Source to Sea: Rafting 3 Rivers in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Alaska

The Trip

The Source to the Sea Expedition is the ultimate Alaskan sightseeing, wilderness, and rafting adventure. Our trip combines days driving to McCarthy and exploring this seldom visited area with 15 days of wilderness rafting through the heart of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park on the Nizina, Chitina and Copper Rivers. Immersed in wilderness, you’ll discover a new sense of scale in an almost surreal landscape of majestic mountains, calving glaciers, icebergs, waterfalls, and boreal forests. At 13.2 million acres, the Wrangell-St. Elias is the largest National Park in the United States combining 9 of the 16 highest peaks in the country and the continent’s largest assemblage of glaciers.

A unique mix of land and water-based activities, our trip includes hiking, touring, and rafting. After meeting in Anchorage, we’ll shuttle 8 hours north to the historic mining and mill town of McCarthy, the gateway to Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. After four days enjoying land-based activities including hiking and private guided tours, we’ll have orientation and gear shakedown meeting with our river guides. On day five we’ll take a scenic bush plane to the Nizina Glacier which will be the start of the rafting portion of our trip. Two weeks, three rivers and countless memories later we’ll complete our incredible journey from the river’s headwaters high in the mountains to its final outlet on a coastal delta.

We’ll stay in lodges and eat restaurant fare during the land based portion but the majority of the trip we’ll be tenting under the sky enjoying expertly prepared meals at riverside campsites.

The lands now called Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve have been home to Alaska Natives for thousands of years. Today the Ahtna, Upper Tanana, Eyak and Tlingit are the four Alaska Native groups that call Wrangell-St. Elias their home and continue to live from the land and practice traditional subsistence activities. Their deep history and connection to the land is apparent through rich traditional knowledge, oral traditions, living memory, and the continued use and appreciation of the land.

Day 1: Our trip begins in Anchorage Alaska, officially during our mandatory pre-trip Sierra Club meeting at 7pm in a local hotel to be determined. Arrive in Anchorage the night before or by mid-day to join an optional afternoon hike along the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail. You’ll need to make your own hotel, dinner, and breakfast arrangements since they are not included in the trip price.

Day 2: Early the following morning we’ll take an 8-hour shuttle from Anchorage up to the historic town of McCarthy where we’ll stay 3 nights at the historic Kennicott Glacier Lodge in Wrangell St. Elias National Park. We’ll take private guided tours and have time to hike and explore the area on our own.

Day 3: We’ll take a full-day guided glacier walking tour to the Root Glacier, an icy wonderland of enormous blue pools, cave-like features, deep canyons, and gorgeous waterfalls.

Day 4: We’ll take an historic Mill Town tour through the abandoned copper mining town of Kennicott, where we’ll have exclusive access to the 14-story Concentration Mill and learn the fascinating history of one of the richest copper strikes in history. In the afternoon we’ll meet our head guide back at the lodge for an Orientation and Gear Shakedown meeting. They’ll review our itinerary, go over the menu, make sure that we are properly outfitted for the trip, and distribute/fit any needed equipment. Rental camping gear should be reserved well in advance through the Sierra Club leader. After making sure we’re prepared for the adventure ahead, our guide will coordinate plans for pick-up the following day.

Days 5-8: We’ll fly by bush plane deep into the Wrangell St. Elias wilderness to access the put-in at the headwaters of Nizina River - the largest tributary of the Chitina River. We’ll begin our trip where the Nizina Glacier melts and calves into a huge terminal lake filled with enormous icebergs. This land-locked, mountainous landscape of white capped peaks and ice eventually gives way to thick boreal forests and spectacular 500-foot vertical cliffs of exposed limestone. We’ll raft 5 days on the Nizina through the heart of the Wrangells, traversing east to west nearly the entirety of the park. Though each day will be full of new sights and experiences rafting long distances, we’ll make time for day hikes to observe wildlife, visit ethereal waterfalls and secret caves while learning history. Whether relaxing beneath stars or clouds, each night at camp immersed in and prepared for Alaskan backcountry wilderness sharing good food, stories and laughter guarantees fond memories. We’ll finish this portion of the trip with a splash through the Nizina Canyon where class III rapids twist through tight bends amid gorgeous scenery before our first take out at the confluence of the Nizina and Chitina Rivers.

