THE ESCAPE TO ALASKA OR BUST ESSAY CONTEST OFFICIAL RULES

Win an Alaska Trip for Four* With Alaska Wildland Adventures (AWA), Featuring AWA's New Kenai Fjords Glacier Lodge, By Entering the Winning Essay: Convince Us Why Your Family or Group of Friends Should be Selected for This 8 Day / 7 Night Action-Packed Wilderness Lodge and Wildlife Expedition, Valued at Over $12,000.

IT'S SIMPLE: CONVINCE US WHY YOU AND YOUR GROUP SHOULD ESCAPE TO ALASKA IN 500 WORDS OR LESS.

First Prize Winner receives 8 Day Alaska Wildland Adventure for up to 4 participants inclusive of all meals, transportation, guided services and gratuities as noted in itinerary; airfare to Alaska not included, alcoholic beverages and other incidentals also not included. Trip may be taken in 2009 or 2010.
*any group qualifies; two cabins allocated; five participants may be considered if your entry is really, really special.

8 Day, 7 Night Alaska Wildland Adventure, Detailed Itinerary: Featuring AWA's new Lodge, Kenai Fjords Glacier Lodge, valued at over $12,000.
B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner

Day 1: Pickup at Anchorage International Airport. Transfer to Kenai Riverside Lodge near Chugach National Forest. Orientation and dinner. D

Day 2: Full day Kenai Canyon Raft Trip. Arrive at Kenai Backcountry Lodge in the Wilderness of Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. BLD

Day 3: Exploration at Kenai Backcountry Lodge. BLD

Day 4: Transfer to Kenai Riverside Lodge; afternoon hike in Chugach National Forest. BLD

Day 5: Transfer to Seward, Alaska, for marine wildlife and glacier cruise tour in Kenai Fjords National Park. Arrive at Kenai Fjords Glacier Lodge. BLD

Day 6: Full day exploration at Kenai Fjords Glacier Lodge

Day 7: Morning at Lodge; afternoon boat tour to Seward, Alaska. Evening ride on Alaska Railroad to Anchorage. Overnight at hotel in Anchorage (included). BLD

Day 8: Depart airport to home city.
Note: AWA reserves the right to provide the same core accommodations and activities in a different sequence, depending upon availability of product and dates selected by winners.

5 Second Place Winners will receive coupons redeemable for 40% off on any Alaska Wildland Adventures trip* for the 2009 season for up to 4 participants, on a space available basis, as determined solely by AWA.

10 Third Place Winners will receive coupons redeemable for 20% off on any Alaska Wildland Adventures trip* for up to 4 participants, on a space available basis, as determined solely by AWA.

Up to 30 other valid entries will receive a coupon redeemable for 10% off on any Alaska Wildland Adventures trip* for the 2009 season for up to 4 participants, on a space available basis, as determined solely by AWA.

Total Estimated Savings Possible Depending on Trip Selected (based on a group of 4):
Second place, 40% off prize = From $760 - $9100
Third place, 20% off prize = From $380 - $4560
Up to 30 Honorable Mention entries, 10% off prize = From $190 - $2280

*Offer can not be combined with any other offer and may not apply to any trip previously booked with AWA. Coupons may be applied toward any AWA All-Inclusive Vacation, Alaska Lodge Package or Alaska Adventure Package in the 2009 season, space available, with the exception of Denali Kantishna Explorer, Denali Kantishna Adventure and any AWA Trip Add-Ons not directly operated by AWA. Domestic or international airfare to Alaska is not included in AWA trips. Full trip inclusions and exclusions will be explained at the time of coupon redemption.

Eligibility
The Contest is open to entrants 21 years of age or older as of April 20, 2009, subject to limitations on prizes as provided by law. Other family or group members must be seven years old or older to participate. Employees or families of employees of Alaska Wildland Adventures and any of its related companies are not eligible to participate. The Contest is subject to all federal, state and local laws and regulations. Judges and members of the Review Panel (and their immediate family members and members of the same households, whether related or not) are not eligible to participate. Void outside of the United States, and where prohibited by law.

Contest begins April 17, 2009 and entries must be submitted anytime between April 20, 2009 and May 22, 2009. Entries submitted electronically or received by mail (Alaska Wildland Adventures, P.O. Box 389, Girdwood, AK 99587) after 11:59 pm May 22, 2009 will not be considered. Winners will be selected by June 5.

