From the big drop at "Lava North" rapid to the Class V helicopter portage at Turnback Canyon, this river expedition leaves a lasting impression of the rugged beauty of the north. Experience the largest contiguous protected wilderness area in the world: Kluane National Park, Tatshenshini-Alsek Provincial Park, and Glacier Bay National Park. Based in Haines, Alaska, Chilkat Guides is one of the only local expedition guide service on the Tatshenshini and Alsek Rivers. With our extensive local expertise and the vast international experience and safety record of our guides, we are the premier guide service on Tatshenshini and Alsek River expeditions.

The Alsek and Tatshenshini Rivers pour out of the Canadian interior towards the Gulf of Alaska, flowing through two of the world’s most spectacular wilderness parks: Kluane National Park in Canada and the Glacier Bay National Park in Alaska. Following the paths of ancient glaciers, the river carries us into the heart of the world’s largest non-polar ice fields. This beautiful alpine region is still caught in the clutches of our last ice age, a place where the awesome forces of glaciation are still at work.

Today, most of the glaciers in the Alsek Valley are retreating; in their wake has sprung a wide variety of glorious flora. Wild flowers bloom all summer, berries carpet the hillsides, and mushrooms abound in the forests of alder, birch, evergreens, and cottonwood. On the steep hillsides, mountain goat and Dall sheep feed on lush grass. Brown bear, wolves, lynx, wolverine, and black bear flourish in the pristine valley. Moose, ducks, geese, and swans, share marshes and ponds. Eagles, falcons, and a variety of hawks soar in search of small prey. Kingfishers, jeagers, and arctic terns hover and dive for fingerlings in the river. Salmon battle the swift current of the river to return to the same spawning grounds in which they were born.

The trips reach their full crescendo at Alsek Lake, where the Grand Plateau and Alsek Glaciers create a face of ice nearly 8 miles wide, encircling a deep lake filled with huge icebergs. To see a massive piece of the glacier break off and thunder into the lake is a sight you will never forget. Towering 15,000 feet above our camp is the ice-capped summit of Mt. Fairweather, the crown jewel of the Alaskan coast.

Whitewater Rapids: The Alsek is called the "Grand Canyon of the North" for a reason. We will navigate through beautiful, wild rapids as we arc our way across this incredible landscape, churning through hundreds of thousands of gallons of water. Our experienced guides will swiftly and safely through these exciting whitewater rapids.

Turnback Canyon Helicopter Portage: We combine the once-in-a-lifetime-experience of rafting through such a glacial wonderland with the ultimate portage. See the beauty of Turnback Canyon from the air as we fly over ten miles of unpassable, rugged rapids to continue our journey down the Alsek.

Protected Wilderness Parks: We begin our expedition by travelling through Haines' Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve and British Columbia's Kluane National Park. We will raft through the Tatshenshini-Alsek Provincial Park, and end our journey in the awe-inspiring Glacier Bay National Park.

Wildlife: On the steep hillsides, mountain goat and dall sheep feed on lush grass. Brown bear, wolves, lynx, wolverine, and black bear flourish in the pristine valley. Moose, ducks, geese, and swans, share marshes and ponds. Eagles, falcons, and a variety of hawks soar in search of small prey. Kingfishers, jeagers, and arctic terns hover and dive for fingerlings in the river. Salmon battle the swift current of the river to return to the same spawning grounds in which they were born.

Glaciers: We will see and explore the Grand Plateau, Alsek, Lowell, Tweedsmuir, Vern Ritchie, Battle, and Walker Glaciers. As the trip ends in Glacier Bay National Park, there are opportunities to view glaciers several miles wide and hundreds of feet tall come thundering into the water as they calve house-sized chunks of glacial blue ice.

Bush Plane Flights: Flying over glacial peaks, tundra, sweeping plains, coastline, and spruce forest is awe inspiring. Flying via bush plane is the greatest way to exit into this dramatic landscape.

Duration: 14 days

Start Location: Haines

End Location: Yakutat

Day 1 Our Alsek River adventure begins in our hometown of Haines, Alaska, a small town located 100 miles north of Juneau on the Lynn Canal. We will hold an orientation session and check every person's gear. From Haines, we will drive 165 miles to Haines Junction in Canada’s Yukon Territory. The highway from Haines is one of the most spectacular stretched of road in the world. At first, the drive follows the Chilkat River, home of the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve. The drive then climbs out of the coastal valley into the high alpine region, a wonderland of wild flowers, glaciers, and jagged mountain vistas. Typically, we’ll camp at the put-in on the first night so we can get an early start on the river the following morning.

Day 2 After a riverside breakfast and breaking down camp, we will board the rafts on the calm waters of the Dezadeash River, setting a mellow pace for the first few days. We gain some down-river momentum at the convergence of the swift Kuskowalsh River, thus beginning the Alsek River. From here we meander our way into the ice age wilderness, a sparse environment ripe with the scars of recent glacial activity.

Day 3 We will make our way down to the Lowell Glacier – the first of many glaciers reaching right down to the river. This glacier actively moves, sending chunks of ice thundering down to the lake at its feet. Hundreds of feet up the valley walls, there are lines marking the levels of the lakes that have been formed by the glacier surging forward, completely blocking off the river. The current river flows into the lake, where we will set up camp for the first of our layover days.

Day 4 We will plan to spend the day hiking up Goatherd Mountain from our camp. From the top of the mountain, the views are breathtaking. The Lowell Glacier stretches away into the mountains nearly 65 kilometers. Its blue surface is painted with gently curving lines of rock moraine. Towering peaks jut into the heavens, and if we are blessed with a clear day, we will see the monstrous massif of Mt. Logan, the second highest peak on the continent at 19,850 feet, as well as several peaks over 13,000 feet. And as it’s name suggests, there are herds of mountain goats and Dall sheep on the mountain, giving us an excellent opportunity for photos.

