Upper Twin Lakes Loop

Choose this trip if you want a challenging hike that visits Richard Proenneke’s cabin. Of the main three Lake Clark backpacking trips, this trip offers the most challenging terrain and requires the most backcountry navigation skills.

You’ll need a floatplane drop-off and pick-up (either from Anchorage or Port Alsworth) to complete this route. Ascend Hope Creek until the trail fades. Continue up the valley to the pass at its head. Stay in the mountains above the Kijik River and travel west until you reach Low Pass—the lowest pass leading back to Upper Twin Lakes. Descend to Upper Twin Lakes and walk the three miles back to Hope Creek to complete the loop. The terrain in the alpine, especially upper Hope Creek, is rocky and steep.

NOTE: All backpacking trips in Lake Clark require Backcountry Navigation Skills due to the scarcity of maintained trails. There are hundreds of options for backpacking routes; the only limits are your skills and imagination. This is not a complete trip report, but instead an idea to get you started on planning your own trip. If you aren’t confident in your wilderness traveling abilities, consider hiring a guide.