British Colombia White Water Rafting
Why the Tatshenshini - Alsek?
The Tatshenshini River, rated as one of the world's top five scenic rivers, drains the northwest corner of B.C. and the southwest corner of the Yukon Territory. The river joins the Alsek River just before the Alaska border and continues through the top of the Alaska panhandle to drain into the Pacific Ocean at Dry Bay. This special river valley has been designated as a Provincial Park and achieved World Heritage status, protecting it for generations to come. Shakespeare's assertion that "Man is the measure of all things" could not have been made by anyone who has spent time in Alaska and the Yukon. In this land, man is humbled by the sheer mythic proportions of the landscape. The rivers and the vastness of space were made for Titans to roam and explore; the towering mountains were merely their thrones.
The Terrain
Our journey will take us through alpine tundra, towering mountains with massive glaciers that often reach into the river and finally out onto the narrow coastal plain. This is a primeval land of the grizzly, the raven and the eagle: wilderness in its purest form. It has always been difficult to visit this remote corner of the world and settlements are few and very far between. The trappers and prospectors who came through in previous centuries endured extreme hardship to travel in the area -many did not survive the harshness. But "The Spell of the Yukon" has always been there and even today, Alaska and the Yukon have a place in the psyche of every adventurous North American.
This trip offers you a way to get completely away from civilization. On the river you will see no cars, no bridges, no wires. You will not hear a telephone or a television. A fax machine will seem as far away as it did 20 years ago. But if you ever thought of this part of the world as empty, a few days on the Tatshenshini will change that impression. Distances between things may be great but the abundance of life that manages to make the most of the short summer and long days will constantly surprise you and you will see why this region has become the largest international wilderness area in the world.
The Rivers
The Tatshenshini drops 1950 feet from Dalton Post, Yukon to Dry Bay, Alaska and the whitewater section lasts approximately 45 minutes with a maximum gradient of 50 feet per mile. The river itself is characterized as Class III but is misleading because of its remoteness. The upper Tat runs highest in June with the spring snowmelt yet the Alsek peaks in early July because of melting glaciers. The hotter the weather, the longer the high water will hold, leaving medium to moderate levels for September.
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Details |
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Price Includes |
(WR-24893-P) |
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Skilled professional guide service |
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11 days/10 nights of deluxe camping |
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All meals from Lunch Day 1 through Dinner Day 10 |
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Vintage wines, liqueurs, imported and micro brew beer in camp |
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Expedition equipment, including 2-person shared tent, sleeping bag & pad, personal flotation device and dry bags |
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Transfer from Whitehorse to the river and flight from the river back to Whitehorse |
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All park fees and necessary permits |
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Price Excludes |
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Transportation to and from Whitehorse
Accommodations in Whitehorse
Airport taxes and fees
Excess baggage charges
Insurance of any kind, including travel and mandatory medical and evacuation insurance
Fishing gear and license
Items of a personal nature and equipment outlined in personal equipment list |
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Rivers |
Tatshenshini-Alsek River |
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Suitability / Level |
Class III (Beginner) |
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Minimum Age |
13 |
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Itinerary
& Highlights |
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Tatshenshini - Alsek Sample Itinerary
Day Zero
Today is your arrival day in Whitehorse. At 8:00 PM we'll meet in the hotel lobby of the High Country Inn to go over any last minute details and prepare for our morning departure for the river.
Day One
We will depart at 9:00 AM for the 2 1/2 hour drive to the put-in at Dalton Post. From Whitehorse we'll head North on the Alaska Highway to Haines Junction and then west along the Haines Road to the Dalton Post turn off. At this old abandoned trading post, we'll meet the other guides, load the rafts and leave civilization behind us. This first day, we will run a number of lively Class III rapids through the gorge then emerge, a few hours later, into a wide open valley to see our first views of the mountains with their hanging glaciers. That night, we'll set up camp at Silver Creek.
Day Two and Three
The river will slow down a little as we float through this incredible valley. Upon entering B.C., the river meanders through lush landscape and is home to a variety of birds, moose and beaver. The mountains to the southwest will seem to get larger as we pass the river terraces, all the while keeping a watchful eye out for the elusive blue bear, grizzly, mountain goat and wolf. Various tributaries double the size of the river and every turn produces a fantastic panoramic view. We will spend two days stationed near Sediments Creek where we can hike and explore the alpine region’s most diverse ecosystem.
