My revised Alaska packing list

I’m a type A traveler, so I extensively researched my Alaska packing list. Alaska weather can be pretty unpredictable, so I read a lot of travel blogs and articles for advice about what to pack. Our trip was seven total days: two traveling to and from Alaska, four on the train, and a cruise down to the Kenai Fjords. The weather in Alaska in late July ranges from the 60s to 70s with chances of rain. The fjords will be colder because it’s an open water trip. We’re planning to pack the heavy stuff (like boots) in a checked bag, and we’ll each take a lighter carry-on with the other stuff.

We wound up taking a trip to the outlets in Castle Rock for some of the outerwear before our trip. We each bought hiking boots and jackets. I found my pants at the Peterson BX, and we bought Mac’s at Bass Pro Shop. We opted for waterproof pants to be a bit more weather-flexible. Jeans don’t dry that quickly, and we wanted to be comfortable and not cold if we happened to get wet. I packed the standard three layers: a base layer (t-shirts), an insulating layer (a zip-up fleece), and a waterproof outer layer.

We packed clothes that we could wear around the hotel or out to eat that were neither pajamas nor our hiking gear. I packed a dress, and Mac had jeans and a polo or two. Also, make sure you pack extra clothes if you plan to do anything outdoorsy in case you get wet or dirty. I would recommend one or two total changes of clothes. We never got that wet or dirty, so we didn’t need to change.

Clothing

– Waterproof hiking boots (Lisa: similar to these; Mac: similar to these)
– Waterproof pants (Lisa: similar to these; Mac: similar to these)
– Rain jacket (Lisa: similar to this; Mac: similar to this)
– Fleece layer
– Base layer shirts
– Underwear
– Moisture wicking socks
– Normal socks
– Gloves and hat
– Underwear
– Non-pajama lounge wear (yoga pants for me)
– One or two regular outfits if you plan to go out to eat / aren’t spending your whole trip in the back country
– Jammies
– Flip-flops (or other casual shoes for lazing around the hotel)

Other non-clothes stuff

– Camera and gear (lenses, battery, charger, rain sleeve, tripod, extra memory cards)
– Phone chargers
– Sunscreen
– Bug spray
– Toiletries
– Granola bars for Mac’s breakfast

What I would add

– A water bottle. Bottled water is super expensive (at least $2-3 per bottle), so my own bottle would have been easier and cheaper.
– Long john pants. The waterproof pants were an excellent choice, but ***overshare*** my butt gets really cold. Long underwear would have gone a long way on our Kenai Fjord cruise. It was around 60 degrees in the town of Seward, so it was much cooler out on the water. My legs weren’t very insulated out on the boat deck, and I was cold.
– Glasses. Guess who’s worn glasses since the age of 7 and still forgot to pack them?
– A better backpack. My camera gear is bulky, and a backpack would’ve made walking around easier.

What items were on your Alaska packing list?