River Rafting
Experience the thrill of Alaska river rafting in the largest National Park in America. Wrangell-St. Elias is made up of over 5000 miles of glaciers and the several rivers that flow from them. The isolation and grandeur of the mountains and glacial peaks will fill you with awe as you glide past them. Many of these rivers are inaccessible except by raft or boat and offer gorgeous views of wildflowers in the summer. Watch carefully and you may get a glimpse of a black bear, moose, or dall sheep during your river rafting trip. This is an experience you won’t want to miss!
Rafting Guiding Companies
There are three local guiding companies in the Kennicott area that offer river rafting trips
St. Elias Alpine Guides
St. Elias Alpine Guides offers a full day river rafting experience with a four hour float trip from the Kennicott River to the Chitina River. Along the way, they serve a lunch “feast” on a sandbar while you enjoy some of Alaska’s most spectacular scenery. When your raft trip ends at the Chitina River, a small airplane will pick you up and fly you back to McCarthy. They also offers 3-4 hour rafting and inflatable kayaking tours around the toe of the Kennicott Glacier. www.steliasguides.com
McCarthy River Tours and Outfitters
One of the newest guiding companies in Kennicott, McCarthy River Tours and Outfitters offers half day and full day leisurely rafting trips on the glacier lake at the end of the Kennicott Glacier and also full day rafting trips down the Kennicott River. www.raftthewrangells.com
Kennicott Wilderness Guides
For the more adventurous, Kennicott Wilderness Guides is now offering full day introductory packrafting trips. The trips are 6-8 hours and begin with a short hike starting at the toe of the Kennicott Glacier. Once in the water, you will learn the basics of packrafting technique and then test your skills on class 1 and 2 and possibly class 3 rapids before ending the trip with a half mile float along the edge of the glacier. No experience is necessary. kennicottguides.com
The Kennicott area is also a great place to start multi-day rafting trips. You can contact St. Elias Alpine Guides, McCarthy River Tours and Outfitters, or Kennicott Wilderness Guides for more information.