Alaska Mountain Wilderness Classic
The Alaska Mountain Wilderness Classic (sometimes called the Alaska Wilderness Classic) is an adventure challenge that espouses purity of style and zero impact. Started in 1982 as a 150-mile (240 km) wilderness traverse, the Classic has crossed various mountain ranges throughout Alaska with some routes covering nearly 250 miles (400 km). According to Outside magazine, many consider it "the toughest wilderness challenge in the world."[1]
The rules are simple: start to finish with no outside support, requiring that participants carry all food and equipment; human-powered; leave no trace; and rescue is up to the individual to resolve. The most common form of transportation is by foot and packraft, although bicycles, skis, and paragliders have been used by intrepid participants. Beginning in 2004, participants have been required to carry satellite phones or Satellite emergency notification device like the Garmin inReach to facilitate emergency rescues. Traditionally, the same route has been used for three years in a row, with each year being a different month (June, July, or August).
The organization of the challenge is grass-roots, having no affiliation to any organization or group, while generally fewer than 30 people enter in any one year. The Classic is often perceived as a race, but most certainly not a race.[clarification needed] It has had an influence on American adventure racing, backcountry use of the packraft, and ultralight hiking is significant[citation needed]. In addition to the summer challenge, there is an even more low-key unaffiliated winter event, the Alaska Mountain Wilderness Ski Classic, which has taken place annually since 1987 with travel through the Chugach Mountains, Alaska Range, Brooks Range, and Wrangell-St. Elias.
During the 2014 classic, experienced participant Rob Kehrer died after his boat flipped while packrafting on the Tana River in Wrangell St. Elias National Park. His body was found on a gravel bar four miles downstream.[2]
Routes
1982–1984
Hope to Homer (Kenai Peninsula), 150 miles (240 km)[3]
- Start 60°55′12″N 149°38′40″W / 60.92003°N 149.64453°W
- Finish 59°36′02″N 151°24′33″W / 59.60058°N 151.40925°W
| Year | Month | Fastest Finisher(s) | Time | Course Record? | No. Starters | No. Scratches | Finisher Percent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | August | Roman Dial | 6 d, 10 hrs, 15m | 10 | 6 | 40% | |
| 1983 | September | Roman Dial and Jim Lokken | 4 d, 20 hrs | 22 | 10 | 45% | |
| 1984 | August | Dave Manzer | 3 d, 12 hrs | Yes | 35 | 17 | 49% |
1985–1987
Mentasta to Denali National Park (Alaska Range), 235 miles (378 km)
- Start 62°55′44″N 143°48′01″W / 62.92890°N 143.80020°W
- Finish 63°50′51″N 149°00′56″W / 63.84751°N 149.01553°W
| Year | Month | Fastest Finisher(s) | Time | Course Record? | No. Starters | No. Scratches | Finisher Percent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | August | Hank Timm | 7d, 22hrs, 12m | 14 | 12 | 14% | |
| 1986 | ?August? | Hank Timm | 5d, 23hrs | 11 | 6 | 45% | |
| 1987 | August | Hank Timm and Randy Pitney | 4d, 18hrs, 27m | Yes | 14 | 8 | 43% |
1988–1990
Nabesna to McCarthy (Wrangell – Saint Elias Wilderness), 150 miles (240 km)
- Start 62°22′14″N 143°00′43″W / 62.37044°N 143.01182°W
- Finish 61°25′58″N 142°55′24″W / 61.43284°N 142.92330°W
- 1988 – Roman Dial
- 1989 – David Manzer, Adrian Crane and Tom Possert
- 1990 – Brant McGee and Jeff Gedney
1991–1993
Gates of the Arctic Wilderness (Brooks Range), 130 miles (210 km)
- Start 67°55′45″N 149°49′40″W / 67.929040°N 149.827665°W
- Checkpoint 68°03′30″N 150°51′32″W / 68.05829°N 150.85887°W
- Finish 67°24′35″N 150°06′28″W / 67.409823°N 150.107743°W
- 1991 – Brant McGee and Adrian Crane (course record: 2 days 6 hours 18 minutes)
- 1992 – Brant McGee and Dave Dixon
- 1993 – Gordy Vernon
1994–1996
Donnelly to McKinley Village (Alaska Range), 140 miles (230 km)
- Start 63°31′48″N 145°51′34″W / 63.52999°N 145.85934°W
- Finish 63°38′04″N 148°47′12″W / 63.63445°N 148.78658°W
- 1994 – Frazier Miller
- 1995 – Clark Saunders (course record: 2 days 12 hours 20 minutes)
- 1996 – Steve Reifenstuhl and Rocky Reifenstuhl
1997–1999
Hope to Homer (Kenai Peninsula), 150 miles (240 km)
- Start 60°55′12″N 149°38′40″W / 60.92003°N 149.64453°W
- Finish 59°36′02″N 151°24′33″W / 59.60058°N 151.40925°W
- 1997 – Gordy Vernon and Thai Verzone
- 1998 – Gordy Vernon
- 1999 – Gabriel Lydic, Laona DeWilde Lydic and David Arvey
2000–2002
Nabesna to McCarthy (Wrangell – Saint Elias Wilderness), 150 miles (240 km)
