Packrafting has been on my mind after finding Erin McKittrick’s Long way Home at a book store in Fairbanks years ago and reading it over the following week as we drove back to the lower 48. Fast forward eight years and I am now working as a field biologist in Montana, spending 200 days a year in the woods, and walking an average of 1200+ miles annually mostly off trail or work and for fun. This year I took delivery on an Alpacka Caribou, mostly out of a desire to use it for backcountry transportation and eventually open up some creative hunting or fishing trip ideas. It also seems like a good way to continue to get my dog outside as she ages. I spent many days this spring/early summer getting to know the caribou doing day trips around SW Montana, primarily on the Madison river.
I’ve been to Alaska countless times, but had yet to make it much off the roads and developed areas and was determined to do so this year. I spent some serious time over the last 6 months scouring maps and trip reports, and talking to local contacts familiar with the Alaskan backcountry. Fast forward to the day before I left, and I had no plan other than I was flying in and out of Fairbanks and had a rental car booked for 8 days. After a day in town to get supplies and hang out at Midnight sun fest, I headed to the Richardson highway for a some fairly wet day hikes. I quickly learned how fun it is to get up on the ridges and cruise caribou trails, passing shed antlers, cows with young calves, and bachelor bull groups.
Once I had a good 2 day weather window, I opted to head to Cantwell for the seemingly popular/beginner friendly, and not too intimidating Carlo creek Nenana loop. Also known as the “Coffee-Pizza Traverse”. After coffee, acquiring an Ahtna access pass, and getting permission to park overnight, I was heading up the ATV trail by 11 AM. I was a bit concerned with the high water I had seen from the highway, but ultimately the sketchiest part of the loop for me was descending the south side of the pass which was very steep and loose cliffs/rocks. Once I was below that and back on the tundra. I took a break for dinner and really wished I had brought another days worth of food to allow for more exploring (the weather and the walking was perfect). I reached the confluence of Brushkana and the Nenana where I found a campsite around 11 PM. In the morning I slowly packed up and enjoyed a mellow float back to the highway. I stopped for a pee break where the river first meets the highway and accepted a ride back to my car from a nice Anchorage couple rather than continuing to float the last few miles. This was due to seeing some rapids from the highway the previous morning that made me a bit nervous considering I had my dog with me and that the high water meant it may be difficult to pull over and portage it. I was back at the car at 11:30 AM and got another coffee at the Creekside cafe. Making my version of this route the “Coffee-Coffee traverse”.
I spent the last full day of my trip walking up Cantwell Creek to the park boundary and floating back out. Enjoying views of Denali above the giant moose and grizzly tracks.
All in all it was a good confidence building/introductory Alaska backcountry trip and I’m already thinking of bigger trips for next time. Given my extensive off trail expereince in WA, ID, MT, & WY, the off trail hiking I encountered on this trip was perfectly fine, much more manageable than I expected, and no more difficult than what I regularly encounter at home. I’m really looking forward to doing a similar, but much longer trip like this next time.
