NIZINA RIVER
RAFTING TRIP
Multi Day
- Rafting
Raft the heart of the Wrangells!
Fly deep into the wilderness to access the headwaters of this great Alaskan river. The source of the river, the Nizina Glacier, melts and calves into a huge terminal lake, filling it with enormous icebergs – a unique sight in this land-locked, mountainous landscape.
White capped peaks and ice give way to thick forrest and tall cliffs – a mile high, in fact! Expansive views from the great, braided riverbed eventually funnel you into the splashy class III rapids of Nizina Canyon to finish the trip with a bang!
A classic Wrangells float, the Nizina River provides access to some of the most incredible features of the Park. A mix of flying, floating, and hiking make for the ultimate Alaskan adventure!
- See the source of an Alaskan glacial river
- Spend a day exploring the icebergs of Nizina Lake
- Camp right under the Mile-High Cliffs
- Great mix of rafting and hiking
- Fly in and out of the backcountry in a bush plane
Trip Details
Trip Length
5 days
Total Mileage
55mi
Whitewater
Class II-III
Access
Bush flights in and out of McCarthy
Max Participants
12
Min Age
8 yrs old
Rates
2 Participant
$5,275/person
3 Participant
$4,400/person
4-6 Participants
$3,040/person
7-9 Participants
$2,700/person
10-12 Participants
$2,420/person
Group Trip Rates determined by # of participants
Group Trip Dates
5-Day June 25-29, 2024
OR
7-Day June 25 – July 1, 2024 Nizina + Chitina Rivers
Private Trips with custom dates are available. Schedule a call with our Expedition Coordinator to plan your Private Trip today!
The “Alaska Factor”
There is a reason Alaska has such a rugged allure for the lower 48 and beyond: it is still wild! This raw and untamed landscape offers our clients the opportunity to authentically pioneer new territory and have real adventures. Part of embracing the “Alaska Factor” is understanding that things may not always go as planned and expecting the unexpected. Water levels might rise, snow might fall, glaciers may shift and move – the landscape is dynamic and unpredictable is what makes Alaska, Alaska!
All of our trips are customized as they unfold and your guide will fluidly make decisions based on weather, logistics, and group dynamics to maximize each day’s experience. There can be quite a bit of variation, but on each trip we promise a big slice of the real Alaska and authentic adventure!
DAY 0
DAY 1
Your guides will already have most of camp set up so you can spend some time on the water, paddling around these larger-than-life icebergs and enjoying the mountain views. Camp at the edge of the water and watch the current and tides move the ‘bergs around.
DAY 2-4
After a delicious breakfast and packing up camp you’ll get back on the water and make your way to the mouth of the river. You’ll feel the strong currant sweep you downriver as you set upon your journey through the heart of the Wrangells.
Moving away from the glacier, you’ll eventually reach the Mill High Cliffs – “the Grand Canyon of Alaska” these dark striated, beautiful cliffs reach straight for the sky, pierced by ethereal waterfalls, whisping away into nothingness.
Each day you’ll see something new, covering ground on the raft and taking out for lunch and day hikes to ethereal waterfalls, secret caves, and historic artifacts! Plenty of time at camp will allow a comfortable and full immersion into the wilderness, surrounded by the sights and sounds of the Alaskan backcountry.
Evenings full of deliciously prepared and hearty meals, games and great conversation prepare you to enjoy a night under the stars – or the midnight sun, depending on the time of year!
DAY 5
Finish the trip with a bang! Enjoy your final backcountry breakfast and hit the splashiest part of the river so far – the Nizina Canyon. Class III rapids swing you around the tight bends of the scenic canyon before your final takeout – the confluence of the great Nizina and Chitina Rivers. Listen for the buzz of your bush plane pick-up as you pack up your gear and enjoy a final scenic flight back to McCarthy!
What’s included?
