Talkeetna River

The Talkeetna River stands alone as one of Alaska's premier wilderness whitewater trips. From high alpine to lush rain forest, the Talkeetna works its way towards its confluence with the Susitna River. Along the way, you can look forward to some of Alaska's best whitewater, world class fishing, excellent wildlife viewing and a chance to watch the Alaskan brown bears feed on the spawning salmon. Highlighting this four day adventure is the decent through "sluice box" canyon, which is just part of the 22 miles of class IV whitewater that this gorge has to offer. This river is so good in so many ways, we consider it Alaska's best all around river. 

Day 1

• depart Willow and fly north along the Alaskan Range.
• land the plane on Murder Lake.
• relaxing lunch on the lakeshore.
• float down Prairie creek.  Excellent viewing of brown bears and salmon, so have cameras ready!
• depending on water levels 2 to 5 hours on the creek takes us to our sandy campsite where we will spend the night. 
• do some fishing while your guides prepare you a hearty gourmet meal. 

Day 2

•  eat a hearty breakfast. 
•  discuss the day's plans.  There are many options that we can choose from: a hike to an alpine waterfall, fish for salmon and rainbow trout or stalk brown bears with your cameras.
• have a great dinner .  
• after dinner the guide will discuss river safety issues and make plans for the next day with you.

Day 3

• non-stop, continuous, whitewater all day long!
• first rapid is called "entrance exam."  This rapid is a small shoot between two house-sized boulders.
• second rapid "toilet bowl." This is one of the most difficult rapids on the river. 
• stop for a lunch break.
• will begin the descent to the "sluice box" canyon. Words can't describe the intense whitewater combined with the deep granite canyon and the lush vegetation that hangs over the towering wills. This is the Wild of Alaska! 
• fifteen miles down river, we set our camp on a beautiful sand bar next to Iron Creek.
• after a meal and a few drinks, you'll be ready for some sleep.

Day 4

• breakfast
• rig up for some salmon fishing. Fish some of the world class streams that flow into the Talkeetna. Larson Creek, Clear Creek, and Disappointment Creek are all clear water streams that make Alaska famous for its natural salmon stocks. 
• after fishing, we will make our way down the final stretch of river towards the town of Talkeetna. This is where we will end our adventure and have a couple drinks at the historic Fairview Inn. 

Trip Instructions

Due to the frequency of late baggage arrivals, we strongly suggest that you arrive a day before the trip is scheduled to depart. 

For your comfort and safety Class V Whitewater will provide a full-length wet suit, dry top, helmet, booties and life jacket. If you own your own river equipment, feel free to use it. 

Most of our clients spend the night in the town of Talkeetna or Willow prior to the trip and after the finish of the trip. On these shoulder days, the cost of lodging and any meals are at the client's expense. If desired, we can arrange the lodging and land logistics for you. Please notify us of your arrangements for the night prior to the trip departure, as this information is helpful in the event of delayed flights.
Summers in Alaska are usually pleasant, but there is the potential of inclement weather. Therefore our equipment list will prepare you for all possible conditions. 

Equipment List

1. Sleeping bag, warm to 30 f (hollow fill) 
2. Insulated sleeping pad or foam pad
3. Waterproof rain gear 
4. Light weight nylon tent 
5. Rain hat 
6. Warm jacket or parka 
7. Wool sweater or fleece jacket (2) 
8. Wool hat that will cover your ears 
9. Fleece pants (2-pair) 
10. Fleece gloves 
11. Wool socks (4-pair) 
12. Sunglasses 
13. Long underwear (poly-pro) 
14. Bathing suit 
15. Insect repellent 
16. Tennis shoes or hiking boots 
17. Camera gear and plenty of film 
18. Dry bag for camera 
19. Fishing gear (rods must be in hard case, we can provide you a tackle list of the stuff that drives the fish crazy) 

 

Tour Prices
Tour Times	Adult	Children (6 -12 Yrs)	Children 5  Yrs & under
Talkeetna River Expedition
please call to arrange meeting time	$1350	call for prices

Alaska Tickets and Tours
PO Box 80606 Fairbanks, AK 99708
1-907-374-1999 or 1-866-374-1999 Toll Free
1-907-374-1313  Fax 
Email us at tickets@alaska.com