Copper River Rafting Expeditions – 7 Days
per person
On this tour you will witness soaring mountains, cascading waterfalls and glaciers that calve directly into the mighty river! We start the journey in the small Alaskan town of Chitina and float for 7 days until we reach our take out on the Copper River Highway a short drive from Cordova. The Copper River is Alaskan wilderness on its grandest scale. Wild and remote, this trip offers first class chances to spot grizzly bears grazing on wild berries or hunting the side creeks for those prized Copper River salmon. Eagle sightings along the River corridor are second to none, along with close up viewings of seals that swim upstream in pursuit of salmon.
Difficulty Level: Moderate
The Copper Expedition is considered a Moderate trip for those adventurers looking to journey a little further into the Alaskan Bush. Great for folks with previous river experience or newcomers with an increased desire for adventure. Incredible chances to spot wildlife, very remote, and up to class 3+ whitewater with large volume and braided river channels.
Chitina to the Copper River Highway takeout near Cordova
- Rafting one of Alaska’s Classic Scenic Rivers
- Glaciers that calve into the River
- Waterfalls & wildlife in large numbers
- Traveling the old route of the Copper River Northwestern Railroad
- Gourmet Meal Plan that includes locally sourced Meats & Veggies
- Highest Quality Group River Gear in the Wrangell Mountains
- Experience a premier wildlife corridor – This is the best trip to spot eagles, bears, and seals!
- Dry-suit
- Rafts
- Expert guides
- Personal floatation device (PFD)
- Helmet
- River shoes
- Food from lunch day one until take-out day
- Group gear (kitchen, group shelter, river toilet, etc.)
- All bush plane flights
- Tents assigned on double occupancy. You may request a private tent for an additional cost.
- Lodging pre/post river
- Pre and post trip transportation
- Transport to Glennallen and from Cordova
- All Items Listed on our Packing List
- STURDY WATER BOTTLE!
- Adventurous Spirit
- Any Medications you may require plus 2 days extra in case of delays
- Gratuity for your Guide (10-20% of trip cost is recommended)
- 6 Day Expedition $2800 Per Person
- 7 Day Expedition: $2950 Per Person
Custom launch dates are also available. Call us @ 907-302-0688 to inquire.
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Departure Time
10am
From Our Gallery
Be our guest and see this tour for yourself
As far as scenic Alaska river trips, Copper River Rafting is truly second to none!
Day 0 - Travel Day
- Arrive in Glennallen
- Mandatory 6pm pre-trip meeting in Glennallen, Alaska
Day 1 - Launch Day
- Shuttle to Chitina Put In.
- Safety Talk and Pre Raft Orientation
- Raft through Woods Canyon.
Day 2 - River Day
- Float past remnants of Copper River Northwestern Railroad.
- Riverside Railroad Tunnel
Day 3 - River Day.
- Large Unnamed Waterfalls
- Camp by "The Peninsula"
Day 4 - River Day & Sand Dunes Day
- 5 Mile Bremner Sand Dunes. Hiking depends on weather conditions.
- Heney Glacier
- Wernicke River
Day 5 - Rapids & Glacier Lake Day
- Abercrombie Rapids
- Miles Glacier & Lake
- Iceberg City
Day 6 - Glaciers & Million Dollar Bridge Day
- Spend time exploring the Childs Glacier viewing area.
- Watch the Childs Glacier calve into the river.
- Walk across the million dollar bridge, an engineering marvel.
Day 7 - Take Out Day
- Float the Copper River Delta
- Shuttle to Cordova
Rich F.
Wonderful And Personal 6-day Trip
We spent six days on the Copper River, rafting from Chitina to Cordova, and had a wonderful time. We were a party of three couples, one gay and two straight. We had three rafts with three guides; Nick, Malcolm, and Sam. The guides were great. Nick, the owner, was extremely knowledgeable about the river, appearing to row all day without effort and finding the easiest path through braids and eddies to the perfect campsite. Malcolm and Sam, though not as experienced, were skilled boatmen. They were personable and enthusiastic, from making coffee early to rowing all day, seeing to our needs, and cleaning up after dinner. They were committed to having zero footprints. Everything was hauled out, including some stuff we found along the way. Nick tailored the trip to our needs and interests. We enjoyed a wonderful afternoon on the Bremner Sands, where we took the time to explore the dunes. We stopped to look at seals, icebergs calving from glaciers, and the Million Dollar bridge. Nick even arranged for a bear to show up in camp on our last night! We cannot think of a better way to send a 50th birthday and a 20th anniversary.
