The upper Alsek River offers an unrivaled wilderness expedition experience with incredible alpine hiking and world-class whitewater amidst the glaciated landscape of Alaska and the Yukon. The Alsek and Tatshenshini Rivers pour out of the Canadian interior to the Gulf of Alaska, which flow through two of the world’s most spectacular national parks, Canada's Kluane National Park, and Alaska's Glacier Bay National Park. Following the paths of ancient glaciers, the river carries us into the heart of the world’s largest non-polar ice fields. This expedition culminates with an intimate bushplane flight offering stunning views of the surging Tweedsmuir Glacier and formidable Turnback Canyon. Rafters will transcend time as they witness the dynamic, everchanging glacial terrain, and trek thru unparalleled landscapes abundant with wildlife and wildflowers.

Today, most of the glaciers of the Alsek valley are retreating; in their wake has sprung a variety of living splendor. Wildflowers bloom all summer, berries carpet the hillsides and mushrooms abound in the forests of alder, birch, evergreens, and cottonwood. On the steep hillsides, mountain goat and dall sheep feed on lush grass. Brown bear, wolves, lynx, wolverine, and black bear flourish in the pristine valley. Moose, ducks, geese, and swans, share marshes and ponds. Eagles, falcons, and a variety of hawks soar in search of small prey. Kingfishers, jaegers, and arctic terns hover and dive for fingerlings in the river. Salmon battle the swift current of the river to return to the same spawning grounds in which they were born.

This shorter Alsek trip is ideal for adventurers with limited vacation time or seasoned travelers eager to pack as much awe-inspiring exploration into a compact timeframe as possible. With all the highlights of the first section of our full Alsek river expedition, this journey will be one for the books. Experience the splendor glacial valleys and the pure wildness of our backyard.

Whitewater Rapids: The Alsek is called the "Grand Canyon of the North" for a reason. We will navigate through beautiful, wild rapids as we arc our way across this incredible landscape, churning through hundreds of thousands of gallons of water. Our experienced guides will swiftly and safely through these exciting whitewater rapids.

Turnback Canyon Helicopter Portage: We combine the once-in-a-lifetime-experience of rafting through such a glacial wonderland with the ultimate portage. See the beauty of Turnback Canyon from the air as we fly over ten miles of unpassable, rugged rapids to continue our journey down the Alsek.

Protected Wilderness Parks: We begin our expedition by travelling through Haines' Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve and British Columbia's Kluane National Park. We will raft through the Tatshenshini-Alsek Provincial Park, and end our journey in the awe-inspiring Glacier Bay National Park.

Wildlife: On the steep hillsides, mountain goat and dall sheep feed on lush grass. Brown bear, wolves, lynx, wolverine, and black bear flourish in the pristine valley. Moose, ducks, geese, and swans, share marshes and ponds. Eagles, falcons, and a variety of hawks soar in search of small prey. Kingfishers, jeagers, and arctic terns hover and dive for fingerlings in the river. Salmon battle the swift current of the river to return to the same spawning grounds in which they were born.

Glaciers: We will see and explore the Grand Plateau, Alsek, Lowell, Tweedsmuir, Vern Ritchie, Battle, and Walker Glaciers. As the trip ends in Glacier Bay National Park, there are opportunities to view glaciers several miles wide and hundreds of feet tall come thundering into the water as they calve house-sized chunks of glacial blue ice.

Bush Plane Flights: Flying over glacial peaks, tundra, sweeping plains, coastline, and spruce forest is awe inspiring. Flying via bush plane is the greatest way to exit into this dramatic landscape.

Duration: 8 days
Start Location: Haines
End Location: Haines

Day 1 Our Upper Alsek River adventure begins in Haines, Alaska, a small coastal adventure town located 100 miles north of Juneau on the Lynn Canal. We will have an orientation session and gear check. From Haines, we will drive 165 miles to Haines Junction in Canada’s Yukon Territory. The stretch of road from Haines is one of the most spectacular in the world. At first, the drive follows the Chilkat River, home of the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve. Then we climb out of the coastal valley into the high alpine region, a wonderland of wild flowers, glaciers, and incredible vistas. Typically, we’ll camp at the put-in on the first night so we can get an early start on the river the following morning.

Day 2 We will plan to get an early start in the morning. After a riverside breakfast and breaking down camp, we will board the rafts on the calm waters of the Dezadeash River, setting a mellow pace for the first few days of the trip. We gain some down-river momentum at the convergence of the swift moving Kuskowalsh River, thus signifying the beginning of the Alsek River. From here we meander our way into the ice age wilderness, a sparse environment bearing the scars of recent glacial activity.

