McCarthy River Tours and Outfitters Shuttle from Anchorage to McCarthy

After scooping up all the folks in and around Anchorage, McCarthy River Tours and Outfitters drove us up through the Matanuska Valley to Glenn Allen, Chitina, and into the St Elias National Park/McCarthy. Within the park boundary we spotted moose, Griz, black bear, and Eagles. Once in McCarthy we put our feet up and were amazed by the Kennicott and Root Glaciers. It felt like a high mountain Himalayan Village:)

Alaska Riviera Camp we stayed up until Sundown, MIDNIGHT!

It was incredible. Perched in a beaver back eddy, we took our time getting up before we headed down the lazy river. One day short of the monster boils of the Copper.

Van Shuttle from Anchorage to St Elias National Park, McCarthy AK

On the drive up to the St Elias National Park we passed by the beautiful Matanuska Glacier. Awe inspiring and powerful. Next trip we will plan to walk the glacier and possibly float the river:)

Morning came and this appeared on the horizon?

We were living in a postcard:)

2K on the water 18K in the sky.

Camp 3

After an incredible Rapid day through the Gorge running The On Ramp, Freeway, and Tubby's Tilt, we surfed our way through glacial sand waves and confluence merges to find this open Forest Service Cabin provided by the St Elias National Park. WOW!! While we cut wood for a giant bombfire the sweat lodge was brought up to temperature for a good old fashioned cleansing! Alaska style. It was hard to leave such a great camp. How could we top this?

Camp II at Granite Creek On Ramp to the Freeway next Exit

Granite Creek provided a great place to get a view of the Grand Canyon sized Rapids of the On Ramp and Freeway with a 1/2 mile walk downstream and an even better opportunity to hike up to a high mountain lake. Layover? Next time for sure!!

Glacial Sand Dunes before we Enter the Gorge

After the Glacier grinds the rocks to a fine sugar silt, the winds of the Tana Glacier carries the mountain exfoliation into the forest at the Sand Dune at this riverbend. It was interesting to see the Dune swallow the forest on one end of the dune and unbury the forest on the other. Magnificent happenings in the dunes were quickly drowned out by the roar of the first rapid as the braided river narrowed to a fast moving torrent through the first Class II drop. This Big Water aint so bad:)