The Yukon-Kuskokwim delta in Western Alaska, with all of its remoteness and solitude, is the background of countless tales. We take you through all the preparations for this trip, then lead a rafting trek into a distant wilderness not far from Russia, where solitude and peace define the landscape.

This trip is designed for fathers and sons and families/groups with moderate wilderness camping experience. Over the course of seven days, we raft about 90 miles and fish honey holes for salmon and big trout. Since Alaska offers the best freshwater fishing in the United States, we ensure that everyone has a chance at many/most, of the available species and get great photos to go with their great memories.

Reaching the Delta requires more effort than our Himalayan trips, as we must first get to Anchorage before flying another hour and a half west over a mountain range. Then, we shuttle our gear and the group using a small chartered flight to a small gravel landing strip at the headwaters of the Salmon River. We all then assemble and inflate our rafts before putting our equipment in them and starting our float. Before the end of the trip, we will have floated two river systems before we reach civilization again. We camp each night wherever the terrain allows us, and we eat the fish we catch as we float downstream. This is a working trip, nd everyone takes a roll in camp tasks like water filtration, gathering firewood, cleaning our rafts and cleaning the fish. This trip requires a team effort to experience life in the Delta fully.

With sunrise at 5 am each day and sunset not happening much before midnight, this trip is for people who like the light of the outdoors. Fishing is "all you want" once we reach camp and chores are done. In fact, it is common to fish after dinner until bed time.

 The physical difficulty level is low; however, it requires a tolerance of all-weather types and a willingness to be prepared. Waders and good rain gear are required, as are shorts and a T-Shirt. Since our charter to the headwaters is a one-way trip, you must have everything you need when we leave, as there is no civilization until we have floated back to the village. Once we hit the confluence of the Aniak, we will go with the flow of specific channels and navigate our way through logjams and debris until we reach the outskirts of the village. The river changes from swift water in the mountains to a gradual slow meandering course in the lowlands. Taiga forest vegetation, including black spruce, birch, aspen, balsam poplar, and alders, lines the banks of Kuskokwim lowland streams. Expect to see bears, moose, and mosquitoes. 

 Meet in Anchorage, spend the night, and get to know each other. Dinner is NOT included but will be as a group. 

 We take seven days to float back to Aniak, using the river system as our propulsion mechanism for all but the last day. Each day, we raft for six to ten hours. We camp anywhere we want at night, rafting at our leisure down the river system. Typically, the first three days are on the Salmon River, and the last three are on the Aniak. We fish for most Pacific Salmon Species (not coho, though) and rainbow trout, Dolly Varden, Arctic Char, Grayling, and Pike. We catch and release all our catches except for the ones we eat that day. 

We paddle back to Aniak, spend a single night at a B and B, then fly back to Anchorage and onto the lower 48!