Kennicott Wilderness Guides Packrafting Tours

Kennicott Wilderness Guides  (2:27)

This new sport was born in Alaska and is catching fire across the world! It incorporates a lightweight, inflatable, personal raft, paddle and drysuit and allows unprecedented access to the wilderness of Alaska.

Now you can learn to packraft with Kennicott Wilderness Guides in one of the most unique places on the planet! This is a full day of adventure, crafted to teach the basic skills of packrafting and then have fun with those skills. You’ll begin with the boats packed on your backs (they’re under 9 pounds and can fit in a day bag) as you take an interpretative walk along a lake that marks the end of a 27-mile glacier. Then, you’ll get into the boats in this lake with views of a 7,000-foot icefall, paddle around amidst icebergs, and learn to use these unique boats in Class I–II water with the possibilities of running some class III rapids.

Kennicott Wilderness Guides

Headquartered in Alaska's most mountainous region, Kennicott Wilderness Guides leads trips in their backyard—a backyard filled with glaciers, alpine tundra, and mountain peaks. Packrafting is just one of the many adventures that you can try with them. You can also learn how to ice climb and travel across a glacier. Fly into remote alpine areas for unforgettable hikes, or go on an adventurous backpacking traverse of an isolated mountain wilderness. They have the gear, the guides, and the knowledge to do it all.

What to Bring

  • Rain gear
  • Backpack
  • Water bottle
  • Warm clothes
  • Gloves
  • Sunglasses
  • Lunch

Getting There

Lot 8 Kennicott Millsite
Kennicott, AK 99588

By Car: From Anchorage take the Glenn Highway out of the downtown area and into the Matanuska Valley. Pass the Parks Highway turnoff, continue through the town of Palmer (last stop light and grocery store), and follow it 130 more miles. Turn south in Glenallen (fuel up), taking the Richardson Highway 33 miles through Copper Center. Then turn left on the Edgerton Highway, and cruise 33 more miles to Chitina and the bridge crossing the Copper River. From there it's 60 miles of dirt to McCarthy. From Fairbanks, take the Richardson Highway south through Delta Junction and Glenallen before taking a left on the Edgerton Highway to Chitina and McCarthy.

By Plane: Flying is a quick and convenient way to get to McCarthy and Kennicott. Contact Kennicott Wilderness Guides for specific information.

From Kennicott: All tours leave from office located in Kennicott. For those staying in McCarthy: Pickup is 30 minutes before scheduled tour at Footbridge or MaJohnson's hotel. For those staying in Kennicott, the office is located on Main Street (i.e. walking distance from anywhere in Kennicott).

Driving Directions

Prices & Dates

Season May 15 to Sep 15
Duration 4 - 8 hrs
Rates Full Day Packrafting // Prices in guide to client ratio- 1:1 $635, 1:2 $393, 1:3 $299, 1:4 $240, 2:5+ $240 | 7-8 hrs | Departs 10:00am
Half Day Packrafting // Prices in guide to client ratio- 1:1 $540, 1:2 $320, 1:3 $220, 1:4 $199, 2:5+ $178 | 4-5 hrs | Departs 10:00am
Rate Notes Day trips include: transportation to and from office from local area, all required gear and instruction
Day trips do not include: lunch (they can order lunch for you if you call the day before)
These prices DO NOT include airfare. Because each destination has its own airfare associated with it, airfare is considered separate. For more information about total cost of the trip including airfare, please contact us about the trip you are interested in.

Kennicott Wilderness Guides Packrafting Tours