Few places in the world capture the imagination more than the circumpolar Far North. For more than two decades, Equinox Wilderness Expeditions has shared with small groups of travelers the immense grandeur of our North American wilderness (and for 2009, we've added Scandinavia).

Each of our hiking, kayaking, canoeing, rafting and backpacking trips is a true expedition into wilderness. People, food, gear - all is transported by air or boat; we travel to country far from human settlement and roads. Leaving clocks and the human-dominated world behind, we find that wilderness has a way of putting everything into perspective. In the wild, we discover our true selves.

Why go on a guided trip with us? The North is huge. We take you to remote Alaskan wilderness, and off-the-beaten-path Canadian wilds where few take the time, effort or expense to visit. We strive to share with you the unique and the spectacular, going to places where large concentrations of wildlife dwell seasonally, or places where, immersed in the landscape, you can go for days and never see a human track. Our guides are knowledgeable; you'll expand your understanding of northern birds and wildlife, archeology, geology, anthropology, history, and conservation. Each of our trips is a unique adventure.

The effort and cost to move people, food and equipment can be considerable. We craft exciting itineraries and take care of logistics and safety concerns, outfitting our trips with the best equipment for the environment. We offer plenty of hearty, healthy food. We provide tasty, healthy, hearty meals using high-quality natural foods. We travel light, yet safely, to reduce the use of fossil fuel required to get us into the wilderness. Meticulous pre-trip preparations simplify life in the field so we can maximize our time exploring.

We've made it our livelihood to know the places we visit, and we have a quarter-century perfect safety record. Our groups are small, and our guide/naturalists are outstanding. We're based in the North, and by partnering with small businesses and Native communities, our ecotourism efforts contribute to sustaining local economies in the North. We operate our business in the hopes that all of us--you and I--will continue advocating for our wondrous wild places.

Our participants are like you: educated, inquisitive and discerning; they love personal challenge, exploring the unknown, learning, and the camaraderie and cooperative spirit of small-group travel. Like us, they have a passion for wilderness. Many come back year after year for new adventures. We have a long list of travelers who would love to tell you about their experiences.

While the lands and waters that we explore are clearly the focus of our trips, expeditions become more meaningful with outstanding leadership. Equinox trip leaders possess a winning combination of local knowledge, backcountry expertise, good judgment, and enthusiasm for sharing the places we explore. College graduates with strong backgrounds in natural history, science, or politics, we are keen naturalists who share a love for the wild. Many of our guides have active careers, yet take out time each summer to guide a couple trips for us. Among our cadre of guides:

Director Karen Jettmar has organized expeditions by canoe, kayak, raft, backpack and skis in remote reaches of Alaska and Canada for more than 30 years. She came to Alaska in 1973 with an education degree, and found a landscape to call home. She is an accomplished mountaineer, whitewater and ocean paddler, backcountry skier, naturalist, and environmental educator. A former national park ranger, and Assistant Regional Director for The Wilderness Society, she has also taught school throughout Alaska. Karen is an environmental activist, writer and photographer with many international credits, and the author of three books. She has served on the nonprofit boards of Trustees for Alaska, Out North, Alaska Wilderness Recreation and Tourism Association, Alaska Wildlife Alliance, and Pacific Spirit Park Society. Her best selling The Alaska River Guide: Canoeing, Kayaking and Rafting in the Last Frontier, is the standard reference for river travelers in Alaska. She is a proponent of the "small is beautiful" philosophy, believing that small companies taking small groups into wilderness in an environmentally and culturally sensitive manner can help sustain our wildlands and indigenous cultures.

Emily Barnett, environmental advocate and mother of three, is the U.S. Campaign Director for Forest Ethics. She also serves on the Board of Directors of Conservation Northwest. A former international whitewater competitor, she loves sharing wild rivers and the beauty of Alaska's wild places.

Hugh Rose has lived in northern climates most of his life and currently makes Fairbanks, Alaska home. Compelled by Alaska's natural beauty, he left a 10-year career in geology to explore and photograph the vast landscapes and wildlife of the north. Both nature and a camera have intrigued Hugh since childhood and he continues to explore these worlds through photography and guiding. Hugh is a skilled birder, and with a masters degree in geology, blends a keen mix of natural history with his people and photography skills. He travels worldwide sharing the the wonders of the natural world with his clients.

Aly Joyce- is a bush pilot and biologist. She has worked for a number of expedition companies in Alaska and internationally. She is a kayak, ski, and river guide, our part-time office manager, and directs our Canadian operations.

Scott Hayden, is 100% Alaska-grown. Raised in the shadow of Denali, more than 100 miles from the nearest highway, he developed his backcountry skills in the foothills of the Alaska Range, and helped build and run the family business--Denali West Wilderness Lodge. He has an extensive knowledge of flora and fauna, and the ability to handle any outdoor challenge. A graduate of University of Alaska-Fairbanks, Scott is as comfortable paddling whitewater or mushing a dog team as a New Yorker is comfortable riding the subway. He's also a pilot--and he plays a mean guitar! Scott is now living in Saipan, and paddles on an outrigger canoe team.

Barb O'Donnell is a master naturalist, having worked for the National Park Service for nearly 20 years, and as a biologist with a number of consulting companies. Her "day job" takes her to remote Athabascan villages throughout Interior Alaska, but in the summer she gets into wilderness as much as she can. She has explored some of the most remote regions of the north, including the volcanoes of Kamchatka, and Aniakchak Caldera, with a canoe run down the river.

Former owner of Eagle River Raft Trips, and manager of Class V Rafting in Girdwood, DJ Robinson is our accountant and one our "guest" guides who loves paddling boats whenever she can get away from her CPA practice in Girdwood. She founded DJs Cookies, sold at all the premier outdoor events in the State, like the Talkeetna Bluegrass Festival and the Girdwood Forest Fair. She's spent more time on the Colorado River than most Alaskans, and more time paddle rafting Sixmile Creek near Hope, Alaska than just about anyone. In her free time, you may find her hula-hooping or twirling batons!

Other leaders are equally qualified to enhance your experience. We share our knowledge and provide instruction in outdoor skills you might need to feel more at home. Our leadership is informal; think of us as longtime companions. Our goal is to share a safe, rewarding, and enduring experience. Trained in emergency medicine, as well as being masterful outdoor cooks, our quiet competence and personable companionship make the difference between a mere journey and a rich experience that will be remembered a lifetime.

Our trips and our company have been written up in many newspapers, magazines, and books, among them: Universal Press Syndicate, LA Times, Seattle Times, Miami Herald, Dallas-Fort Worth Sun, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Washington Trails, San Francisco Chronicle, Washington Post, Grist.org, Philadelphia Inquirer, Boston Globe, Outside, Fairbanks News Miner, Alaska Magazine, Travel Alaska, and many more.

We are featured as one of the best guide services in National Geographic Adventure, Alaska Best Places, Frommer's Alaska Guide, Alaska for Dummies , and The Alaska Wilderness Guide.

We have organized custom programs for a wide variety of groups, including the University of Washington Program on the Environment, Cal State University, The New Yorker, Sierra Club, The Wilderness Society, and the Wildlife Conservation Society.