Days 9-11: Where the Nizina joins the larger Chitina River, we’ll float for 3 more days stopping for hikes and exploration. When we reach the town of Chitina at the confluence of the Chitina and Copper Rivers, the scenery changes dramatically. Exiting the narrow Nizina canyon, we’ll join the much broader weaving channels of the Chitina which originates from a glacial icefield over 100 miles upstream. The Chitina, a large volume river offering swift Class III whitewater to start, mellows into a wild and scenic float as we reach the second half of the journey. Large, braided river stretches alternate with gorges funneling the river into single channels winding towards the Copper River. Flowing West to East, the Chitina is the divider between the Wrangell Mountains to the North and the Chugach Mountains to the South. With its headwaters deep in the Wrangell-St. Elias Mountains, the geological history of different mountain ranges, can be seen along the beaches. Keep your camera ready for sudden moose, bear or eagle sightings rafting through oxbow turns. We’ll take out at the little fishing village of Chitina and spend the night in a rustic lodge with welcome hot showers, warm beds, and the chance to repack in preparation for the next leg of our journey.

Days 12-19: We’ll drive from the lodge to the put-in on the Copper River then float southeast for seven more days towards the Gulf of Alaska near Cordova. From the dry interior of the Wrangell-St. Elias to the lush Copper River Delta on its way to Prince William Sound, the Copper River is the only river to cut through the impressive Chugach Mountains. The varied landscape includes everything you think of when you think “Alaska” – white-capped mountains, calving glaciers, wildlife and world-famous salmon runs. Numerous bird species migrate through the Copper River basin including golden and bald eagles, peregrine falcons, gyrfalcons, pine grosbeaks, black-capped chickadees, and several species of woodpeckers. Nesting geese, trumpeter swans, ducks, and other waterfowl utilize numerous wetland areas along the river. Glacial sand from the Wrangell and St. Elias Mountains, carried for millennia by the Copper and Bremmer rivers is deposited and sculpted into dunes and plateaus where we’ll hike, visit waterfalls and likely see grizzly bears fishing for salmon navigating near past them. After passing through Baird Canyon and running Abercrombie Rapids we’ll arrive at Miles Lake. We’ll encounter fun, big waves which proved a formidable obstacle to river navigation at the turn of the century before the 1964 earthquake substantially changed the river. We’ll reach the lake amid sprawling glaciers, icebergs, harbor seals, seabirds, beneath 8,000-foot Chugach peaks. If time allows we’ll take a short walk across sand bars to the face of the Childs Glacier. As we row we’ll absorb the sights and sounds of Miles Glacier calving huge icebergs into Miles Lake. 

Nearing the coast and the end of our trip, days are filled with glacier exploration and hiking opportunities with close-up views of massive rivers of ice. We’ll head west through the widening river delta to our take out at “Flag Point,’ where a van will shuttle us 25 miles back to the historic Orca Adventure Lodge in Cordova. We’ll celebrate our final night together with a post-trip dinner (not included in trip price) and share stories and laughter, trials and tribulations, and lasting memories of our epic journey.

Getting There

Our trip will officially begin in Anchorage on Day 1 and end in the town of Cordova on Day 19. Please make your own hotel arrangements and plan to arrive in Anchorage by mid-afternoon on Day 1 or come a day or two early to explore the area on your own. There will be a mandatory pre-trip orientation meeting with the Sierra Club trip leader at 7pm on Day 1. Most trip participants will fly into Anchorage, a city served by most major airlines. Do not schedule your arrival and departure times too tightly, please allow some flexibility in your flight plans. Plan on making your transportation plans from Cordova on Day 20. There are regularly scheduled flights from Cordova to Anchorage and the Alaska State Ferry system runs from Cordova to Seward or Valdez if you want to continue visiting Alaska.

Please do not make non-refundable travel arrangements until notified to do so by the trip leader.

Accommodations and Food

Included in the trip are a van shuttle from Anchorage to McCarthy, all meals from day two lunch to day nineteen lunch, lodging (with meal plan) in McCarthy, Chitina and Cordova. (post-trip dinner not included) Guided tours of the Root Glacier and the Kennicott Mill Town. Scenic 25 min. bush flight to the put-in. Also included are experienced Alaskan river guides, 16-18 ft. rafts, rafting gear, life jackets, heavy duty rubber boots, tents, and a shuttle from the takeout to Cordova. The trip price does NOT include transportation from Cordova to Anchorage, nor a shuttle/taxi from the Anchorage airport. Note: guide tips are not included in the trip price. The typical range is $10-$25 per participant per day.

