I visited Alaska in the summer time, aka the only time to visit Alaska. I saw loads of wildlife and sunlight. Do not be fooled, the sunlight can be deceiving. On the first day, the weather was sunny and 70 degrees. In the middle of the night, I woke up to freezing temperatures. That night was a wake up call to the rest of the nights to come. The weather changed are instantaneous and can be brutal, so be prepared for rainy, cold, sunny, and hot weather all in the same day. There was no need to try and dress “cute,” it’s all about the layers.
I brought a medium sized Patagonia luggage and a large backpack. Majority of the trip, I only had my backpack and I packed it with everything I needed for a few days. Scroll down to see what I packed!
Be prepared to wear the same clothes for multiple days. I wore the same 3 layers for 5 days because they were the most comfortable during the day. At night I wore the same 3 layers plus two more, sometimes 3 more. I also wore two socks on each foot at night. If you are hiking, like I was, make sure to bring multiple pairs of socks (some will get wet).
THE PACKING LIST: Backpack
For 3 or more nights. Tents were provided for us; however, we did have to set them up. I’d recommend bringing a light, but strong tent.
- Extra layers (2 under armour, athletic shirt, hoodie, heavy jacket, leggings, 2 hiking pants, sweatpants, underwear (2-3)) ⭐️
- Sleeping mask & Earplugs (the sun never goes down, sometimes gets loud at night)⭐️
- Fanny Pack
- Hand warmers (if you get cold fast)
- Socks (as many as you can)⭐️
- Hiking boots ⭐️
- Water Shoes
- Hat (beanie, baseball, etc) & sunglasses
- Gloves (thin or thick depending on activities)
- Quick dry towel⭐️
- Sleeping Pad, Sleeping bag, Pillow (capable of being compacted)⭐️
- Backpack clips (Fit things on the outside, more room on the inside)
- Anything that has a smell (keep them in their own section that is easily removable) Ex: toiletries⭐️
- Portable chargers⭐️
- Book/Journal with pencils (you’ll have downtime)
- Any other gear/necessities you might need⭐️
The Packing List: Luggage (2 weeks)
Again, you will most likely be wearing the same clothes for multiple days. If you are not comfortable with that, add more. Very similar to the backpack list (only use this if you need more space).
- Leggings & hiking pants (2 each)⭐️
- Tank top (1)
- Short sleeve under armour shirt(1)⭐️
- Long sleeve under armour shirt (2)⭐️
- Hoodie⭐️
- Thick Jacket (preferable water proof)⭐️
- shorts (spandex/biker shorts, comfortable shorts)
- Socks (5-6 pairs the more, the better)⭐️
- Hiking boots (don’t be cheap, get nice ones)⭐️
- Fanny Pack
- Water shoes
- Toiletries (count as smelly items)⭐️
- Bathing suit (1)
- Quick dry towel⭐️
- Baggage clips
- Gloves
- Book/Journal & pencils
- Portable chargers (2-3)⭐️
- Cameras
- Any other gear/necessities you might need ⭐️