One person per party must make the entry, and every entry must be registered on the official contest website at www.alaskatripcontest.com. Entry must meet the following requirements:

Essay may not exceed 500 words. You must submit a photo of your family or group of friends with your essay, and the photo may not exceed 600KB.

Participants agree to abide by the terms of these Official Rules and by the decisions of the Sponsor which are final and binding on all matters pertaining to this Contest.

Judging
AWA's panel of judges will have sole decision-making authority in picking the winning essay. Guest votes and comments by viewers will be considered on an advisory basis. All decisions will be final. Judges will make their choice based on what they believe to be the finest combination of the following qualities:

Originality
Creativity
Relevance to Contest Theme
Entertainment and/or education value
"Wow!" Factor
Compelling reasoning
Adherence to guidelines
Judges will refer to votes from viewers on and "advisory" basis

Judge Panel
The judges for the Escape to Alaska or Bust Essay Contest shall be selected by the Sponsor. The decision of the Judges shall be final. The Judges take this responsibility seriously and will have serious fun in reviewing and selecting winners. The Judges Panel will be posted on the Contest Web Site by May 27, 2009.

Judges Panel:
Meghan Chappell
Heather Dudick
Amy Uhde
Kirk Hoessle
J. Mark D.
Julie J.

Web viewers are invited to vote on any entry; these votes are advisory only.

The Judges alone will select the winning submittals. 

Sponsors
The 2009 Escape to Alaska or Bust Essay Contest is sponsored by Alaska Wildland Adventures, PO Box 389, Girdwood, Alaska 99587. All inquiries and mailed submittals should be directed to Escape to Alaska or Bust Essay Contest at the address above.

Contest Procedure and Rules
The Sponsor has created contest to give away a free Alaska trip and other discount offerings as noted below.

Entry may NOT contain: Any copyrighted material not in the public domain or for which you have not obtained the rights to use; 3rd party material for which you have not obtained the rights to use; 3rd party stock photography or artwork for which you have not obtained the rights to use; nudity, lewd or vulgar behavior; offensive language and/or gestures.

All entries will be posted to the Contest Web Site with your first name and the state where you live, but no other identifying information will appear unless permission is granted. All entries must be appropriate for all audiences. Entries referencing sex, drugs, or violence will be disqualified. Any entry that includes content that is deemed inappropriate, indecent or obscene, as determined by the Sponsors in their sole discretion, will not be eligible.

Entrants represent and warrant that (i) submitted entries: are their own original creations and do not infringe any other person's or entity's rights; (ii) they have obtained permission, if applicable, from the people featured in the entry to enter this Contest; and (iii) the submission of the idea will not violate any enforceable agreements or understandings that the entrant has with any third party.

There can be only one entry per traveling party. Entries must be made in English. Each entry must be submitted in the name of one, and only one, entrant. You must also provide your email address, mailing address, phone number, and confirmation of your eligibility when you submit an entry. By entering the Contest you grant the Sponsors the right to contact you regarding your entry, publicize your entry, promote your entry for any other purpose related to the Contest and/or broadcast your entry.

Cost
There is no cost to participate in the Contest. No purchase is necessary.

Prizes
The Sponsor reserves the right to substitute prizes of equal or greater value. Prizes are non-transferable, nor are assignable without the expressed written permission of the Sponsor. The prizes are not redeemable for cash.

Grant of Rights in Material Submitted
Submission of an entry constitutes the irrevocable right to Sponsors of all rights in the entry, all rights to use, copy, sublicense, edit, modify, make derivative works, publish, exploit, transmit, distribute, publicly perform, publish, delete or display the content of and elements embodied in the submittal and the submittal itself, in whole or in part, in perpetuity in any and all media (whether now existing or hereafter devised) without limitation, and without consideration or acknowledgment to the entrant and the unconditional right to use the idea and statements about the entry for advertising/publicity purposes without additional compensation, except where prohibited by law.

Notification: Provision of Phone Number, Address & Email
Winners will be notified via email within approximately seven (7) business days after determination that they are eligible to receive a prize. They will be asked to confirm their phone number and mailing address. Entrants who do not provide a phone number and mailing address with their initial submission will forfeit any prizes. If an entrant cannot be reached by email within ten (10) business days of the first attempt to notify them, the prizes may be forfeited and the next successful entrant will receive said prizes.

