I live in Kodiak and haven’t had a chance to scout this route. Has anyone rafted this stretch of the river? I have a hunt planned on Mt. Yukla next month and I was wondering if it was possible to raft out on the river. It looks pretty flat on the topo map but looks can be deceiving. Anyone have any advice?
Upper Eagle River can be a bit butt bumpy at lower flows but very runnable. Many people put in at the Crow Pass trail crossing as part of a traverse from Girdwood. You just need to take out before Echo Bend unless you want to run a class IV section (probably not with hunting supplies)
Or you thinking of descending off Eagle Glacier into Eagle River?
Are you going to portage Echo Bend?
We did the crow pass traverse (TH at end of Crow Creek Mine road - Eagle River Nature Center) over the 4th of July, 2016. We put in a little ways downstream of where the trail crosses the river (fording spot for hikers). Can’t recommend putting in much higher than that.
Some butt dragging shallow areas littered throughout. 2 people and some gear in an Alpacka Black Brilliance, so we rode a little low for this river.
Fair amount of debris, but manageable (one large logjam that was wearing a packraft as a scarf. It required a portage, but in slow water - easy eddy out). By now sweepers and strainers could be better or worse?
We skipped Echo Bend and walked out to the nature center, so no beta on that. It got alarmingly foggy late in the day. With expensive gear it would be smart to just walk out.
Overall a fun float, replete with beautiful scenery when you remember to look up. If the water levels are similar to early July, go light or bring a seat to reduce the posterior trauma! Minimal technical water if you pull out before Echo Bend, just some rollers in the upper stretch that will wash over your bow.
A lot of bang for your buck - quick trip, we didn’t get started until 3:30 that afternoon and were at the nature center by 12:30. Only on the water for about 4 hours. The river moves right along at 3-5 mph in most areas.
I did this trip August 3rd, 2016. Left the trailhead at 715 and was blowing up at the sign that says “–> ford site” at 1215. The trail was heavily overgrown the last 8 miles or so, often chest high and soaking wet. I’d recommend getting drinking water at the second bridge because that’s the last place you’ll easily find it again.
I transitioned for about twenty minutes at the bank just below the fording spot. About 10 minutes after arriving a black bear swam out of the river five feet away before I had the raft inflated. We both kept moving.
Eagle River was running high and the very first turn from where I put in had a class 3 rapid (at that water level) that deserves some attention. There were a few more big wave trains before things started slowing down and braided out. Lots of avoidable wood in the water, but only one easy and visible portage around two river-wide sweepers near the end of my trip (Echo Bend). If you don’t want to run Echo Bend, get out at the large bank on the right with a single white log standing straight up or continue downriver another mile or so past the island and take out river right before the river starts to constrict. You can portage Echo and put back in or just call it a day and walk about 3 miles to the nature center (which I did, and I was driving away at 4:15). With nice weather, this is a good day hike with a little bit of float (about and hour and 20 minutes).
Anyone been down the Crow Pass crossing to Nature Center stretch recently with an updated wood report?
On August 5th, we floated from the ford site area and took out at Echo Bend. There was quite a bit of wood and a handful of logs in channels, but all easily avoidable and nothing that had to be portaged. The gauge was at 4.3’.
thanks for the report, codemanak!