Rafting the Copper River, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Alaska

The Trip

Descend from the sunny Alaska interior 98 miles by raft on the Copper River through one of the most deep, thickly forested, glacier-bearing canyons anywhere, ending near the rugged Gulf of Alaska coast. Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve forms the eastern side of the river corridor for three quarters of our river journey while the western side is the wilderness of the Chugach National Forest. Wrangell-St. Elias National Park has been called the Mountain Kingdom of North America, epic, awesome and huge.

Words don't do justice to the outsized majesty of the Park: more than 16 Yosemites would fit within its boundaries. This spectacular park includes the continent's largest assemblage of glaciers and the greatest collection of peaks above 16,000 feet. The Copper River and this park are also known for their extensive delta ecosystem full of birds, as well as for prolific runs of wild salmon, which are among the world’s most highly prized stocks. 

We meet in Anchorage and have a short optional orientation hike. Then the next day we are shuttled to near the small town of Chitina where we launch our journey on the swift, high-volume Copper River, heavily laden with glacial silt. Amazingly, this river carries nearly as much water near its terminus as the Mississippi. Along the way, we'll camp and have time to hike, explore, and spot wildlife. As we get closer to Prince William Sound, we'll cross paths with several glaciers, including the enormous 40-mile-long Childs and Miles glaciers with their giant ice columns.

Experienced professionals will guide oar-powered rafts. Each boat will have up to four passengers, along with all the trip's gear, food, and equipment. This lets us to carry fresh food, enjoy baked treats from Dutch ovens, day hike without heavy packs, and see more of wild Alaska than would be possible on a backpacking trip. The river will do our work. With approximately 18 hours of daylight, we will have plenty of time to look for, observe, and appreciate the incredible diversity of flora and fauna of the region. Mammals living here include mountain goats, caribou, moose, grizzly bear, black bear, lynx, wolverine, river otter, wolves, fox, beavers, and porcupines. 

The Copper River Basin lies along major migratory routes for numerous bird species. Wetland areas provide seasonal homes for nesting geese, trumpeter swans, ducks, and other waterfowl. Golden and bald eagles, peregrine falcons, gyrfalcons, pine grosbeaks, black-capped chickadees, and several woodpeckers nest within the park. Year-round residents include willow ptarmigan, spruce grouse, ravens, goshawks, and great horned owls. Red, silver, and king salmon, along with rainbow trout, lake trout, grayling, steelhead and Dolly Varden all use Park waters to spawn. Fishing is sometimes possible in side streams, but limited in the river due to the silty nature of the water.

There is a short, optional, guided familiarization hike in Anchorage in the afternoon of day one. You’ll see and learn about common and uncommon plants and animals plus hear about new conservation developments in Alaska. Then at 7 p.m. we will meet in Anchorage for an orientation meeting before the start of the trip. Details will be provided after you sign up. At this meeting we will go over arrangements for our departure the next morning, and you will be able to ask any last-minute questions.

Below you will find a typical itinerary for the trip, but weather can conspire to require changes. Generally, we will float from four to six hours a day. Once we hit the water, we'll be traveling on river time and letting the river, wildlife viewing possibilities, and general mood of trip participants set the daily schedule. This lets us take advantage of any fun opportunities.

Day 1: In the afternoon, we'll have an optional and guided familiarization hike in an Anchorage-area park. At 7:00 p.m. we'll meet for a mandatory pre-trip orientation. Meals and lodging today are not included in the trip price.

Day 2: After a no-host breakfast we will travel by van from Anchorage to the put-in near Chitina, with a stop for lunch (included in trip price). Here you will get and pack your waterproof gear bags, pick up any rental equipment you have reserved through your Sierra Club leader, and listen to a safety orientation. Then we will begin this classic Alaska river rafting expedition led south down the Copper River by the strong, fast current. 

Days 3-6: The mighty Copper has carved a path directly through the Coast Range to the ocean. On these days of our adventure we float through the Copper River valley, where we'll take time to hike to spectacular sand dunes and waterfalls, and look for grizzly bears fishing for salmon. The Copper River valley widens. Glacial sand from the Wrangell and St. Elias Mountains has been carried for millennia by the Copper and Bremner rivers, deposited and sculpted into dunes and plateaus. We'll keep an eye out for seals swimming upstream to fish for salmon.