In the event that an extraordinary number of entries are received, the date by which the winners will be chosen by the judges may be extended. In such case, the subsequent dates for voting and announcement of winners will also be extended. Notice of such change will be posted on the Contest website.
 
Delivery of Prizes
Prizes in the form of trip coupons will be sent by mail to the addresses provided; shipping costs are included. The Sponsors shall not be responsible for misdelivery of any documents and/or prizes provided that the Sponsors address the documents and/or prizes to the address provided by the winner.

Announcement of Winners
The Sponsors will announce the winners and post their full names and city and state of residence on the web site following the completion of the Contest.

Use of Winners' Names and Likeness
Each winner who accepts any prize will be deemed thereby to have granted to the Sponsors the right, at any time and from time to time, to print, publish, broadcast and use, worldwide and in any media now known or hereafter developed, including but not limited to, the Internet and world wide web, the name, portrait, picture, voice, likeness and biographical information of each such winner as news or information and for advertising and promotional purposes without additional consideration, except where prohibited by law.

Disqualification
The Sponsors reserve the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify any participant that it determines, in its sole discretion, is ineligible to participate in the Contest. Failure to comply with these rules may result in a participant's disqualification.

Limitation of Liability
If for any reason the Contest is not capable of running as planned, including infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, or any other causes which corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of this Contest, the Sponsors reserve the right at their sole discretion, to disqualify any individual who tampers with the Contest, and to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Contest. The Sponsors assume no responsibility for any error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operation or transmission, communications line failure, theft or destruction or unauthorized access to, or alteration of, entries. The Sponsors are not responsible for any problems or technical malfunction of any telephone network or lines, computer online systems, servers, or providers, computer equipment, software, failure of any e-mail to be received by the Sponsors on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet or at any Web site, or any combination thereof, including any injury or damage to participant's or any other person's computer related to or resulting from participation or downloading any materials in this Contest.

Limitation of Remedies
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES, INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE, SHALL THE SPONSORS OR AFFILIATED ENTITIES OR ITS SUCCESSORS OR ASSIGNS, OR ANY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS AND REPRESENTATIVES BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INCIDENTAL, INDIRECT, SPECIAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, OR EXEMPLARY OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOSS OF PROFITS OR HARM TO BUSINESS OR REPUTATION, ARISING OUT OF PARTICIPATION IN THE CONTEST, POSTING ON OR ACCESS AND/OR DOWNLOAD OF ANY MATERIALS OR INFORMATION FROM ANY WEB SITE OWNED, OPERATED OR CONTROLLED BY THE SPONSORS OR AFFILIATED ENTITIES, OR ACCEPTANCE OR USAGE OF A PAYMENT, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION DAMAGE TO PROPERTY AND, TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, DAMAGES FOR BODILY OR PERSONAL INJURY, EVEN IF THE SPONSORS OR ANY AFFILIATED ENTITES, THEIR SUCCESSORS OR ASSIGNS, OR ANY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, SHAREHOLDERS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS OR REPRESENTATIVES HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES OR LOSS. THE AGGREGATE LIABILITY OF SPONSORS ARISING OUT OF ANY KIND OF CLAIM (WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT, OR OTHERWISE) SHALL NOT EXCEED $1.00. SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THE ABOVE LIMITATION OR EXCLUSION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.

Amendments
The Sponsors reserve the right to suspend, cancel, terminate or modify the Contest without advance notice, and thereafter to re-commence such Contest, if at all, only at such time(s) and upon such terms and conditions as we shall deem reasonable under the circumstances.

Severability
If any one or more provisions of these Official Rules are held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability shall not affect the validity, effect or enforcement of any other provision or provisions of these Official Rules.

Winners List
A list of winners will be posted on the web site at the conclusion of the Contest. For a copy of the winners list, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to Escape to Alaska or Bust Essay Contest, Attn: Winners List, P.O. Box 389, Girdwood, AK 99587.
 
Official Rules
For a copy of the official rules send a self-addressed stamped envelope to above address marked Escape to Alaska or Bust Essay Contest, Attn: Rules, P.O. Box 389, Girdwood, AK 99587.

Jurisdiction; Venue
Any dispute that may arise hereunder, if not settled by the parties directly or through alternate dispute resolution, shall be brought solely in the appropriate state or federal court sitting in Alaska, and participants consent to the personal jurisdiction and venue thereof.