Tatshenshini River; Rafting Expedition

"Running through the Yukon, British Columbia, and Alaska, the Tatshenshini (affectionately referred to as 'the Tat') offers one of the great wilderness rafting trips on Earth.”
-Mark Angelo; River Conservationist

The Classic Alaskan River

Grizzly Bears, Wolves, and Moose all call the Tatshenshini Alsek Provincial Park home. For decades The Tatsheshini River has been held up as the classic Alaska/Canada transboundary wilderness trip. Its combination of stunning scenery and incredible wildlife make it a pure fantasy right out of a Jack London Novel. This trip begins in the Yukon Territory flows into British Columbia and eventually into Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve.

The Tatsheshini & Alsek - Sister Rivers

The Tatshenshini is a classic Alaskan expedition, a pristine alpine river and sister river to the mighty Alsek. The Tatshenshini valley is filled with wild flowers that bloom all summer, while berries carpet the hillsides and mushrooms abound in forests of alder, birch, evergreens, and cottonwood. On the steep hillsides, mountain goats and Dall sheep feed on lush grass. Brown bear, wolves, lynx, wolverine, and black bear flourish in the pristine valley. Moose, ducks, geese, and swans, share marshes and ponds. Eagles, falcons, and a variety of hawks, soar in search of small prey. Kingfishers, jaegers, and arctic terns hover and dive for fingerlings in the river. Salmon battle the swift current of the river to return to the same spawning grounds in which they were born. The river offers a combination of stunning scenery and incredible wildlife creating a pure fantasy right out of a Jack London Novel.

The ice bergs on Alsek Lake are the largest to be found in Glacier Bay National Park.
Photo: Bart Henderson

The Tatshenshini flows out of the dry Canadian interior at Dalton Post, to its' confluence with the Alsek just a few miles upstream of the U.S. Border. The river carves its way through two of the world's most spectacular national parks, Kluane Park in Canada, and Glacier Bay Park in Alaska. After the two rivers unite, the Alsek continues to slice through giant mountain ranges on its way to the Gulf of Alaska. For decades the Tatshenshini River has been distinguished as a classic Alaska/Canada transboundary wilderness trip covering approximately 140 miles, following the paths of ancient glaciers. This dynamic landscape is still caught in the clutches of the last ice age; the awesome forces of glaciation are still at work while other countless wonders of nature highlight the surrounding area.

The journey reaches its’ crescendo at Alsek Lake, where the Grand Plateau and Alsek Glaciers, descend from high above carving through massive coastal mountains. Alsek Lake is a photographer’s dream. We will row out among the lake and icebergs to see, hear and become a part of this landscape.

Experience the thunder of massive pieces of glacier calving into the lake, an EXPERIENCE YOU WILL NEVER FORGET. Towering 15,000 feet above Alsek Lake and our camp is the ice-capped summit of Mt. Fairweather, the crown jewel of the Alaska coast.

Join us for a wilderness adventure you will never forget…

Tranquility on the Alsek River near the take out at Dry Bay.
Photo: Bart Henderson

Tatshenshini River rafting trip itinerary

This is an abridged version,
view full itinerary here

Day 1
Our Tatshenshini River adventure begins in Haines, Alaska, a small town located 100 miles north of Juneau on the Lynn Canal. We will arrange hotel accommodations, an orientation session, and a gear check on the first evening.