Day 7: We'll arrive at Miles Lake after passing through Baird Canyon and running Abercrombie Rapids. This fun stretch of big waves proved a formidable obstacle to river navigation at the turn of the century before the 1964 earthquake substantially changed the river. We'll enjoy the exciting ride through the canyon before floating into the lake, which forms a unique arena for sprawling glaciers, icebergs, harbor seals, seagulls, and the 8,000-foot-high mountains of the Chugach Range. If time allows we will spend time taking a short walk across the sand bars to the face of the Childs Glacier. As we row across Miles Lake, we'll absorb the sights and sounds of Miles Glacier as it calves huge icebergs into the water. 

Day 8: We float past many islands and waterfowl in the vast Copper River Delta to our take-out at Flag Point. After lunch, we will be shuttled to the town of Cordova, where the trip officially ends in Cordova. Your Sierra Club leader will try to organize an early no-host dinner in Cordova. In Cordova you have several options for transportation, lodging, and fun (none of these things in Cordova are included in the trip price). For example, there are fishing or ocean wildlife charters available from Cordova. Information will be provided about these options when you register.

Getting There

Our trip will begin in Anchorage and end in the town of Cordova. We will meet in Anchorage at a hotel in downtown on day one. Most trip participants will fly into Anchorage, a city served by most major airlines. Do NOT schedule your arrival and departure times too tightly; allow some flexibility in your flight plans. For more information about Anchorage and the wide variety of day trips and excursions from the city, contact the Anchorage Visitor Center, at (907) 276-4118, or www.anchorage.net, and talk to your Sierra Club leader.

On day eight we will be transported from the river to the town of Cordova, where the trip officially ends. In Cordova you have several options for transportation and lodging. These range from catching a flight from Cordova to Anchorage that night, spending a night or two exploring in this fishing town, or taking the Alaska State Ferry from Cordova to Seward and then the train back to Anchorage (several days of travel). If you want to fly to Anchorage right away, you are strongly encouraged to not fly home from Anchorage to the Lower 48 that night; instead flying out the next day when you are rested and have the most flight options.

Accommodations and Food

The guides will cook delicious, well-balanced meals with fresh ingredientsevery day in camp. Breakfasts may include French toast, pancakes, eggs, cereals, or Dutch oven-baked muffins. Lunches will often consist of build-your-own sandwiches, with fruit, nuts, or cookies to accompany them. Dinners can be anything from Italian to Mexican to Thai, even including fresh-baked brownies or cake for dessert. Juices, coffee, tea, hot cocoa, as well as boxed wine and beer will be provided. Vegetarians can be accommodated. Please inform the trip leader of any dietary restrictions well in advance of our departure date.

The trip price includes meals from day two lunch to day eight lunch, beer and box wine at dinner, a shuttle from Anchorage to the river trip launch site, rafts and rafting gear, life jacket, heavy duty rubber boots, experienced guides, and a shuttle from takeout to Cordova. The trip price does NOT include transportation from Cordova to Anchorage, nor a shuttle/taxi from the Anchorage airport. Guide tips are not included. The typical range for guide tips is $10-$25 per person per day.

Trip Difficulty

This is a trip of intermediate difficulty. Anyone in good health and physical condition, who knows how to make sometimes adverse conditions an adventure, not an ordeal will enjoy this trip. You are participating in a Sierra Club outdoor outing in Alaska, with Mother Nature in charge of the unpredictable weather. Rain is a constant possibility, as is sun. That is the reason why the state is so green and the wildflowers are so beautiful. Flexibility and good clothing are the keys to an enjoyable Alaskan wilderness experience.

While suitable for first-time rafters, the trip length requires some prior wilderness camping experience. The river is generally fast, high volume, cold and somewhat turbulent, but there are no rocky rapids. The rapids are rated class II (easy) and one is class III (intermediate). You will be expected to assist in loading and unloading duffels and other equipment from the rafts and attend to your own campsite. There are optional hikes at camp that go on sometimes sandy, brushy and/or rocky paths. There are no formal trails on this trip. 

Typically, July and August are the warmest and among the driest months in Alaska. However, weather in the Copper River corridor is very changeable. Sun, rain, wind, fog, and more are common. Temperatures may reach the 80s on clear days, but will likely range between the 40s and the 70s, with overnight lows usually in the 40s and 50s. Winds coming across the glaciers can add a significant wind-chill factor to overcast days. Prepare for pesky insects. We will hope for ideal conditions and be prepared for the unpredictability of wild nature.

