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The far-flung ultimate hike

By DAWN REISS
Published August 4, 2006

INVERNESS - In the early-morning hours, two sweaty men climb the stairs in Citrus' football stadium. Fifty-pound backpacks hang over their shoulders. It's 35 steps up and they know each of them well.

Most days they can be seen making the hike up and down 30-40 times. Though they like the exercise, they do this for another purpose: a wilderness trip through Alaska.

Former Citrus assistant football and track coach Joe Elizarde, 59, wasn't sure if he wanted to go. For years he has gone hiking with Apopka Marine owner Joe Bega, 50.

They've hiked the Grand Canyon and Appalachian Mountains and taken other trips far from Inverness.

"I wanted to have a true wilderness experience," Bega said. "The real thing. Not some hike on the trails."

On the Sierra Club's Web site he found the perfect trip: a 13-day hike through the Alaskan tundra several hundred miles north of the Arctic Circle through the Brooks Mountains .

"It's the last real wilderness in the world," Bega said. "There aren't any trails. There aren't any roads. You fly in and fly out or hike in and out."

When Elizarde found out, he told Bega, "I hope you have a good time."

After a few weeks, Elizarde changed his mind, joking with Bega that he couldn't go alone because he might get hurt.

Since April, they have trained several days a week at Citrus High and at Whispering Pines Park. To make sure they are prepared for the elevation changes, they hike up the stadium stairs 36 times, which equals a 1,000-foot elevation change.

"It's boring," Elizarde said. "But I'm sure it'll be worth it."

They fly to Anchorage on Sunday and will spend a week hiking through the more "touristy" areas in Denali National Park, like Mt. McKinley. A week later, they will drive 11 hours to Fairbanks. Somewhere on Dalton Highway, near mile marker 234, they will be dropped off with five other hikers. For nearly two weeks the group will hike 75 miles across the barren land of the continental divide in the Gates of the Arctic National Park.

There aren't any trails. In this part of the world, it's never dark, just twilight for a few hours before the sun rises again. Everything they need will be in their backpacks - a tent, sleeping bag and 15 pounds of freeze-dried foods, trail mixes and peanut butter. They will drink water from the streams. The weather on average is 50-60 degrees during the day and 30 degrees or cooler at night.

The price of the experience is roughly $3,000. Their flight to Anchorage is $750, which could easily buy a ticket to Europe.

"Hey maybe I should do that," Elizarde joked. "Is it too late?"

[Last modified August 4, 2006, 06:56:11]