EXPEDITION ALASKA | JULY & AUGUST 2028
From glacier to salmon river
Through the last great wilderness of North America: across ice, through mountains and by packraft to the lakes.
The story of this expedition
From Brussels you travel to Alaska. After the final gear check we board a bush plane that takes us deeper into the wilderness than any road reaches. From that moment the real adventure begins: a landscape that changes character completely in three phases. You start on ice, cross mountains and boreal forest, and finish on the water. Each part asks something different of you.
The first phase takes place on a glacier. Crampons on, roped up, working as a rope team across an ice field of crevasses and meltwater streams. Blue ice, moraines and the constant sound of water running somewhere beneath you. Here you learn what it feels like to depend entirely on your team.
Below the glacier everything changes. You descend into spruce and birch forest, over ridges and through dense brush where every kilometre has to be earned. No paths, no signposts. You choose your route on what is feasible rather than on what is short, and that is a lesson that reaches well beyond this expedition.
The final phase you cover by water. You pull your packraft from your backpack, inflate it and paddle across rivers and lakes where the salmon run upstream in these months. What you eat that evening you often catch yourself. And where there is salmon, there are bears: the two are inseparable here.
We deliberately choose July and August: the only months when the rivers are navigable, the nights stay above freezing, the light lasts almost endlessly and the salmon run is at its peak.
The story of
this expedition
From Brussels you travel to Alaska. After the final gear check we board a bush plane that takes us deeper into the wilderness than any road reaches. From that moment the real adventure begins: a landscape that changes character completely in three phases. You start on ice, cross mountains and boreal forest, and finish on the water. Each part asks something different of you.
The first phase takes place on a glacier. Crampons on, roped up, working as a rope team across an ice field of crevasses and meltwater streams. Blue ice, moraines and the constant sound of water running somewhere beneath you. Here you learn what it feels like to depend entirely on your team.
Below the glacier everything changes. You descend into spruce and birch forest, over ridges and through dense brush where every kilometre has to be earned. No paths, no signposts. You choose your route on what is feasible rather than on what is short, and that is a lesson that reaches well beyond this expedition.
The final phase you cover by water. You pull your packraft from your backpack, inflate it and paddle across rivers and lakes where the salmon run upstream in these months. What you eat that evening you often catch yourself. And where there is salmon, there are bears: the two are inseparable here.
We deliberately choose July and August: the only months when the rivers are navigable, the nights stay above freezing, the light lasts almost endlessly and the salmon run is at its peak.
Self-sufficient,
but never alone
From the moment we start we are off grid. We filter water from rivers and lakes, cook our expedition food and supplement it with what we catch along the way. Resupply is deliberately limited: you learn to ration across days instead of across meals.
You learn to work as a rope team on the ice, divide your rations across days and fish for what you eat in the evening, guided by an experienced X- Guide whom you meet well in advance during the preparation programme.
Safety & guidance
Safety is the foundation of every Element X expedition. Our X Guides are professionally trained, hold WFR certificates and have years of experience in extreme conditions.
Every expedition is equipped with satellite phones, GPS tracking, safety procedures, an evacuation plan and local support in Alaska.
Before departure we also carry out a thorough risk analysis and prepare everything down to the last detail.
Guided by real expedition leaders.
You step into nature, away from the
beaten track, but always with the certainty of experienced guidance
and safety first.
Safety & guidance
Safety is the foundation of every Element X expedition. Our X Guides are professionally trained, hold
WFR certificates and have
years of experience in extreme conditions.
Every expedition is equipped with satellite phones, GPS tracking, clear safety procedures, a fully developed evacuation plan and local support in Alaska.
Before departure we also carry out a thorough risk analysis and prepare everything down to the last detail.
Self-sufficient,
but never alone
From the moment we start we are off grid. We filter water from rivers and lakes, cook our expedition food and supplement it with what we catch along the way. Resupply is deliberately limited: you learn to ration across days instead of across meals.
You learn to work as a rope team on the ice, divide your rations across days and fish for what you eat in the evening, guided by an experienced X-Guide whom you meet well in advance during the preparation programme.