Days 5-7 From the Lowell Glacier we will wind our way downstream through deep canyons with steep mountains on either side. There are several large rapids to negotiate; we will stop to scout several of them to be sure we pick the safest way through their rolling waves and crashing holes. The next day we will arrive at the largest of all the glaciers on the trip, the Tweedsmuir Glacier. It forces the river up against the wall of the valley crowding it into a narrow deep gorge known as Turnback Canyon. In Turnback, the river plunges through a ten mile series of intense rapids. Though it has been kayaked several times, it is still considered to be unsafe for rafts; we will see the rapids, but will not raft down them. We will camp above Turnback Canyon, at the foot of the glacier.

Day 8 Early in the morning, a helicopter will arrive at our camp to begin ferrying us and all of our equipment around Turnback Canyon. On the short flight you will get a great view of the area and the famous rapids that few have seen. On the other side of the Canyon we will re-inflate the boats and continue downstream. Passing the Vern Ritchie and Battle Glaciers, we approach our camp around the confluence of the Tatshenshini and Alsek Rivers. At the confluence, the river becomes a giant rolling highway, braiding across the three mile wide valley.

Day 9 As we float downstream, the mountains grow taller and the glaciers loom larger and more numerous. In the morning, we will pass into Alaska’s Glacier Bay National Park and into the sight of the massive Walker Glacier. This magnificent crystal blue glacier tumbles down to the river’s edge. We will spend the afternoon exploring the glacier, making our way up to the first of its ice falls. We will marvel at its jagged seracs, peer into its deep crevasses, and enjoy a snack on the colorful rocks of the medial moraines. Only by wandering onto the glacier can you truly appreciate just how huge, powerful, and alive these glaciers really are.

Days 10-11 We will raft down the river to a point where you can count over twenty glaciers in a spectacular panorama. The Alsek and Grand Plateau Glaciers come together at the river to form an eight mile wide face of ice arching around a beautiful iceberg-filled lake, the largest found anywhere in Glacier Bay Park. Thunder rumbles across the lake at regular intervals as the glacier spawns another berg. The entire scene is only the foreground however to one of the world’s most beautiful mountains, Mt. Fairweather. The ice-clad summit soars over 15,000 feet above our camp.

Days 12-13 The total volume of water is now in the range of 50,000 to 100,000+ cfs, five times more water than the Grand Canyon's Colorado River. We’ll spend the final days rowing through a remote region of Glacier Bay National Park and head out into the lake (weather permitting) for a closer look at the glaciers and massive icebergs. Our last camp is the most spectacular one yet. It is here that we coined the phrase “scenic overdose” for a reason!

Day 14 We will leave the Alsek Lake area for the final leg of our float trip. Fifteen miles downstream we will arrive at Dry Bay, a small collection of buildings on the coast that are the hub of a busy river fishing industry. There you will board small charter planes for the flight north to the town of Yakutat where the trip may end, but the memories will live on.

To Book Your Adventure, Follow These Steps:

1. Contact us for additional information and availability.
2. Reserve your space with a $500 deposit (per person).
3. Complete Trip Paperwork is due no later than 45 days prior to your trip.

 
Included With Your Trip:

• 13 Days on the River
• 12 Nights Camping
• 1 Night of Hotel Accommodations
• Charter flight out of Dry Bay to Yakutat
• All Meals While On River
• Sleeping Pad
• Life Jacket
• Rubber boots & gloves
• Dry Bags
• Tents - Standard Shared Option

 
**(Limited Availability of Single Tents Available for Additional Cost)**

2021 Dates: May 31, July 21
2022 Dates: May 31, July 21

DEPOSITS: A deposit will reserve your space on any expedition. Full payment is due 90 days prior to departure.

PAYMENTS: We accept personal checks, cashiers checks, money orders, Paypal, Mastercard & Visa.

REFUNDS: In the event that you are unable to join us the following guidelines will apply. All deposits include a $500 non-refundable registration free. Full Refunds, less registration fee, will be provided 90 days prior to the trip date. 25% refunds will be provided 30 to 89 days prior to trip date. Any amount retained by Chilkat Guides can be credited towards another trip if used within 12 months. No refunds will be provided within 29 days of the trip date. This policy has been established to meet the demands of planning well-organized trips. If for any reason a trip ends early there will be no refund. If you have not paid in full 30 days prior to your trips departure, and you have not contacted us regarding other payment options, we reserve the right to schedule another individual in your place. In this event, you are responsible for any associated costs.

IF YOUR TRIP IS CANCELLED: If, for any reason, Chilkat Guides has to cancel your trip, all deposits and trip payments will be refunded in full, or, are fully transferable to another course. Chilkat Guides will not be responsible for any costs associated with cancellations including, but not limited to: flight cancelation fees, flight change fees, and/or associated lodging and meal fees.

WEATHER: DELAYS AND ASSOCIATED CONSIDERATIONS: In the event that your trip is unable to depart at the scheduled time, individuals are responsible for any associated costs including food and lodging.

RELEASE, ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF RISK AND INDEMNITY AGREEMENT: All participants are required to sign our Release, Acknowledgment of Risk and Indemnity Agreement. Please take time to read this form and make yourself familiar with it before signing. If the form is signed electronically, participants may be required to sign the form in person upon arrival for the activity, but nothing shall be deemed to affect the efficacy of the electronically completed and signed form.