Marty & Peggy
Copper River Multi-Day Trip of a Lifetime
We made a six-night/seven-day raft trip down the Copper River and two additional days in McCarthy before the trip. This trip is a must if you want a true Alaskan experience. It was spectacular from the first day in McCarthy to eating fish tacos in Cordova. While in McCarthy, Maggy loaned us some crampons for a glacier walk, and the mine tour was incredible. On the river, we saw almost 400 bald eagles (my wife counted) and icebergs as big as houses from the Miles Glacier floating in the lake. We enjoyed walking on the bridge to nowhere and especially saying “Hey Bear” to the grizzly bear that walked through our camp. Every day brought memories of a lifetime. We saw two groups of 4 people each in the seven days on the river. They were from the forest service tasked with counting fish, and we talked to one of the groups at their counting station. That is all the contact you have with the outside world.
The guides, Tim, Nick, and Sam, were knowledgeable, professional, and friendly and seemed almost like family by the end. Sam was particularly good at picking camp and Groover locations, and I have a picture from each one. Tim and Nick guitar playing by the campfire was wonderful. The food was good, but you are in the wilderness, so you eat what can be brought on the raft. Expect a hot breakfast, sandwiches for lunch, and a hearty meal for dinner.
The main reason we picked this guide service was the dry suit, and I would not recommend any that did not provide one for this type of trip. The water is cold but not scary. Class 2 is about all you will see in two places. Multiple layers are essential, and although space is not unlimited, you don’t have to worry about carrying everything on your back. Highly recommend a thermos to warm you up on the river in the morning.
Alex Y.
7 Day Copper River Trip
Had a great 7-day copper trip with Ron and Sarah. The scenery was amazing, the Copper river is an incredible place. We saw incredible mountains, lots of wildlife, waterfalls, and tons of glaciers, navigated an ice field, and were able to watch a glacier calve into the river from camp. On the trip were my wife, mother-in-law, sister-in-law, and their significant other, and they all had a great time. I highly recommend it to anyone looking to truly experience everything Alaska offers. The weather can be highly unpredictable, so come prepared. I highly recommend McCarthy River Tours, they were easy to work with and very accommodating to our trip needs and dietary restrictions, and our guides, Ron and Sarah, were great!
K. Waller
7 Day Copper Trip Chitina to Cordova
This trip was more spectacular than I had ever dreamed. Sarah Lindsay and Ron were amazing guides. Their knowledge of the history (we even read some history before Abercrombie falls), the river, and how to make camping masterpiece meals made it that much more memorable. They were so calm and relaxed that they became ohana instead of guides. This trip has the landscape we all come to Alaska for…that last frontier. Then you add to that paddling through an iceberg field and watching spectacular calving from a glacier at your campsite!! It was perfection. Another great fact was that there was not another single person on this river it’s amazingly pristine. Then at quaint Cordova awaits you at the takeout.
If you are longing to get away from it all and enjoy the outdoors like you never have, McCarthy River tours has the perfect adventure for you. Everyone from the staff that answers the phones and is so patient in answering my 1000 questions (Chris) to the man with all the answers (Nic has great suggestions on how to get there and where to stay in Cordova ) to the guides (Sarah Lindsay, Ron) you can’t go wrong with McCarthy River tours if you go somewhere else your trip will not be as spectacular and memorable as if you had gone with McCarthy.
So call them and schedule a tour, whatever you do when you read this review. I highly recommend the copper 7-day tour! My entire ohana (2 daughters, SIL, and boyfriend) are avid Colorado, Utah, Idaho, New Mexico, etc. whitewater rafters, and they said it was a lifetime trip! So don’t wait just call Nic and set up a trip!