- Customized trip planning
- Logistics consultation*
- Your professional guide(s) – 3:1 ratio
- Orientation and a Gear Shakedown
- Gorgeous bush flights in and out of the backcountry
- All the food on the trip – breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Group and personal rafting gear (PFDs, dry bags, boats, etc)
- Group camping gear (camp kitchen, groover, tents**)
*Upgrade to a Trip Package and have logistics included with your trip!
**We recommend that you bring your own tent if possible
What’s not included?
- Gratuities
- Personal camping and hiking gear
- Logistics
You’ll need to be in McCarthy the day before your trip begins for an Orientation and Gear Shakedown. You’ll meet your guide, get fitted for equipment, take your dry bags and make sure you are fully prepared to head into the backcountry.
Please account for a full day for travel both to and from McCarthy and the next Alaskan destination. We don’t recommend leaving McCarthy the last day of your trip as there is always a chance of bush flights getting delayed.
Check out our Transportation Page to learn how to get to and from McCarthy. Check out our Lodging Page for lodging recommendations in the area.
Trip Package
If you are planning your trip +2 months before your trip start date, upgrade to a Trip Package! A Trip Package will include transportation to/from McCarthy, local lodging, and any other local activities you’re interested in. We charge a non-refundable $50 Trip Package fee per person for this service.
All of our Rafting Trips are considered Mild. 
Our Rafting Trips are scenic floats through incredible wilderness and on all of our trips you’ll hit Class II-III rapids. The glacial rivers we float run fast and cold so we take a conservative approach, allowing everyone to have a fun and splashy time while mitigating the risks the water presents to the boats and rafters. On Rafting Trips you can expect to go on a short hike or two each day, usually 1-3 mi total and up to ~200ft of elevation gain. Please keep in mind that there is no truly “easy” hiking terrain in the Wrangells and often the coolest places require a little extra effort to get to. There aren’t any trails where you’re headed, so most hikes will be up dry creek beds or along the brushy edges of the river. Longer and more challenging side hikes may be accessible, depending on the trip. You will be camping in the rugged wilderness with no manmade shelters, toilets, or really any type of development. No special physical training or camping experience is required . We recommend our rafting trips to anyone looking for a wilderness experience at a very comfortable pace, those wanting to spend quality time with their group, or those hoping to relax while still seeing a lot. Kids ages 8+ are welcome.
GALLERY
FAQ
On Basecamp Trips we fly out into the wilderness and set up camp near the airstrip. From here we explore the area on a series of day hikes with lighter packs or paddles and return to the same camp every night.
Basecamp Trips are recommended for beginner campers, families with younger children, and those with injuries that may prevent them from carrying a heavy pack. We also recommend these trips for those looking for a more relaxing experience, though please note that all the terrain in the Wrangells is quite rugged so some level of athleticism is always required to get around the wilderness.
On Mini-Backpacking Trips we fly to a backcountry destination and strap on our heavy backpacks, taking a short hike to set up our first camp. Over several days, we will explore different areas on day-hikes, moving camp at least once again.
Mini-Backpacking Trips are perfect for those newer to camping and backpacking or those looking for a less physically strenuous backpacking experience in rugged Alaska. Great for kids 12 and up!
On Point-to-Point Backpacking Trips we take 4-8 days to get from backcountry destination A to backcountry destination B, moving camp every night, being completely self-sufficient, and carrying all our gear on our backs.
Our Backpacking Trips are different in difficulty as well as terrain and scenery and each presents a unique series of challenges. Alaska requires more and burlier gear which means heavier packs and the terrain and weather can be relentless – do not underestimate the challenges a trail-less wilderness presents! We do not offer any “easy” backpacking trips and do not recommend these trips for first-time or beginner backpackers.
