect cooler temperatures and fewer daylight hours as we head further into the Fall season. Throughout the season, you may experience rain, sun, wind, clouds, fog and even snow – possibly all in one trip! We live by the adage…“hoping for the best, prepared for the worst and unsurprised by anything in between”.