This 70-mile trip takes three to five days. Access by road is via the Edgerton Highway 33 miles to Chitina, and then 63 miles to the end of the McCarthy Road. The put-in is at the tram crossing the Kennicott River, or else several hundred yards downstream to avoid rapids.
The Kennicott River is a fast flowing glacial stream with primarily Class II water. The river is shallow and rocky in places, and it may be necessary to portage or line sections of this 5-mile stretch of the trip. The next 12-mile stretch on the Nizina River is also primarily on Class II water. The Nizina has less gradient and more water volume than the Kennicott, and proves to be one of the most scenic stretches of the trip as the river flows through a rock canyon area. In the tight elbows of the canyon, it is necessary to float the inside of the curves to avoid strong and potentially dangerous currents and eddies along the outer canyon walls. Several good camp spots exist along the Nizina, both within the canyon and at the confluence with the Chitina River.
The Chitina River provides another 50 miles of Class II water with a broad gravel bed and multiple channels. Navigating the deeper, main channels is crucial to a trouble-free trip. Numerous camp spots can be found along the Chitina, especially where tributary streams have formed small gravel deltas. Certain tributaries should be avoided during the salmon runs as they are popular hang-outs for bears. Also, at a point about two miles upstream from the town of Chitina, there is a series of boulders and hydraulics on river-right (North bank) that should be avoided by all but the most skilled kayakers. After this point, boaters should position themselves near river-right to prepare for a take-out at the Copper River bridge, or at O'Brien Creek, which is several miles down the Copper River.
MAPS: USGS Quandrangle Maps - McCarthy (B-6), (B-7), (B-8), and Valdez (B-1), (C-1), (C-2) 1:63,360. McCarthy and Valdez 1:250,000.
Where are you going?
What do you want to do?
