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:)

Camp 1 Windless behind Tranquil Ridge

Camp 1 was first class all the way. Who would have guessed two Beaver flights would have delivered so much gear. Being Virgins of the Tana, we spent the night sipping good beer and talking of the Big Grand Canyon + size Rapids ahead! After Bear proofing camp we retired to our tents with the first day on the 30K water in the record books.

Wrangell Mountain Air Taxi

Wrangell Mountain Air Taxi dropped us at the foot of the Tana Glacier in 40 mph winds! Another day in the office for Don our pilot. River trips are about the biggest pain in the ass for these guys and one would have never known it. He packed us in like sardines with a smile. Don's the man!

Airplane Shuttle Day to the base of the Tana Glacier

Everyone was very impressed with the professional services of Wrangell Mountain Air. Don, our pilot, worked his tail off to cram 3 NEW 16 Ft boats and all the high end gear needed for a wilderness adventure into the tail of his sturdy plane. McCarthy River Tours and Outfitters Gear was specially designed for airplane travel and super sturdy as we soon would find it necessary to test to the limit:)

Touchdown at the base of the Tana Glacier

Though the winds were ripping down the Tana Glacier and into our incoming air shuttles, Don put us down on the gravel bar like another day at the office:) And then the work began. Jaw dropping scenery made the rig seem like a blink. We were in the water before we knew it and steaming for camp just behind Tranquil Ridge. On the water the wind was ripping downstream but Nick suggested camping behind Tranquil ridge. Though the common off glacial winds blew us downstream the Tranquil Ridge a natural wind block. It was unnatural how when we walked out to grab something from the boats 40 mph winds were blowing and just up the beach past the block it was dead calm. Incredible.