Copper River
July 1 - 7, 2025 (BOOKING NOW)
July 14 - 20, 2025 (BOOKING NOW)
(Contact us for 2026 and beyond trips)
The Copper River is America’s 8th largest river by discharge and one of the best places on Earth to view glaciers. It forms the eastern border of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and the western border of the Chugach National Forest. The Copper is an extraordinary river with towering ice-capped mountains, braided river channels, and two massive glaciers that bisect the river. Additionally our Copper River trip is bookended by beginning in the tourism-oriented town of Valdez, Alaska and concluding in the quaint fishing village of Cordova, Alaska. The Copper River has no rival when accounting for its size, remoteness, and dramatic landscapes. We will cover >100 river miles in 7 days.
Trip Details and Logistics
Days 1-2
You will be picked up in Valdez and driven ~4 hours to the town of Chitina for our put-in on the Copper River. During the drive you will see Keystone Canyon and Thompson Pass. You will crest over the coastal Chugach Mountains and descend into interior Alaska and the Copper River Valley. At Chitina you will meet the guides and boats. We will do a safety brief, lunch, and start on the water. We may also see Alaskans dipnetting for Salmon along the old railroad grade (now defunct) as we pass into Wood Canyon. We exit the canyon for our first night's camp where we will build camp, enjoy the evening, and eat food prepared by the guides. In the morning we will have a hot breakfast before heading back onto the Copper. We will pass under Spirit Mountain which rises 7000 feet from the river. Afterwards we will navigate large, river-wide crossings and braided channels. We will have lunch prepared on the river at a convenient stop. After more time on the river we will arrive at camp where the evening is yours to explore, relax, and expect a great meal from the guides.
Days 3-4
We will get back on the water this day and hopefully, in the coming days, find a camp where we can lunch-over, that’s where we arrive at lunchtime and spend the afternoon exploring. During this day on the river we pass multiple large waterfalls that cascade thousands of feet into the river from the Alpine. Along the river we have many chances to see the abandoned Copper River and Northwestern Railway. This railroad, its construction, and its closure is some of Alaska’s most unique history. Day 4 tests our navigation skills as we enter the Tasnuna River Delta at its confluence with the Copper River. We will likely stop and scout our path through large sand bars and wooded peninsulas as we continue down river. The river becomes more broad at this point and approaches 3 miles in width. We begin to see the landscape enlarge as we enter the heart of the Chugach Mountain Range and begin to see more glaciers.
Day 5-6
On Day 5 we pass by the Bremner River and the Bremner Sand Dunes. This unique formation is caused by glacial till from a former lake. The Dunes run for nine miles along the Copper and can be visited if conditions permit. The dunes are known to cause massive sandstorms when there is a stiff upstream breeze. We will continue downriver until entering Baird Canyon where we will find camp. Day 6 of the Copper River can be one of the most extraordinary days on any river trip. We will wake and prepare for a day of glaciers, rapids, and wildlife. We will continue into Baird Canyon until we meet Abercrombie Rapid. We may stop in the eddy of the rapid to view brown bears fishing along the opposite shore. We will continue into Miles Lake where two glaciers, Miles Glacier and Childs Glacier, meet the water. After lunch we will explore the lake and its many icebergs before passing in front of Childs Glacier, a 600 foot tall glacier that enters the Copper River. We will hopefully enjoy our final camp for the trip among the ice.
Day 7
After Childs Glacier the river widens to over 10-miles as it becomes the Copper River Delta. This River Delta is larger than some US States. We navigate the last miles to camp through heavily braided channels and wooded islands. We will depart our camp for an early afternoon take-out. The trip is not over yet as we have to navigate braided river channels with excellent wildlife viewing. We will begin to de-rig the trip and you will be shuttled to the Reluctant Fisherman Hotel in Cordova. In the evening we will meet for a post-trip dinner before saying our goodbyes.
Logistics:
The Copper River trip begins in Valdez, Alaska and ends in Cordova, Alaska. You will need to arrange travel to Valdez via the Anchorage Airport via air or ferry. We strongly encourage participants to arrive in Valdez 2 days prior to the trip departure to assure that you will not miss any connection to Valdez. Alaska Airlines services Cordova and you can book a flight back to Anchorage or Seattle from Cordova. It is also possible to use the Alaska Ferry (AMHS) to return home.
