The Nabesna River is a moderate flowing glacial river with primarily Class I water, and occasional Class II stretches. It is a shallow, braided river for the most part, although heavy spring and summer rains along with snowmelt can bring the volume up substantially. Rowing tends to be necessary along much of the trip, especially along the lower half of the river, where head winds can be quite strong. The put-in is at Orange Hill, a short distance from the airstrip. Take-out is 1.5 miles from the Northway airport. Camping spots are not to difficult to find along the route, but drinking water maybe at a minimum. Possible camp spots are found at Cooper Creek and Hill Point.
The trip covers approximately 70 miles. However, these may not be actual river miles involved. Three to four days is recommended. Air-access via local air taxi from Chistochina, Gulkana, etc. to Orange Hill airstrip. This is designated on the Anchorage sectional map as having a length of 1,600' and strip elevation at 2,875'. The trip ends at Northway, where road access is available, as well as air taxi services.
Potential Hazards: Shallow water, sweepers on the lower part of the river, and cold water hypothermia are possible hazards. Also, swiftwater along the first seven miles of the river necessitates alertness and skill—be sure every member of your float-trip party wears a suitable personal flotation device. Finally, bears may be present in areas surrounding the river.
MAPS: USGS Quadrangle Maps - Nabesna (D-2), (D-3), (B-4), (C-3), and (C-4) 1:63,360. Nabesna1:250,000
Where are you going?
What do you want to do?