Day Four and Five
We'll continue down the Tat and stop for lunch at O'Connor Creek. Every day the scenery will get more spectacular; mountains rise to 8,000 feet; glaciers hang from every mountainside. The river valley will continue to widen as we reach our camp near the confluence with the Alsek River. Here there are great hiking opportunities along the river terraces where wildflowers carpet the ground.
Day Six and Seven
We join the mighty Alsek River flowing from the North as we travel through the braided channels. The river will seem to narrow as the mountains reach for the sky. A 360-degree look will reveal over 50 glaciers as we near our camp at Walker Glacier. We'll marvel at the crevasses and hike onto the massive moraines. Later, around the campfire, we'll enjoy some fine scotch with 10,000-year-old ice collected from the glacier earlier in the day.
Day Eight and Nine
Cutting through the Brabazon Range, we'll pass the massive Novatak Glacier which is the tip of one of the largest ice fields outside of the polar regions. To the south, 15,300-foot Mount Fairweather, the fourth highest mountain on the continent, will dwarf our very existence. Tonight, we'll camp on the spit that separates the Alsek River from Alsek Lake, a five kilometer lake located at the bottom of the massive Alsek Glacier. In the afternoon, we will paddle out to the edge of the glacier and watch as giant, 100-foot pieces of the ice calve off with a thunderous roar and form icebergs in the lake. Our view from camp is one of the most spectacular anywhere on earth.
Day Ten and Eleven
Today we’ll float through the icebergs in Alsek Lake as we make our way south of the Gateway Knob. Cruising in and out of the ice makes for an exhilarating morning and fantastic photographic opportunities. After breaking camp on Day 10, we'll float the last miles down to the airstrip at Dry Bay on the shores of the Pacific Ocean. Here, we'll disembark, collapse the rafts and board the plane for the spectacular flight over the mountains back to Whitehorse. Once back in civilization, it's off to the hotel and a well deserved hot shower. Tonight, we'll all get together for a last toast to the Tatshenshini and plan our next adventure together.
Day Twelve
Depart for home at your leisure. |
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Accommodation
& Centre Details |
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Reservations and Deposits
An $800/person non-refundable deposit is required at the time of reservation. The balance is due 120 days prior to departure.
Cancellations and Refunds
If you find it necessary to cancel your trip, please notify us as soon as possible. All cancellations are not refundable. We regret we cannot make exceptions for personal emergencies. For this reason, we strongly urge you to investigate trip insurance (see Insurance).
If you transfer from one trip to another, there is a $50/person charge up until 120 days before the trip. Transfers made after this time will be treated as cancellations.
Medical
Under most circumstances, if you are of an adventurous spirit and in reasonably good health, you should have no problem enjoying a R.O.A.M., Inc./RO.A.M. Adventures, Inc. trip. People with medical conditions, including pregnancy, should have a physician’s approval before taking an adventure travel trip.
Insurance
Although every effort is made to insure a safe trip for all, we strongly recommend that you protect yourself, your belongings, and your vacation through the purchase of a short-term traveler’s policy. A trip cancellation policy covers your non-refundable payments in most cases, should you have to cancel your trip at the last minute due to illness or injury. Trip participants should realize that in the event of illness or injury on an adventure travel trip, evacuation can be prolonged, difficult and expensive. Personal belongings and cameras are carried entirely at the owner’s risk, and R.O.A.M., Inc./R.O.A.M. Adventures, Inc. accepts no responsibility for lost, damaged, delayed or stolen property.
Acknowledgement of Risk
Everyone is required to sign an Acknowledgement of Risk form before the trip, acknowledging awareness that some risks are associated with the trip. Safety is of the utmost concern on our trips. However, due to the nature of the activities, a condition of your participation is that you will sign this form and return it to our office before the trip begins. Anyone who refuses to sign the form will not be allowed to participate, and consistent with R.O.A.M. cancellation policy, there will be no refund of the trip fees at that time. |
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