Sierra Club outings in Alaska are special experiences in true wilderness, but they also carry an element of risk. Trip locales like this one are often remote, away from sophisticated medical care and immediate evacuation possibilities. Alaska trips now carry satellite phones, but even with this technology, communication with the outside world can be difficult and emergency assistance can be days away. Alaska weather is unpredictable, and inclement weather can be severe. Among other hazards are cold river and stream crossings, tidal activity, calving glaciers, the psychological effects of remoteness, and the presence of large wild animals. You're in good hands, though, so don't worry. Your trip leaders have vast experience in the Last Frontier, and they'll provide all the guidance you need.

Equipment and Clothing

The leader will send a detailed equipment list to all participants. The guides will provide each person waterproof bags to hold gear and clothing, as well as a small dry bag to hold items such as a camera or binoculars that you need access to while you're on the river. Lifejackets, plates, cups, and utensils will be provided.

Often, days are filled with sun and temperatures range from the 40s to the mid-80s, but cold rain and wind are equally possible. Nights are cooler with lows typically in the 40s and 50s. Clothing should work well in layers to accommodate weather changes. Bring waterproof outerwear. You will need a very good three or four-season, low profile tent with rain fly, sleeping bag and pad, which you can bring or rent from the outfitter. The outfitter will provide you knee-high rubber boots for walking in wet conditions. 

References

Maps:

• Trails Illustrated (1: 375,000): "Wrangell-St Elias National Park"
• USGS Alaska topos (1:250,000): "McCarthy," "Valdez," and "Cordova"

Books:

• Gallaher, Samme, Moonlight Madness: Tales from Alaska’s Copper River Valley.
• Gallaher, Samme. Sisters: Coming of Age and Living Dangerously in the Wild Copper River Valley. Highly rated historical account from the 1920s and 1930s.
• Hunt, William R., Mountain Wilderness: An Illustrated History of the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve.
• Michener, James, Alaska. Epic tale tracing the evolution of Alaska from prehistoric to modern times.
• Muir, John, Travels in Alaska.
• Murray, John A. (Ed.), A Republic of Rivers: Three Centuries of Nature. Writing from Alaska and the Yukon. Includes the voices of missionaries, explorers, Native Americans, miners, backpackers, scientists, and fisherman.
• Ott, Riki, Alaska's Copper River Delta. Twenty-two artists present their visions of the largest delta in Pacific North America, including ecological, geological, and historical information. 
• Page, John W., and Jill De La Hunt, Exploring the Alaska: Yukon Bordercountry.

Websites:

• Wrangell-St. Elias National Park
• Sierra Club Alaska Chapter
• Southeast Alaska Conservation Council
• USGS Alaska Science Center

Conservation

Southeast Alaska is no longer remote from the influences of the industrialized world. Oil exploration and extraction, cruise ship traffic, expanded tourism, mining activities, intensive and expanding exploitation of marine fisheries, and climate change all pose threats to the biodiversity of Alaska's ecosystems including their sustained productivity.

The aging Alyeska oil pipeline in the upper reaches of the watershed poses one of the greatest threats to the Copper. A break in the pipeline would greatly harm the river and delta wildlife. To protect the Copper River Delta's unrivaled wilderness and wealth of wildlife, the Sierra Club and National Wildlife Federation helped create the Copper River Delta Coalition, a partnership of Alaska Native and local, regional and national environmental organizations to protect it. We will become aware of these threats, conservation proposals, what must happen to protect this fragile and unique landscape and how you can help.

A national Sierra Club conservation program, Our Wild America (OWA), is based on the belief that America's public lands are held in "public trust" for and by all Americans, providing opportunities to enjoy the great outdoors and come together to share experiences. OWA fights to preserve our wild heritage from threats related to mining, drilling and climate disruption. Specific program elements include: keeping dirty fuels in the ground; increasing the number of national monuments and designated wilderness areas; protecting natural areas near cities; and protecting and restoring forests. Join in this effort. For more information on OWA see: http://content.sierraclub.org/ourwildamerica. 

Sierra Club National Outings is an equal-opportunity provider and when applicable will operate under permits obtained from U.S. federal land agencies.