Key Information: Tour Duration: 10
day(s) Group Size: 4
- 7
people Destination(s):Alaska Specialty Categories:Wildlife Viewing Season: June - September Airfare Included: Yes Tour Customizable: Yes Minimum Per Person Price: 3795 US Dollar (USD) Maximum Per Person Price: 3795 US Dollar (USD)
The Wind River has earned a Federal Wind and Scenic designation and still remains one of the Refuge’s best kept secrets. Perhaps the remoteness is the most attractive feature of this trip. Less than 5 parties a year float it. Easy access to relative high ground enables us to climb above the river to get a view of the entire valley floor each day. These hikes also provide our best opportunity for viewing wildlife. Unlike most other nearby rivers, the Wind is a bit of a migratory flyway for multiple species of waterfowl leaving the north slope. The river originates in the open tundra of the southern flanks of the Philip Smith Mountains and flows south into the boreal forests. The river feels actually like 3 rivers in one, with a shallow braided section in the upper mountains, a slow meandering single channel through an open lake studded step and finally loaded with whitewater excitement ricocheting back and forth in the forest section. Autumn is in full swing and the tundra is ablaze in fall color, these views are priceless and set with blue sky and snow covered peaks in the background they become unforgettable. Moose and caribou will be seen in their prime breeding coats and waterfowl will be staging on the numerous lakes along the way. The evening sky now dark is rich with aurora displays and will compliment the sights of the day nicely - everything is Kodachrome perfect.
Your Itinerary:
Day 1:
Leave Fairbanks on scheduled flight to Arctic Village located on the southern flank of the Brooks Range and Arctic Refuge. Shuttle to the put-in in smaller air taxi service. Flight takes one over the Continental Divide - spectacular scenery. Establish camp. Local day hike.
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Day 2:
Full day for hiking in the high country. Enjoy the fall colors and high mountain scenery.
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Day 3:
First day of floating. Learn the paddling skills and safety procedures and then drift down the braided river to the next camp. On the way we will hike up a ridge at lunch time. Camp is on a sandbar in the single channel portion of the river. Keep an eye out for moose and migrating waterfowl.
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Day 4:
This is another float and hike day. We float down the single channel country and hop out of the boats on location at overlooks to check for birds on the lakes and animals along the ridges.
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Day 5:
From camp we have a splendid hike to summarize the first portion of our trip before we turn a corner and head east. We float to the next camp in the afternoon.
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Day 6:
This is another float and hike day. The river picks up and begins to pick up speed.
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Day 7:
Typically we have taken this day to hike the last of the accessible high country.
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Day 8:
This is another float and hike day.
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Day 9:
This is the last day of the floating. The Wind end at the confluence of the East Fork and returns to a slower, greener, calmer nature we saw well up river. We make camp on an island in the most open valley yet.
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Day 10:
We meet the pilot today and begin to retrace our journey, this time south bound. The flight back up the river will be a pleasant reminder of the trip and probably will make much more sense then when you flew in. In Arctic Village, we'll catch the mail plane back to Fairbanks and generally arrive in the late afternoon.
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