Day 3 We will make our way down to the Lowell Glacier – the first of the many glaciers that tumble right down to the river. As with most active glaciers, the Lowell has a lake at is base into which huge chunks of ice frequently calve with a tremendous thunder. Hundreds of feet up the valley sides there are obvious lines marking the levels of the lakes that have been formed by the glacier surging forward, completely blocking off the river. The river flows into the lake, where we will set up camp for the first of our layover days.

Day 4 We will plan to spend the day hiking up Goatherd Mountain from our camp. From the top of the mountain, the views are breathtaking. The Lowell Glacier stretches away into the mountains some 65 kilometers away, its blue surface striped with gently curving lines of rock moraine. Towering peaks jut into the heavens, and if we are blessed with a clear day, we will see the monstrous massif of Mt. Logan, the second highest peak on the continent at 19,850 feet, as well as several peaks over 13,000 feet. And as its name suggests, there are herds of mountain goat and Dall sheep on the mountain, giving us an excellent opportunity for photos.

Days 5-7 From the Lowell Glacier we will wind our way downstream through deep canyons with steep peaks on either side. There are several large rapids to negotiate and we will stop to scout several of them to be sure we pick the safest way through their rolling waves and crashing holes. We will arrive at the largest of all the glaciers on the trip, the Tweedsmuir. It forces the river up against the valley walls into a narrow deep gorge known as Turnback Canyon. In Turnback, the river plunges through a ten-mile series of treacherous rapids. Though it has been kayaked several times, it is still considered to be unsafe for rafts. We will camp above Turnback Canyon, at the foot of the glacier.

Day 8 Early in the morning, a fixed-wing bushplane will arrive to begin our exhilarating departure. In authentic bushplane fashion, we will fly in small groups of 3-4 passengers, taking off from gravel bars just up from Turnback Canyon along the Alsek riverside. Aboard this breathtaking 30-minute flight, we will soar above famous rapids that few have seen and have an opportunity to witness the grandeur of North American glacier country with once-in-a-lifetime perspective. We will land on a remote airstrip surrounded by the scenic landscape of Tatshenshini-Alsek Provincial Wilderness Park in British Columbia, where our van transportation back to Haines awaits.

Upper Alsek Registration

Acknowledgement of Risk Form

Haines Travel Info

To Book Your Adventure, Follow These Steps:

1. Contact us for additional information and availability.
2. Reserve your space with a $500 deposit (per person).
3. Complete Trip Paperwork is due no later than 45 days prior to your trip.

 
Included With Your Trip:

• 7 Days on the River
• 6 Nights Camping
• 2 Nights of Hotel Accommodations
• Bush plane from Turnback Canyon out to Mule Creek Airport
• All Meals While On River
• Sleeping Pad
• Life Jackets
• Rubber boots & gloves
• Dry Bags
• Tents - Standard Shared Option

**(Limited Availability of Single Tents Available for Additional Cost)**

2025 Dates: July, August, September
2026 Dates: July, August, September

DEPOSITS: A deposit will reserve your space on any expedition. Full payment is due 90 days prior to departure.

PAYMENTS: We accept personal checks, cashiers checks, money orders, Paypal, Mastercard & Visa.

REFUNDS: In the event that you are unable to join us the following guidelines will apply. All deposits include a $500 non-refundable registration free. Full Refunds, less registration fee, will be provided 90 days prior to the trip date. 25% refunds will be provided 30 to 89 days prior to trip date. Any amount retained by Chilkat Guides can be credited towards another trip if used within 12 months. No refunds will be provided within 29 days of the trip date. This policy has been established to meet the demands of planning well-organized trips. If for any reason a trip ends early there will be no refund. If you have not paid in full 30 days prior to your trips departure, and you have not contacted us regarding other payment options, we reserve the right to schedule another individual in your place. In this event, you are responsible for any associated costs.

IF YOUR TRIP IS CANCELLED: If, for any reason, Chilkat Guides has to cancel your trip, all deposits and trip payments will be refunded in full, or, are fully transferable to another course. Chilkat Guides will not be responsible for any costs associated with cancellations including, but not limited to: flight cancelation fees, flight change fees, and/or associated lodging and meal fees.

WEATHER: DELAYS AND ASSOCIATED CONSIDERATIONS: In the event that your trip is unable to depart at the scheduled time, individuals are responsible for any associated costs including food and lodging.

RELEASE, ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF RISK AND INDEMNITY AGREEMENT: All participants are required to sign our Release, Acknowledgment of Risk and Indemnity Agreement. Please take time to read this form and make yourself familiar with it before signing. If the form is signed electronically, participants may be required to sign the form in person upon arrival for the activity, but nothing shall be deemed to affect the efficacy of the electronically completed and signed form.