Whitewater Rafting on the Kennicott River and Glacier Lake, McCarthy River Tours

Now, I know not everyone loves whitewater rafting the way our family does (check out our multi-day rafting trip in Utah!) but it’s such a fun and easy activity you can plan when you’re in McCarthy. This is not your usual Alaska thing to do for most people because so many visitors imagine it just being too cold or at least the river being too cold to be on the water. We went out with McCarthy River Tours who fully outfitted us with dry-suites and water shoes, making sure we were both safe and warm for our rafting trip in Wrangell-St Elias National Park. It was really unique because we started with a simple paddle on the Kennicott Glacial Lake, exploring the toe of the glacier and the grounded icebergs, and then we hit the river.

Class II and III rapids made it a fun run through the Kennicott Valley to our takeout on the west side of McCarthy. It was beautiful and is the perfect whitewater rafting experience for a beginner or somebody that just needs that blast of adrenaline you get when you’re on a river. If you have any questions about rafting the Kennicott River or need additional recommendations for the McCarthy area, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to share more and help you plan a fun Alaska trip!

Highlights of McCarthy River Tours in Wrangell-St Elias NP

The journey to get to McCarthy is a long and bumpy one, so thank goodness there are some really cool things to do when you get here. Rafting on the Kennicott River and getting to really explore one of the strangest lakes in Alaska is so cool. I feel like pictures don’t do it justice just how weird the Kennicott glacial lake is. As you’re paddling around this seemingly calm body of grayish-brown silty water in Wrangell-St Elias National Park, you see just how destructive glaciers are with carving away at the stone of the mountains. Paddling our raft around the grounded icebergs covered in the moraine rock, there were continually small landslides happening into the lake as the ice melts and shifts. It was just very strange, like the landscape around us was alive.

One of the things about river rafting in Alaska is that you get to wear a dry suit for the experience, and McCarthy River Guides knows this is cool/special. If you ever wanted to be extra awesome and jump in a glacier lake, you can make this a part of the experience. Whether you want to full-on jump off the raft or if you want to do the T-Grip challenge with your guide, there’s an option to be a little wild while you’re still on the lake before the whitewater rafting portion. It’s surprising how well the dry suits work when you dunk into the freezing cold water, thank goodness.

When it comes to the whitewater rafting part of the McCarthy River Guides trip, it’s a fun stretch of Class II and III whitewater. It’s rough an raging enough that it’s exciting, but it’s not so crazy that you’re going to swim unless you aren’t paying attention. It’s significantly more chill than whitewater rafting the Lion’s Head on the Matanuska River. We do a lot of whitewater rafting, so we’re pretty brave, but doing a run on the Kennicott River that’s just fun and where we were confident that nobody was going to be thrown from the boat was great. It’s a beautiful setting you get to raft through, and the whitewater is easy enough that you actually get to enjoy the views as you head downriver.

Book a Kennicott River trip here!! OR book directly and save with McCarthy River Tours here! Use code MyAKtrip10 for a 10% discount on adventures with McCarthy River Tours.

Tips for a Great Kennicott River Experience

Whenever I talk about whitewater rafting with anyone I always tell them to be sure that if you’re signing up to go on a river with people, confirm with everyone that they both want to do it and that they’re comfortable with the experience. Even though rafting on the Kennicott glacial lake and Kennicott River are pretty taming when it comes to a whitewater trip, this sort of adventure may still seem scary or like just too much for others. In terms of safety, somebody who’s too scared to function properly is not a safe person to have on the water. The Kennicott River is VERY DOABLE, but this can still seem too daunting for some. Just don’t force or guilt somebody into an unpleasant experience.

When you’re getting ready for whitewater rafting and you’re putting on your dry suit, pay attention to the instructions from your rafting guide. Wearing a dry suit is very helpful when you’re rafting in Alaska, but they’re more delicate than you might expect. Let your rafting guide direct you in how best to put on your suit, as the booties, neck and wrists and more delicate than you might expect and the suit will be ruined if these parts get damaged. It’s not a complicated process, but it’s specific.

If this is a first-time rafting trip for anyone, let your river guide know. Thankfully the Kennicott River is a pretty good starter run, but even still, following paddle commands is important, and if you’re unable to do it, you can likely still participate, but your guide will need to make sure you’re in the right place in the boat. The pull-out from the Kennicott River is a tight one, and if you miss the eddy, the next chance to get off the river is more than 60 miles downstream, so yea, it’s important that there are no surprises for the guide regarding abilities. This is going to be a fun part of your Wrangell-St Elias National Park itinerary, but you don’t want it to be the dramatic part.

Being Prepared for Kennicott River Rafting

Dress warmly and comfortably for your trip whitewater rafting on the Kennicott River. The dry suites provided by McCarthy River Guides provide both warmth and protection from the wetness, but if it’s a cool or rainy day, you’ll want to still be plenty warm with your base layer. You won’t be wearing things like gloves, stocking caps or scarves, so just dress warmly for what will be encapsulated in the dry suite. You only need to wear one pair of socks because your feet will be in dry suit booties and then within water shoes (provided), and if you double up your socks you’ll likely be uncomfortable because of how tight things will be on your feet.

For bringing a camera along, you’re welcome to! Keep in mind that this is a WHITEWATER trip and you’ll be getting splashed, even if you don’t fall into the river. Whatever camera you bring, whether that be a GoPro or your phone is a good waterproof case, you’ll need to be able to NOT worry about it while you’re on the river. You’ll want to take pictures of the very unique Kennicott Glacier and the surrounding landscapes, and then it’s fun to get video and photos when you’re on the river, but the camera needs to not be a distraction or safety issue. My phone case is very reliable when it comes to being waterproof, and then I connect it to my PFD (lifejacket), storing it in my PFD when I have to paddle.

IMPORTANT: don’t bring gear with standard carabiners. If you need to attach something with a carabiner, it should be a locking one, and an open-latch clip can prove to be a safety hazard on the river.

Getting to McCarthy River Tours Basecamp

When you go out with McCarthy River Guides, the experience is based from the west side of the Kennicott River, which is off the McCarthy Road BEFORE the footbridge. When you arrange your whitewater rafting in Wrangell-St Elias National Park, you’ll be able to clarify where you’re staying and arrange for a pickup. A lot of guests stay either at the McCarthy Lodge Resort (Ma Johnson Hotel) or Kennicott Glacier Lodge, so if that’s you, you’ll be able to coordinate getting to rafting base camp. If you’re driving yourself, meaning your staying on the west side of the river or you’re doing your rafting trip at the start or end of your time in McCarthy, you’ll be able to park directly at basecamp.

They have a little espresso stand there and you can get coffee and pastries if you like (huge cinnamon rolls!). For people driving in from Copper Center or Valdez, it’s a little less than an hour on the Edgerton Highway from the Richardson Highway, and then at Chitina you’ll start the gravel highway known at the McCarthy Road. It’s a two hour drive on the McCarthy Road, so plan your travels appropriately.