Copper River Expedition

Highlights

• Paddle from the mountains to the sea
• Raft past calving glaciers
• Wrangle St. Elias National Park's finest river

Full Description

Born of huge ice fields covering the Alaska Chugach and Wrangell-Saint Elias mountain ranges, the Copper River is Alaska's fifth largest river. It carries a tremendous volume of silty water at an awesome pace, emptying via the famous Copper River Delta to the Gulf of Alaska near Prince William Sound. The rivers that contribute to the Copper are themselves large and all of them seem eager to get to the sea in a hurry. Daily we will see moving bodies of water collide in awe-inspiring whirlpools, glaciers carving mountains into rubble, and some of the most dramatic landscapes in the state.

We begin rafting near the small historic village of Chitina. Almost immediately we are swept along into the staggeringly beautiful wood canyon. We get to run Class II rapids, and the river is always in a hurry to get to The Gulf of Alaska, literally cutting through mountains. We encounter canyons in steep-walled valleys in the upper river, but as the river merges with its tributaries and enlarges, we encounter rows of mountain faces and broad views. We also pass Childs Glacier on the lower river. The Childs calves chunks of blue and white striated ice into the river to float along with us.

As we paddle and camp our way toward the Sound, we can see favorite Alaskan wildlife like moose, black bears, bald eagles, foxes, and brown bears. The Copper has extensive sand bars and we often see animals crossing them. The brown bears are impressively large from feeding on the rich stocks of salmon that climb the river. They have a better time fishing than we will, but it is possible to catch salmon in clearer side streams. We’ll camp on the same sand bars the critters use, where the camping and walking are the best. Hiking is good along the river and creeks, but to go far afield from the rivers is to learn the meaning of “bushwhack”. You really have to work to hike beyond the river corridor. There are cut banks and bare hillocks we can climb to get a view. There is a region of sand dunes - glacial till - that is always good fun. Imagine running the Copper’s largest rapid, Abercrombie Rapid, with bears on the shore and harbor seals bobbing around you- both looking for a meal of salmon.

The world’s largest avian migration occurs on the Copper River delta each spring. Long past at this time of year, the Copper River in summer - even in its upper reaches - provides good birding.

For this trip, no paddling experience is required, as instruction is provided. Everyone joins in the fun of paddling the boats under the guidance of a raft captain. Sometimes the paddling becomes work for all, but we do have the benefit of good current the whole way.