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Tlikikila River - Lake Clark National Park

Canoeing in Alaska with Alaska Alpine Adventures

Highlights

  • An unparalleled Alaskan rafting adventure on the milky white Tlikiklia River
  • Experience stunning Lake Clark National Park's dramatic peaks and peaceful countryside
  • Abundant wildlife: bears, sheep, moose, eagles and more

Full Description

Join Alaska Alpine Adventures for an incredible rafting trip down the spectacular Tlikikila River in Lake Clark National Park.

People have called the flight through Lake Clark Pass one of the most stunning in Alaska. It takes you through a rugged canyon walled on either side by dramatic peaks, tumbling glaciers, and spectacular waterfalls. Dense green vegetation clings to the steep hillsides in stark contrast to the white glaciated basins above and the chalky Tlikikila River cuts a wide and braided swath beneath it all. This is Alaska at its finest, the epitome of wilderness and the essence of Lake Clark National Park. The one way to top a flight through Lake Clark Pass is to float through it. To raft these silty waters from the summit to Lake Clark is to take part in a whitewater journey that few ever have, and to behold the surrounding beauty from the river itself is a treat like no other in Alaska.

Includes:

  • All group gear (tents, stoves, fuel, inflatable canoes, life jackets,  dry bags, etc.), satellite phone,  and safety equipment
  • Ground Transportation to Chugach State Park and Lake Hoood on Day 1
  • Round trip bush flight transportation from Anchorage to Lake Clark National Park
  • Professional guide service at a maximum 4:1 client to guide ratio
  • All meals from lunch on day one through lunch on the final day of the itinerary
  • Storage for your extra travel items while in the field

Excludes:

  • Lodging in Anchorage prior to and after your adventure
  • Personal gear (sleeping bags, packs, rain gear, etc.)
  • Trip cancellation insurance
  • Alcoholic beverages
  • Guide gratuities

Day by Day Itinerary

Day 1

This morning, our group will meet at 9am in Anchorage. After a short orientation and gear check, we will then make the drive to Chugach State Park where you’ll take a beautiful hike and enjoy a trail side lunch with your guide. By early afternoon, we’ll then make our way to Lake Hood Seaplane Base, the busiest float-plane airport on earth, where we’ll board a floatplane bound for Lake Clark National Park and our home for the next 5 nights. This 1 hour scenic flight will take us over alpine tundra, braided rivers, and cascading waterfalls. Our skilled bush pilot will then take us down to a small lake nestled in Lake Clark Pass, where we will unload our gear on a small beach and then wave the airplane goodbye. We’ll set up camp on the lake, bask in the newfound solitude, and then take short early evening hike before dinner. Lunch and Dinner Included.

Day 2

We'll spend first day in the wilderness portaging gear to floatable water and familiarizing ourselves with the dynamics that have helped to create the beauty around us. By late afternoon, we’ll be on the river and enjoying the pure majesty of Lake Clark National Park as we paddle the milky white Tlikiklia in our inflatable canoes. These boats, called SOARs, are amazing. Not only are amazingly stable and comfortable, they are also incredibly easy to paddle! By the end of the first day, you will be comfortably navigating the river – even if you’ve had very little rafting experience. All meals included.

Day 3-4

By the end of the 3rd evening, we'll reach the confluence of the North Fork where we will make camp on a gravel bar alongside an unnamed creek. Within Lake Clark Pass the surrounding mountains seem to completely envelope the river, and the surrounding countryside is both humbling and breathtaking. From these spectacular campsite locations, we may spend time hiking up creek beds in search of waterfalls, moose, bears, and sheep. And the rafting on these days will offer both beauty and challenge as we encounter a couple of Class III rapids along the way. All meals included.

Day 5

We will spend our last full day floating to Lake Clark. As we enter the lake, keep in mind that in the Fall, Sockeye Salmon spawn in huge numbers in the milky waters beneath the boat, and from that point we are nearly 200 miles from saltwater! As we finish our dinner beneath 4000' granite cliffs, our sleeping bags will beckon us after an amazing day. All meals included.

Day 6

After our final breakfast in the wilderness, we’ll break down camp and prepare to return to civilization. As the floatplane descends on the Lake, we’ll depart knowing that this amazing place has made lasting impact on our souls. We’ll return to Anchorage by early afternoon. Join us for this unparalleled Alaskan rafting adventure! Breakfast & lunch included.

About The Operator:

Alaska Alpine Adventures

Headquarters:

Anchorage, Alaska

Established:

January 1998

Alaska Alpine Adventures was conceptualized during many seasons of exploration throughout Lake Clark National Park by founders Dan Oberlatz and Derek Nelson. During this time, we held odd jobs and lived a life focused on climbing, skiing, and hiking as much of Lake Clark as we could possibly afford. Work simply meant the means to pay for our next flight into the wilderness, and time spent in the wild was the currency we preferred to earn. From first ascents and descents of remote peaks of the Alaska and Aleutian mountain ranges, to extended backpacking trips and speed hikes, our lives were rich with Alaska experience and the lifestyle was wealthy. Our explorations fostered a profound appreciation and respect for the Alaska wilderness, a remarkable skill-set, and a passion for pure wilderness travel. Furthermore, our collection of experiences became the seed for Alaska Alpine Adventures, which became a reality in 1998.

Since our early days on Lake Clark, it is the blend of "what we do" and "who we are" that has made AAA. We are quite simply a group of explorers and naturalists sharing with our guests the incredible beauty of Alaska—The Great Land. Our goal and passion is to give participants the opportunity to experience, through pure adventure travel, the exhilaration, the wonder, the grandeur, and the solitude of Alaska's magnificent national parks and wildlife refuges.

As guides, however, we are more than simply leaders into the areas we venture. Throughout the Alaska Alpine Adventures' experience, we endeavor not only to share these amazing landscapes on foot, raft, skis, or kayak, but also to help our clients develop a sense of commitment to and appreciation for the vast public lands we visit. We strive to be good stewards of the truly wild and intact ecosystems we explore, and are committed to educating ourselves and others to respect and protect the wilderness areas that make these wonderful experiences possible.

Because we promote the educational component of our expeditions, we tend to attract visitors bent on exploring and experiencing "real" Alaska - rather than simply "peak bagging" or "thrill seeking." We believe that this is also due in large part to the fact that we project conservation ethics, cultural awarness, and environmental commitment throughout all aspects of our enterprise.

Our impressive collection of experiences represents not only our history, but also the blueprint for the future of Alaska Alpine Adventures. When you choose to travel with us, you can rest assured that your trip has been meticulously planned and executed by real Alaskans with authentic Alaska know-how, skill, and ability.