July 14: Departure Day, Seattle to Fairbanks
Group Meeting:
At 5:00 PM, meet your leader and fellow students at the Alaska Airlines check-in counter (outside of security) at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA). This is the official start of your Putney program!
Group Flight:
The group will fly on Alaska Airlines flight #117 departing Seattle (SEA) at 7:45 PM, arriving in Fairbanks (FAI), at 10:17 PM local time (3 hours, 30 minutes en route).
July 14–16: Fairbanks
Begin your journey in the far northern city of Fairbanks, a former gold-rush boomtown, and dive into an in-depth orientation to get to know your fellow group members and leaders. Visit an acclaimed native heritage center to learn about the Athabascan heritage in the region, hear stories from a native storyteller, and watch a traditional dance performance.
July 17–19: Denali
Explore the boreal forest, tundra, sand dunes, and glaciers of Denali National Park from our base camp on the Nenana River. Watch for moose and their young grazing in the early morning, or grab some binoculars and learn to recognize a few of the over 100 species of birds that call the park home. Hike wilderness trails with an outdoor educator and conservationist, and scout for bears, wolves, caribou, and white Dall sheep.
July 20–23: Girdwood
Explore the glaciated coastline, tide pools, and boreal forests of the Kenai Peninsula from our base in Girdwood. Go rafting on a glacial lake amid blue icebergs, trek across a receding glacier with experienced guides, or pan for gold at an historic mine. Spend an afternoon at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, which takes in injured or orphaned wildlife and rehabilitates animals so they can be reintroduced to the wild.
July 24–26: Homer
Stay the night in the seaside town of Homer at a wilderness education center, then spend two nights in rustic yurts at a coastal marine research station on Kachemak Bay. Kayak with scientists and conservationists to learn about the extreme tidal zones of the Kenai Peninsula, and scout for whales, otters, puffins, and sea lions. Enjoy campfires on the water with new friends and present your independent project to the group.
July 27: Anchorage
Travel back to Anchorage and spend the final night of the program sharing stories of your adventures.
July 28: Return Day, Anchorage to Seattle
Group Flight:
The group will fly on Alaska Airlines flight #104 departing Anchorage (ANC) at 8:15 AM local time and returning to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) at 12:31 PM (3 hours, 15 minutes en route).