Ultima Thule

A former family hunting cabin, Ultima Thule maintains its homespun, American West-inspired style while serving up a hearty dose of high-octane outdoor activities.

• The dedicated pilot-guides and private Super Cub planes for all guests
• The privileged access to Wrangell St. Elias National Park
• The warm and friendly service, led by the lodge’s owners, the Claus family

Set on the Chitina River in the middle of Wrangell St. Elias National Park, Ultima Thule is a charming, multi-cabin lodge as epic as it is remote. Originally built as a family hunting lodge, Ultima Thule is owned and operated by the Claus family. It occupies a beautiful stretch of riverfront that was grandfathered into the national park system and is still privately owned. The lodge offers guests privileged access to the most remote parts of Wrangell St. Elias, accessible only by the lodge’s Super Cub planes. Surrounded by more than 13 million acres of protected wilderness—six times larger than Yellowstone and home to many of North America’s highest mountain peaks—Ultima Thule offers its guests an immersion in some of Alaska’s most impressive scenery.

With just five standalone one- or two-bedroom cabins, the lodge never hosts more than 14 guests at a time, allowing for an intimate and personalized experience. Each of the timber cabins is spacious and well-appointed with rustic, Western-style décor, such as sitting areas with wrought-iron stoves and leather armchairs, wood-framed beds and simple en-suite bathrooms with showers.The property has a main lodge with communal dining tables and a large furnished deck with sweeping views of the mountain range. An al fresco cedarwood sauna is the perfect place to unwind after a day of adventures, while the teepee and outdoor firepit serve as the ideal spot for social gatherings in the evening. The lodge grows its own vegetables in an on-site organic garden, and the chef crafts elevated comfort food using fresh Alaskan ingredients. The staff is warm and welcoming, making every effort to accommodate guests (many of whom return year after year). Given its remote location, every touch of civilization was either flown in or built on-site. Those who can overlook minor inconveniences, including restricted hours of water and electricity usage (the property runs on a generator) as well as limited WiFi, are rewarded with the untouched Alaskan wilderness that surrounds them.

Ultima Thule is located 100 miles from the nearest road, and the experience is all about exploring from the sky. With a dedicated Super Cub plane and superb pilot-guide, guests are whisked over craggy mountain ranges, through glistening ice fields, across gleaming rivers and above stunning glacial lakes on daily customized fly-out excursions in the national park. Accompanied by Alaska’s most elite bush pilots (owner Paul Claus is a renowned Alaskan bush pilot himself), guests can discover some of the world’s most spectacular landscapes.

Travelers who appreciate remote wilderness, can sacrifice certain conveniences and are excited by epic fly-out experiences. The lodge operates on a set Sunday-to-Thursday arrival and departure schedule, so a minimum stay of four nights is required.