We let no one step into the unknown unprepared.
An expedition of this calibre starts months in advance. The preparation programme consists of an individual phase and a group phase.
Individual phase
Starts immediately after registration. You receive an inspiration pack with practical tips, insights and exercises to start moving like an expedition member. You gather your expedition gear using the packing list (do not buy anything yet: bring what you already have to the kick off). And you share your medical information, because the best preparation is a plan for when things go wrong.
Group phase
Starts 3 to 6 months before departure with the kick off: a full day on which you meet your team, taste the expedition atmosphere and take the first steps as a group. There we plan the follow-up moments together and the WhatsApp group starts. Training includes, among other things: getting to know the group and roles, physical screening and analysis, a personalised training schedule, technical and resilience training, gear, nutrition and sleep setup, and a final check.
Accredited service provider for the KMO-portefeuille
To help entrepreneurs and KMO leaders grow as much as possible, a leadership programme/training is linked to this expedition, which closely aligns with the adventure. This programme falls under the theme Business strategy and is eligible for subsidy via the KMO-portefeuille.
As an entrepreneur, you can receive up to 30% subsidy on the training costs of this programme. Important (!): only the training itself is eligible. Travel, accommodation, and expedition costs are not covered by the subsidy.
Accredited service provider for the KMO-portefeuille
To help entrepreneurs and KMO leaders grow as much as possible, a leadership programme/training is linked to this expedition, which closely aligns with the adventure. This programme falls under the theme Business strategy and is eligible for subsidy via the KMO-portefeuille.
As an entrepreneur, you can receive up to 30% subsidy on the training costs of this programme. Important (!): only the training itself is eligible. Travel, accommodation, and expedition costs are not covered by the subsidy.
As seen in
Picture this: a bush plane banking away and the sound slowly fading, blue glacier ice under your crampons, and two weeks later a packraft on a lake with salmon running beneath you.
During Expedition Alaska you change worlds three times without ever crossing a road: from ice to forest to water, with only what you carry, what you catch and whoever stands beside you.
Picture this: a bush plane banking away and the sound slowly fading, blue glacier ice under your crampons, and two weeks later a packraft on a lake with salmon running beneath you.
During Expedition Alaska you change worlds three times without ever crossing a road: from ice to forest to water, with only what you carry, what you catch and whoever stands beside you.
Frequently asked questions
This expedition asks for a strong physical base and fifteen days of endurance in changing conditions. You do not have to be an elite athlete, but you do have to be willing to train with purpose for months. Through our preparation programme (screening, training schedule and targeted sessions) we build your level up to expedition standard in 3 to 6 months. Glacier and paddling technique we teach you ourselves.
Very safe. We work with WFR certified expedition leaders, satellite communication, evacuation plans and clearly defined safety protocols. For bears a strict protocol applies that we train beforehand and apply daily, and on the glacier we always work as a rope team.
The full expedition programme, equipment, the bush flights, workshops, guidance, all local costs and meals are included, plus the complete preparation programme of 3 to 6 months. Flights, personal clothing and insurance are not included.
Frequently asked questions
This expedition asks for a strong physical base and fifteen days of endurance in changing conditions. You do not have to be an elite athlete, but you do have to be willing to train with purpose for months. Through our preparation programme (screening, training schedule and targeted sessions) we build your level up to expedition standard in 3 to 6 months. Glacier and paddling technique we teach you ourselves.
Very safe. We work with WFR certified expedition leaders, satellite communication, evacuation plans and clearly defined safety protocols. For bears a strict protocol applies that we train beforehand and apply daily, and on the glacier we always work as a rope team.
The full expedition programme, equipment, the bush flights, workshops, guidance, all local costs and meals are included, plus the complete preparation programme of 3 to 6 months. Flights, personal clothing and insurance are not included.
Ready for fifteen days without roads?
Taking an option is free and without obligation; your spot is only confirmed after the intake.
Koen De Leeuw
Expedition leader | Element X
“In remote terrain the landscape sets the route, not the plan you made that morning. Those who accept that grow calmer along the way instead of more rushed. That is exactly what we build in the preparation.”
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