Our trip will include 3 days of lodging (shared double occupancy) near McCarthy at the Kennicott Glacier Lodge (with a meal package) at the beginning of the trip, 1 night at the rustic Chitina Lodge (shared double occupancy) during the middle of the trip (with dinner and breakfast) and 1 night (shared double occupancy, lodging only) at the Orca Adventure Lodge in Cordova at the end of the trip. All other meals and snacks will be provided by our guides in camp or while we are on the river.

The trip price includes meals from day two lunch during the van shuttle to day nineteen lunch at the Flag Point take-out. Alcoholic beverages at the Kennicott Glacier Lodge are not included in the meal package and can be purchased separately.

Our river guides will cook delicious, well-balanced meals with fresh ingredients every day in camp. Vegetarians, gluten-free and dairy-free restrictions can be accommodated. Please inform the trip leader of any dietary or medical restrictions well in advance of our departure date. Our guides will provide mugs, plates and eating utensils for every meal.

Breakfasts on the river 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 fresh seafood, to Italian, Mexican or Thai… even including fresh-baked brownies or cake for dessert. Juices, flavored seltzer, coffee, tea, hot cocoa, as well as boxed wine, beer, and hard seltzers will be provided. You are welcome to bring your favorite beverages in cans or in non-breakable containers. (no glass) No alcohol consumption is allowed during the day or while on the river. This is for your safety,and the safety and enjoyment of others.

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, this extended trip length requires 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. You can expect to go on a short hike or two each day, usually 1-3 miles total and up to ~200 ft. of elevation gain. Please keep in mind that there is no truly “easy” hiking terrain in the Wrangells and often the most interesting places require a little extra effort to get to. There aren’t any trails where you’re headed, so most hikes will be up dry creek beds or along the brushy edges of the river. Longer and more challenging side hikes may be accessible, depending on the plan for each day.

Typically, July and August are the warmest and among the driest months in Alaska, however the weather is still often unpredictable. Sun, rain, wind, fog, and more are common. Temperatures may reach the 80s on clear days, but will likely range between the 50s 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 always carry satellite phones, but even with this technology, communication with the outside world can be difficult and emergency assistance can be days away.

Equipment and Clothing

The Sierra Club leader will send a detailed equipment list to all participants. The guides will provide each person with a large waterproof bag to hold gear and clothing, as well as a smaller dry bag to hold items such as a camera or binoculars that you may need access to while on the river. Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs), splash gear, and knee-high rubber boots for walking in wet conditions will be provided. Shared 2-person tents are included in the cost of the trip and upgrades to a private tent may be available. (some campsites have very limited space for setting up tents) If you'd like to bring your own tent, it needs to be a very good three season, low-profile tent with a rain fly and vestibule. Sleeping bags and sleeping pads are available for rent or you can bring your own. (rated to 15 degrees)

Often, days are filled with sun and temperatures range from the 50s 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 abrupt weather changes. The key to enjoying yourself is to be properly dressed and ready for anything. Use the layering method that allows you to add or subtract layers as the weather changes. It can be very cold and wet at times, so you must have clothes that keep you warm even if you're not dry… ie wool, fleece, or synthetic clothing. Cotton absolutely must be avoided. Bring a fully waterproof set of raingear. Sometimes “Gore-tex or breathable” rain jackets are not completely waterproof in a downpour, so consider packing the type of heavy rain jacket and pants favored by Alaska fishermen. You’ll be dry and toasty no matter what. While we’re on the river your suitcases and excess gear and clothes will be securely stored and transported to Cordova for you to pick up after the trip.

References

To fully enjoy the trip, you will want to read one or more books on the natural and human history of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and the historic mining and mill towns of McCarthy and Kennecott before we depart. This outing is unique in many ways and it would be a shame not to come intellectually well prepared. Even a rudimentary grasp of the region's natural and human history will greatly enhance your experience. 
The following are especially recommended:

• Muir, John, Travels in Alaska. The classic, by our Sierra Club founder and inspiration.

• Wayburn, Peggy, Adventuring in Alaska. The Club's excellent travel guidebook, written by one of the Club's most impassioned defenders of Alaskan wilderness.

• National Geographic Trails Illustrated Topographic Map: Wrangell-St.Elias National Park and Preserve. A great map to get the lay of the land during our trip.

• Kizzia, Tom, Cold Mountain Path: The Ghost Town Decades of McCarthy-Kennecott, Alaska.

• McPhee, John, Coming into the Country. An engaging introduction to Alaska, especially for McPhee fans.

• Williams, Maria Shaa Tlaa, editor. The Alaska Native Reader: History, Culture, Politics. This collection of essays describes indigenous worldviews, languages, arts and other cultural traditions as well as contemporary efforts to preserve them.

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 Alaska 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.