Mon, Aug 18

Kesugi Ridge (Curry Ridge) Trail

Backpacking the Last Frontier

Name: Backpacking the Last Frontier
Start: 2025-08-18T19:30:00-08:00
End: 2025-08-24T18:00:00-08:00
Location: Kesugi Ridge (Curry Ridge) Trail

Ready to hike where few ever tread? Join us this August on Alaska’s Kesugi Ridge: 31 miles of alpine lakes, open tundra, and epic views of Denali. Led by Noam, who grew up in these mountains, this 6-day trek during peak season is sure to be epic. Unplug. Recharge. Adventure.

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Time & Location

Aug 18, 2025, 7:30 PM AKDT – Aug 24, 2025, 6:00 PM AKDT

Kesugi Ridge (Curry Ridge) Trail , Talkeetna, AK 99676, USA

About the Journey

Trek Leader

A letter from Noam: I grew up in Alaska and love guiding people among the remote and rugged mountains there. The best time to visit Alaska is August given the abundance of daylight (22 hours), good weather, fewer tourists, and fewer mosquitos. Kesugi Ridge is a very well respected hike among Alaska locals and one of my personal favorites. It would be an honor to guide you on such an adventure. Best, Noam

Difficulty Level

Advanced Level. We will hike approximately 31 miles at an elevation gain/loss of approximately 6000 feet. See the trail map here. A backpack, sleeping bag, and sleeping pad are required. Rental gear is NOT available for this trek; however, Lech-Lecha will still be providing some communal gear (cooking utensils, tents, etc.)

Location and How to get there

Kesugi Ridge (Curry Ridge) Trail is located 2.75 hrs from Anchorage, AK.
We will be organizing group transportation from central Anchorage to the trailhead leaving at 7:30 pm PT, August 18th. We may be borrowing a vehicle in which case there will be no additional transportation cost. We may rent a vehicle which would cost an additional $50-$100/person. We will camp at the trailhead Monday night, and begin our hike Tuesday morning, August 19. (See the Itinerary Below)
Travelers should plan air transportation to and from Anchorage. We will gather on Monday, August 18, 2025. Please arrange to arrive by plane before 7 pm Alaska time. We will return together from the trail to downtown Anchorage and the airport on Sunday, August 24 (Day 6). We cannot guarantee, but we will do our best, with weather, traffic, etc, to be at the airport by 6 pm Alaska Time. However, we suggest an early morning flight on Monday. If you prefer to leave Sunday night, the last direct flight to NY is at 9 pm PST.
You are encouraged to make arrangements for lodging on Day 6 when we return to Anchorage.

Spiritual Theme for this Event

Alaska is vast, wild, and largely untouched. Even on our route—one of the more popular in the state—we’ll likely see few people. It’s a land beyond the reach of civilization. In some places, your footsteps may be the first ever on that ground.

Out here, we have space to breathe, to listen, and to come into contact with something that exists beyond the noise. It’s a chance to meet wild nature—and ourselves—without our usual reference points.

As we move through this quiet, breathtaking landscape, we’ll explore the uncompromising nature of the land, the weather, and who we each are.

Itinerary

Monday, August 18: Arrive in Anchorage. Drive to Byers Lake Campground in Denali State Park. Camp overnight at Byers Lake.
Tuesday, August 19: Begin backcountry trek on the Kesugi Ridge Trail. Hike and set up camp below Mount Kesugi.
Wednesday, August 20: Continue hiking south along Kesugi Ridge. Camp near Ermine Hill.
Thursday, August 21: Hike toward Whimbrel Hill. Camp in the vicinity of Whimbrel Hill.
Friday, August 22: Descend toward Byers Lake. Camp near the lake in the Remote Campsites.
Saturday, August 23: Rest day. Camp overnight at Byers Lake Remote Campsites.
Sunday, August 24: Drive back to Anchorage for departure

To learn more about this trek, please email nadav@lechlechajourneys.org or the Trek Leader, Noam, at noamchaim@gmail.com

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Frequently asked questions

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All Lech-Lecha adventures are kosher and shomer Shabbat, honoring individual practice and fully supporting observance of mitzvot. Friday afternoon has always been the peak of every Lech-Lecha trip, as we prepare by cooking dinner and bringing intention into our Shabbat together.

We believe every Jewish person can cultivate a deep, meaningful connection to tradition and community. Lech-Lecha fosters this journey with love and openness while also respecting traditional Jewish observance.

Our communal spaces fully observe Shabbat and Kashrut, offer time for prayer, and ensure programming aligns with halachic guidelines. Participants are always invited—but never pressured—to engage in these practices.

At Lech-Lecha, the journey itself is the goal. We don’t push any particular outcome, but rather aim to inspire, empower, and deepen each participant’s unique Jewish path. That’s what Journey-Powered Judaism means. See you on the trail!
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Information about what equipment to bring, including a detailed packing list, will be emailed to you following registration.

For our backpacking treks: generally communal gear (tents, tarps, cooking equipment, water purification etc.) is all provided. Personal gear including pack, sleeping bag, and sleeping pad, is required and is your responsibility. Missing something? No worries! We offer gear rentals. Just let us know your needs in the registration form and your equipment will wait for you at the trailhead.

For our retreats: communal gear (cooking equipment,) is provided. Personal items including appropriate footwear, is on you. Our retreats vary by location, sometimes pillows, blankets and the like are included, and sometimes you will need to bring them. This information is list under "About the Journey>Location" above.
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Our trekkers rate our food at an astounding 9.5/10. Our secret? They cook it! With the support of our Trek Leaders, trekkers are proud of and excited to partake in their creations.

Sample Menu:
Breakfast: Oats, cereal, eggs (occasionally), powdered milk, nuts (if participants are without allergies) or dried fruit.
Lunches: Wraps, tuna, cheese, veggies, PB & J, and Nutella.
Dinners: Rice & sweet potato lentil dahl, mac & cheese, shepherds pie with instant mashed potatoes & veggie sausage, backcountry pizza, or quinoa tofu with zucchini. A special smoked meat treat is served on Shabbat as well.

All food is fully kosher based on CRC standards.
We are happy to accommodate allergies and dietary restrictions.
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Every Lech-Lecha trek is guided by an experienced and trained wilderness guide. All staff are First Aid and CPR trained. Some are Wilderness First Responders, as well.

Every trek is accompanied by a Satellite communication device to be used in case of emergency when the group is out of cellular service. It is important to note that there is inherent risk in wilderness adventure in which participants are at times hours from the closest road resulting in slow response time from emergency crews and difficulty of evacuation. That being said, we are grateful that no Lech-Lecha participant has faced serious injury that has required evacuation or the use of our SAT device and we do our best to ensure that this remains true for the future.
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