Alatna River Packrafting Trip

No. Not at all.

In fact I recommend this trip as a great option for those folks with zero packrafting experience.

Expeditions Alaska will include all your packrafting gear. If you have your own boat you’re welcome to use it. But dry bags, dry tops and dry pants, PFDs, paddles and packrafts are all included. You’ll need your own personal clothing, base layer items, any hiking clothes, etc.

That’s up to you. We can include your tent and all the food, cookware etc as you prefer or do it yourself.

Sure. Depends how much time you want to take. But we can add in a day, or two, or three, and do some hiking along the way.

The Alatna River valley is a great wide forested floor for endless wanderings. Or if you’re up for it, we’ll climb some of the nearby ridges and get a view from high.

Sure. Depending on water levels, we may need to portage a little bit the first afternoon getting from our lake we land on, to the river we paddle down.

Distance we actually portage will vary, but it’s maybe a few hundred yards at most, generally. It’s flat, and not super hard, but will probably require a couple trips up and back.

So you need to be capable of carrying 20-30lbs at a time for a few hundred yards.

On the end of the trip, we have a similar portage from the river over to the lake. This one is maybe 1/4 mile, on a trail, and not terribly strenuous. But some for folks it might be beyond a challenge. Particularly if you have mobility or other health issues.

It’s Alaska. That means it will more than likely vary a LOT trip to trip.

We trip to plan for a simple itinerary, but we also have to understand everyone arrives for a trip in different places of health, ages, mobility and capability. So it’s not for everyone.

The paddling is about as easy as easy gets (generally – wind and weather and conditions can change that).

But primitive camping in Alaska can often involve a variables that demand more of you than you were expecting. This isn’t uncommon.

If you have mobility problems, aren’t capable of walking happily through the forest, no trail, for a few hundreds yards carrying some equipment, and helping out around camp, this might not be a great vacation choice for you.

That said, we’ve had 12 year kids do just fine on this trip. We’ve had people in their 70’s do this trip just fine.

But we’ve also had people arrive expecting one thing and found another. It’s rare, but it CAN happen. So be honest with yourself and with us about your capabilities.

I recommend folks do the Arrigetch Peaks backpacking trip then finish up back at the Alatna River and packraft from there.

We can also packraft first. Start  further upriver and packraft down to Arrigetch Creek, stash the boats and then backpack up to the high country. Experienced paddlers ONLY might suggest this route.

Can be, for sure. Early summer is worse. My preference is August/Sept. Fewer bugs, and great fall colors.

Bring a headnet and repellent.

There are quite a few bears along the Alatna, both black bears and grizzly bears. I’ve seen some most trips. Also moose. I’ve heard wolves howling at night and seen otter in the river as well.

All multi-day trips (backpacking, basecamping, packrafting, photo tours) out of Fairbanks include transport to/from Fairbanks/Bettles, 1 night accommodations in Bettles, air taxi flights Bettles/The Backcountry, group gear such as cook tents, stoves, fuel, BRFCs, bear spray, etc. Hiking poles are included if you don’t have your own.

We include a satellite phone for emergencies and one backup emergency contact device, such as PLB or Garmin InReach. First aid kits, map and compass included. All guides are Wilderness First Responder Certified.

Storage of your overnight travel gear is limited but available (keep it simple, one small overnight bag).

Outfitting of equipment such as tents is available. Expeditions Alaska can either fully outfit your trip (all food, tents, etc) or adjust things a la carte if needed.

Guide gratuities are not included but most appreciated. Trip insurance is not included. I strongly encourage you to buy it on your own. Travelex is who we steer people toward.

For a full outline of What’s included/not included, please see this page

That is trip dependent.

For backpacking trips, a fully outfitted option includes your tent (one or two person tent), all your kitchenware, food and cooking by Expeditions Alaska. A typical trip, up to 12 days long, costs an additional $450.00 per person for the fully outfitted option ($350 for 4 day trips or shorter).

Available “á la carte” options are (per person)

Tent $50.00/tent
Food/cooking $325.00 (up to 4 day trip duration)
Food/cooking $425 (any trip 5 days or longer)

For personal items such as a backpack, or sleeping pad, talk to me prior to your trip and we’ll see if we can possibly arrange something. If you need a pack I recommend you rent a backpack from a reputable local outfitter. They can find and fit a pack to you rather than “making do” with one of mine that may or may not be a good fit for you.

Items such as BRFC, bear spray, fuel, hiking poles are included gratis with Expeditions Alaska trips. See What’s Included? for more info.

If you’d like, Expeditions Alaska can handle your backcountry food for the trip. Cost depends on trip length, but it’s typically $325 for a 2-4 day trip, and $425 for a trip 5 days or longer (backcountry days).

We will organize and pack the food, handle all backcountry prep, as well as pots and pans, the stove/s, fuel and your mess kit. Assistance for cleanup and dishes is always appreciated, but not requisite.

NB: this means, if we’re doing food for your trip, you must arrive with requisite space in your backpack for your share of the food. This typically means a BV500, sized 8.7 in. diameter. (22.1cm) x 12.7 in. (32.3cm) height. There’ll also be your mess kit (cup, bowl, cutlery, etc) and maybe some additional group gear, whether it’s a fuel bottle, stove or pan or skillet. In general your guide will carry the bulk of this stuff, but we certainly can’t and don’t intend to carry all of it. So don’t arrive with a backpack packed full, no space left in it, if we’re doing your food for you. Your food goes in your pack.

More info linked on the page below.

All your questions about our backcountry food answered right here.

Trip dependent. For a 12 day backpack and packraft you can expect a different constitution of food than you’ll see on a 5 day basecamp trip.

Another thing to remember is Expeditions Alaska isn’t a simple “production line” outfit. Guides all have their own systems and menus and favorites, so we don’t have a generic “here’s your trip menu” at all. Menus vary trip to trip. Often a lot.

What I can tell you is you’ll enjoy good food. Really good food. Whether it’s a great pizza, a dish of Pad Thai or greek salad or a lentil soup, I assure you that you’ll appreciate your guides’ culinary expertise. Good food takes a bit extra effort, but can really help bring your trip experience up a notch. Or three.

We do our best to accommodate most dietary requirements, tastes and preferences. We have a comprehensive food form for you to complete and we’ll do our very best from there to put together a menu for the trip that you’ll enjoy.

This is a common question we get , and an important one. So important, it warrants its own page.

All your questions about our backcountry food answered right here.

We all do. Questions are good. That’s how we learn. Either give me a call or send me an email and we’ll go through them.

I also send out a comprehensive Trip Information Packet upon your reservation and that will usually answer your questions.

Cheers.