Kennicott Glacier Lake & River Rafting – 4 Hour

Totally Worth The Long Drive – MRTO Was The Highlight of Our Week!
When I heard we were going to paddle around a lake, I thought at first, “what’s the point?” I wanted excitement! But I got it. My friends and I took a half-day trip; we got mixed weather, but the views were still amazing. And when the sun came out, we jumped in the glacier water in our dry suits, which kept us completely dry, but we DID feel the cold! We paddled right up to the toe of the glacier, where the ice peters out into rocky ice dunes, and got to see some rockslides down the ice into the lake! It was so cool to see the ancient formation changing shape as we watched. Nic was our guide, and he answered all our questions about the glacier, mountains, and other natural and historical fun facts. He was a pillar of competence and safety but also had a blast with us. It was my first time on a raft, so I can’t compare it to anything, but I loved it. Paddling down the river was such a thrill– plenty of rapids so that we got pretty well soaked, but didn’t ever fear for our lives or anything. Next time I want to make a multi-day trip because this one was over way too soon. As my buddy said, there wasn’t a single moment of suckiness!

Thrilling (yet safe!) Experience
This was my favorite thing we did in Wrangell – St. Elias (and there were many other candidates–we had a packed four days there). Kevin was a fabulous rafting guide and made us feel at ease the entire time. Getting to paddle around the lake before hitting the river was nice. We got to see lots of interesting ice formations and get comfortable with paddling techniques before heading out to the rapids. Once we did get out on the river, it was a fast and fun ride along a watercourse that had recently swelled in size due to heavy rains. It was fun to careen through the rapids knowing that Kevin had things well in hand. My only complaint was that it was over too soon! I highly recommend this experience. It’s great for kids too.

I Give This One A “Paddle High 5”!
Wanting to get outdoors in Wrangell-St Elias National Park without a strenuous hike, we chose a rafting adventure with McCarthy River Tours and Outfitters that we saw as an option in our Alaska TourSaver Book. We met up with Ethan and Sam at their McCarthy location and were fitted with top-of-the-line gear (dry suit to protect us from the frigid water), and off we went for a short van ride to get to the launch spot. Sam went over rafting safety and, once in the boat, got us to practice our strokes in coordination to successfully power through tough spots on the river. Sam also made certain that our feet were secured to the raft so that we wouldn’t fall out if we hit a bump/rock, and he went over information that would keep us safe and let’s have a fun time.

During the lake part of the trip, we landed the raft on the icy moraine of the Kennecott Glacier and easily climbed up about 10 feet to the edge to look down on a beautiful blue pool of water surrounded by brown ice. The Kennecott Glacier moraine is huge (fills the whole valley), and in the distance, we could hear the rock-laden ice falling from the brown moon-scape-looking terrain. We could see water dripping from jagged outcrops from under places already melting from the underside of the moraine. This piedmont glacier moraine was unlike anything we had ever seen or experienced. Surreal!
It was a unique experience as we paddled into the river current. I had been rafting in several states, but this trip was nothing like my past trips. First, the water was gray, full of glacial silt so you couldn’t see the rocks underneath the running water. Second, although it was a Class 2 – 3 at this point (the water on the river was very low), there were very few flat spots, so we only had 20-30 seconds of rest before we were following Sam’s next paddling direction for the next set of rapids. It was really exciting! Still, I did have time to enjoy the scenery along the river – the leaves were turning yellow, and the magenta-colored fireweed was almost finished flowering near the top of the plants. Fall was in the air, and the water was very chilly. The dry suits provided by McCarthy River Tours kept us warm and dry; the only cold part of me was my feet – wear warm wool socks for sure!

Awesome trip! We had many “paddle High-5sk” (where everyone raises their paddle overhead to touch and then slams it in the water to celebrate success) along the route and lots of laughs along the way. I would make this trip again, especially with Sam and Ethan watching out for us and guiding us along.

Trip Of The Summer!
We made the half-day rafting trip on the Kennicott river with my parents. Ron was our guide, and it was fantastic — we explored the lake and the icebergs. We swam in the chilly water (in dry suits) and listened to the rocks dropping off the glacier. What an experience! Then, of course, came the river rafting– a safety talk well prepared us, then set off down the river. I got a good washing by getting splashed by the waves and had a great time. 10/10 recommend! I would repeat the whole trip in a heartbeat!

First Time Rafting, Had A BLAST!
We had a great time on our rafting trip with Mads and Sarah. I had never been rafting before and was a little apprehensive, but the ladies made me comfortable. They made the trip so much fun!! From the time we put on our dry suits, we went over safety instructions, photo ops, and especially the trip! Next time I might even jump in!

The Four-Hour Glacier Lake / Kennicott River Trip Was Fantastic.
We had four families with teens, 15 people total, and we had a blast. Instead of just looking at the scenery, you get to be a part of it as you paddle around the lake and then run the river under the bridge. Our guides, Gwen, Ally, and Sarah, were enthusiastic and seemed to enjoy what they were doing, which was contagious. They provide everything you need, so go have some fun.