On Rafting Trips we usually spend 2-6hrs on the river every day, stopping for lunch and short, scenic hikes before making a camp in the wilderness. Our rafting trips are scenic floats, allowing access to otherwise unattainable views and covering more miles than you ever could on foot, with some class II-III rapids in between. Rafting trips allow a slightly more “luxurious” wilderness experience than backpacking or basecamp hiking – easier on the legs, a more casual daily schedule with more time at camp, no backpack burden, more elaborate meals with fresher ingredients, etc.
We raft a few different rivers in the Wrangells and each has unique scenery and logistics, some involving bush flights and some ending way out on the coast! We recommend our rafting trips to anyone looking for a wilderness experience at a very comfortable pace, those wanting to spend quality time with their group, or those hoping to relax while still seeing a lot. Kids ages 8+ are welcome.
On Mountaineering Expeditions we access remote big-mountain terrain, usually landing on ski planes to climb and ski some of the tallest peaks in Alaska’s endless mountain kingdom! We offer small-group objective-based expeditions where the goal is to safely summit and descend a remote peak, play-style expeditions where we set up a basecamp to access some shorter but epic lines, and technical courses where the goal is to learn and practice mountaineering techniques and skills (see below). We climb and ski in a wilderness style – there are no fixed lines, no sherpas, no busy basecamp scenes and established camps, no weather stations, and usually no one on the mountain except our team. This is a different style of climbing and takes strong mental and physical fortitude as teams must be completely self-sustained. All mountaineering trips include Trip Packages with transportation and lodging logistics included (Anchorage to Anchorage).
Our mountaineering expeditions are recommended for those looking to access some of the most remote and wild mountain terrain on the planet. Each trip has a difficulty level, requires vetting and a mountaineering resume. Some trips require guide references.
On Technical Courses the goal is to learn technical skills and put them into practice on Alaska’s unique glaciated terrain. Our courses vary in length and can be highly customizable
Technical Courses are recommended for those wanting to focus on skill-building and excited to learn in an incredible outdoor classroom. All skill levels are welcome. We are not affiliated with any learning institution and these courses do not provide any type of certification. That said, we hope that what we teach you and your experience is memorable and transforms your mountain confidence and abilities!
We pride ourselves on cooking healthy and delicious meals even under the most adverse conditions! Your exact menu will depend on the trip, your guide, and the dietary preferences/restrictions you list in your Trip Application. No matter what kind of cook your guide is at home, all our guides are well-trained backcountry chefs and use time-tested recipes from our proprietary cookbook for their trips. We carry a plentiful and varied stock of ingredients and most meals are prepared from scratch (allowing for easy substitutions, additions or subtractions of ingredients). We onlyt use pre-packed freeze-dried meals on summit pushes on our mountaineering expeditions.
On our backpacking and basecamp trips, you can expect 3 meals a day, plus snacks of your choice. Breakfasts and dinners are usually hot meals and lunches are served cold. On mountaineering trips lunches consist of a variety of snacks as it can be hard to organize group meals while on a rope team.
We use a combination of fresh, dehydrated, and freeze-dried ingredients to make our delicious meals, however on longer backpacking and mountaineering trips your guides will use more freeze-dried foods than fresh foods to keep pack weights as low as possible. On our rafting trips, we cook full multi-course meals with fresh ingredients and enjoy hot and cold breakfasts, cold lunches and hot dinners.
Meals for most trips start with Lunch on the first day and end with Lunch on the last day. *
*If you are signed up for a Custom Trip Package with us, it may include more meals. Check with us if you’re not sure. Mountaineering trips also include meals in McCarthy before and after the backcountry expedition.
We understand that you may have luggage or things you don’t want to bring into the backcountry with you so we have a designated area at our headquarters where your guide will label and store your stuff while you’re out. This area is not locked, however, we have never had any issues with loss or damage. If you have a small item of great value that you are particularly nervous about, we may be able to store it in our office for you – just ask your guide.
On the Chitina River, Copper River, Source to Sea, or Custom Trips with different start and end points, any luggage you leave behind with us will be brought out to meet you at the end of the trip.
