Alaska River Rafting - Tana River Adventure

Alaska Rafting on the Tana River

TANA RIVER TRIPS

Located in the Heart of Wrangell St. Elias National park- America's largest-- the Tana River exemplifies the best in Alaska Wilderness rafting.

Flowing north off the Bagley Icefield the Tana River valley occurs at the intersection of two great mountain ranges: The Chugach and The St. Elias. The Bagley Icefield, Bering Glacier and Malaspina glaciers form the largest assemblage of glaciers in North America. Flowing 40 miles from its source glaciers to it's confluence point with the Chitina River, the Tana River Valley has remained untouched by the hand of man.

Alaska Wilderness rafting on the Tana River in Wrangell St.Elias National Park

Populated by Grizzly bear, Moose, Dall Sheep, Mountain Goats, and even Buffalo, the Tana and Chitina valleys abound with wildlife. Vast fields of wild flowers bloom throughout the summer. Once in the Chitina drainage, we'll be vastly outnumbererd by thousands of salmon headed upstream to spawn in the numerous clearwater tributaries which we'll encounter as we make our way downstream. Glacial sand dunes, abundant wildlife, towering mountain peaks and high Volume Class IV rapids combine to make this Alaska's finest multi-day whitewater expedition.

Kennicott and McCarthy Alaska Our Tana River expeditions fly out of the Histiric copper minig boom towns of Kennicott and McCarthy to our Launch point. From 1908 to 1938 miners at Kennicott worked some of the richest copper deposits ever found. McCarthy was the "sin city" where miners went to part with their earnings. The mine abruptly closed in 1938 and overnight McCarthy became a ghost town. Many of the original buildings are still standing and exploring the mine at Kennicott and the town of McCarthy is almost as much fun as exploring the surrounding wilderness areas.

Anchorage to Matanuska Glacier to McCarthy then Fly in to raft the Tana in Wrangell St. Elias National Park

Alaska Rafting with Nenana Raft Adventures

Itinerary

Day One: Depart Anchorage at 9am for McCarthy. We'll stop for a short break at our exclusive camp overlooking the Matanuska Glacier. We'll continue on to McCarthy arriving that evening. Our first night will be spent in McCarthy.

Day Two: While you're exploring the ghost towns of Kennicott and McCarthy, we'll begin flying the rafts and associated gear into a gravel bar landing zone in the headwaters area of the Tana River. You'll fly out to the river for dinner that evening. Our second night will be spent camping on the river.

Day Three: Whiterwater Day! After we explore the glacial sand dunes just downstream from our landing zone, we'll run the rapids of Tana Canyon. Our third night's camp will be just upstream of the Tana's confluence with the Chitina.

Day Four: We'll float the last few miles of the Tana, entering the Chitina drainage, stopping for lunch and a little fossil hunting just downstream from the confluence. Our fourth nights camp will be near the Chitina's confluence with the Nizina River.

Day Five: We'll continue down the Chitina, watching for wildlife and enjoying the scenery. We'll watch for closely bears as we pass the Tebay River. Our last night's river camp will be just upstream from outr take-out at O'Brien Creek.

Day Six: We'll get up early, for a leisurely float into Chitina, taking out at O'Brien Creek. From there we'll do lunch in Chitina and then pack the vans for the drive back to Anchorage. We'll Arrive in Anchorage that evening.

TheTana River is truly an Alaska Rafting Adventure Trip!