- Start 62°22′14″N 143°00′43″W / 62.37044°N 143.01182°W
- Finish 61°25′58″N 142°55′24″W / 61.43284°N 142.92330°W
- 2000 – Steve Reifenstuhl and Rocky Reifenstuhl
- 2001 – Steve Reifenstuhl and Rocky Reifenstuhl
- 2002 – Roman Dial (course record: 2 days 4 hours 24 minutes)
2003–2005
Eureka to Talkeetna (Talkeetna Mountains), 160 miles (260 km)
- 2003 – Hans Neidig, Chris Robertson and Paul Hanis
- 2004 – Gordy Vernon and Thai Verzone
- 2005 – Robert Schnell, Jason Geck, Tyler Johnson and Rory Stark (course record: 1 day 23 hours 29 minutes)
2006–2008
Chicken to Central (Tanana-Yukon Uplands), 180 miles (290 km)
| Year | Month | Fastest Finisher(s) | Time | Course Record? | No. Starters | No. Scratches | Finisher Percent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | month | Robert Schnell and Chris Robertson | 4d, 10hrs, 42min | Yes | |||
| 2007 | month | Robert Schnell and Chris Robertson | |||||
| 2008 | June | Butch Allen, Jim McDonough, Tyler Johnson and Craig "Chunk" Barnard | 16 | 7 | 56% |
2009–2011
Gerstle River/Donnelly to McKinley Village (Alaska Range), 180 miles (290 km)
- 2009 – Robert Schnell, Chris Robertson and Andrew Skurka (course record: 3 days 17 hours 54 minutes)
- 2010 – Robert Schnell, Chris Robertson, Todd Kasteler and Danny Powers
- 2011 – Tyler Johnson, Todd Kasteler, Luc Mehl and John Sykes
2012–2014
Thompson Pass to Lakina River Bridge (Chugach Mountains, Wrangell – Saint Elias Wilderness), 120 miles (190 km) - 180 miles (290 km)[4]
- Start 61°07′28″N 145°40′15″W / 61.12456°N 145.67096°W
- Finish 61°22′29″N 143°20′54″W / 61.37459°N 143.34841°W
- 2012 – Luc Mehl, Josh Mumm (3d 22.5h, Bremner Route)
- 2013 – Lee Helzer, Steve Duby, Len Jenkins (Slowest first completion: 7 days, 8 hours, 44 minutes)
- 2014 – Gerard Ganey, Todd Tumolo (course record: 3d 10h, Ice Route)
2015
Rob Kehrer Memorial Route, Peters Hills to Nancy Lakes via Rohn (Western Alaska Range, Susitna Valley), 280 miles (450 km)
- Start 62°19′59″N 150°32′06″W / 62.333008°N 150.534968°W
- Checkpoint 62°17′42″N 153°22′25″W / 62.29489°N 153.37348°W
- Finish 61°37′11″N 150°11′03″W / 61.61978°N 150.18416°W
- 2015 - Josh Mumm (course record: 5 days, 21 hours, 40 minutes)[5]
2016–2018
Galbraith Lake to Wiseman (Brooks Range), 115 miles (185 km)
- Start 68°28′46″N 149°29′51″W / 68.47948°N 149.49739°W
- Finish 67°24′35″N 150°06′32″W / 67.40967°N 150.10889°W
- 2016 - Todd Tumolo and Luc Mehl (course & challenge record: 1 day, 10 hours)
- 2017 - Tobias Schwoerer and Harlow Robinson
- 2018 - Tom Moran and Jay Cable
2019–2021
Cantwell to Sheep Mountain (Talkeetna Mountains), 160 miles (260 km)
- Start 63°22′18″N 148°47′09″W / 63.37164°N 148.78586°W
- Finish 61°48′44″N 147°29′51″W / 61.81213°N 147.49761°W
- 2019 - Tobias Schwoerer and Jeremy Vandermeer
- 2020 - Sam Hooper
- 2021 - Nick Treinen (course record: 3 days, 10 hours)
2022–2024
Little Tok River to McCarthy, Alaska (Wrangell–St. Elias), 190 miles (310 km)
- Start 62°58′13″N 143°18′54″W / 62.97020°N 143.31488°W
- Finish 61°25′59″N 142°56′41″W / 61.43318°N 142.94468°W
| Year | Month | Fastest Finisher(s) | Time | Course Record? | No. Starters | No. Scratches | Finisher Percent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | June | Nick Treinen and Michael Versteeg | 4 d, 13 hrs | ||||
| 2023 | July | Matt Kupilik, John Pekar, Julian Chapin and Adam Smith | 4 d, 8 hrs | 18 | 4 | 77% | |
| 2024 | August | Sam Hooper | 3 d, 13 hrs, 3 min | Yes | 28 | 6 | 79% |
2025–2027
Kenai Lake to Hicks Creek, 160 miles (260 km) to 185 miles (298 km)
- Start 60°24′19″N 149°21′45″W / 60.40538°N 149.36252°W
- Finish 61°47′22″N 147°56′21″W / 61.78955°N 147.93908°W
| Year | Month | Fastest Finisher(s) | Time | Course Record? | No. Starters | No. Scratches | Finisher Percent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | June | Nick Roman | 5d 17h 2min | Yes | 23 | 16 | 30% |
| 2026 | July | ||||||
| 2027 | August |
References
- ^ Berger, Erin (2014-08-12). "Death at the Alaska Wilderness Classic". Outside Online. Retrieved 2025-10-21.
- ^ Medred, Craig. "Competitor dies in grueling Alaska backcountry race". Anchorage Daily News. Retrieved 2025-10-21.
- ^ Medred, Craig (March 29, 2018). "The transformer". craigmedred.news.
- ^ Mowry, Tim (2013-07-18). "Alaska Mountain Wilderness Classic not kind to Fairbanks racer". Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. Retrieved 2025-10-21.
- ^ Armstrong, Michael (2015-07-16). "Homer man wins Wilderness Classic". Peninsula Clarion. Retrieved 2025-10-21.