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DAY 1: ANCHORAGE / TALKEETNA
We arrive in Anchorage today, transfer to the float plane and take a spectacular
2 hour flight to our launching point on Prairie Lake. If the weather's clear, the
unobstructed views of Denali (Mt. McKinley) and the surrounding peaks and glaciers are
breathtaking.
After a bear and safety talk, we board the
paddle rafts and exit the lake into the swift, shallow waters of Prairie Creek, a small
Talkeetna tributary. The nearly 24 hours of day light make it possible to begin our
journey late in the afternoon which greatly increases the chances of spotting bears. This
is prime grizzly bear country, especially in the middle of July, when the salmon are
spawning and it is quite common for rafting parties to see between 10 and 15 bears fishing
along the way. Upon seeing the group of rafters, the bears scamper up the bank to safety
until we pass. We enter the powerful Talkeetna near midnight and set up camp.
DAY 2-4: TALKEETNA RIVER
For the next 3 days we will paddle raft through this remote wilderness. The first
few hours on the water are mild and will be used to train crew members. Those wishing less
excitement may opt to ride in the larger more stable gear boats. Soon we enter the wild 14
mile long Talkeetna Canyon. This 14 mile gorge has been described as North America's
longest commercially run rapid. In order to insure that no one takes
a long swim in the swift, nearly continuous,
cold water (everyone will be in wetsuits) the paddle boats are escorted by a safety
catarafts similar to those we use on the Futaleufu River in Chile. On the afternoon of the
fourth day, we take out, drive a short distance back to Talkeetna and spend the evening in
a hotel.
DAY 5 DENALI NATIONAL PARK
Today we take the narrow gage train up to Denali National Park. Perhaps Alaska's
grandest park, we spend the day observing its rich wildlife and unrivaled (in North
America) mountain views. Rising majestically is the centerpiece of the park, Mt. McKinley,
towering nearly 20,000 vertical feet above the valley floor. In terms of vertical height
(from the base to summit) it is one of the tallest mountains in the world. This evening we
have a farewell dinner and spend the night in a hotel.
DAY 6: ANCHORAGE
Early this morning we take the narrow gage train back to Anchorage and transfer
to the airport for our flights back.
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