Jack River Packraft - June 2016

Updated in 2025 include another great day on this gem of a river.
For my birthday last year we mountain biked for two hours, then ran six miles barefoot on the beach, then went climbing, then did a class III float, and finished with a sunset hike. This year, after throwing around a few equally unreasonable ideas we settled on the Jack River over Caribou Pass as a logistically feasible combination of birthday fun.

Starting along the Parks Highway 3.6 miles south of Cantwell, we followed an ATV/bear/moose trail across the flats and were soon gaining elevation.


ATV trails are an interesting contradiction for non-motorized users: they leave eroded scars on the landscape, but without them, vegetated trail-less areas would be nearly impenetrable. Perhaps they are the true multi-use trail? Andalyn is probably debating this conundrum here:


At 3,000 feet we began to sidehill and wrapped SE into a valley towards the pass to the Middle Fork Chulitna drainage. As sidehilling goes it was quite pleasant.

Windy Creek Packraft - 6.13.2025

Windy Creek is one of the more approachable classics of the day trip packrafting Shangri La that is Broad Pass. As such, I figured I would have gotten around to it a decade ago, at least five years ago, or at a minimum a couple years ago. But, we are gifted with myriad routes, peaks, and rivers to explore here. With so many of these adventures, its just impossible to get to them all right away. It wasn't until a sunny afternoon this June that Jordan and I pulled into the parking lot in Cantwell and finally stepped onto the old trail into the Alaska Range.


The trail was wide and started pretty dry - a luxury for a well used route in this boggy area. Even better were all the signs of life in this wild place. Beneath our feet we passed the tracks of moose, bears, wolves, and their furry poo too.


There was also evidence of the smaller creatures that make a living here. I loved this tree that some hungry porcupine had thought was delicious.


I thought about how many of these animals were probably still nearby at this moment and how if we sat down, took it all in, and waited quietly, they would inevitably pass us by on the way to their own business. After a few miles of fast and easy travel, the trail degraded into what some Alaskans would euphemistically call a "route".


A mile of this soggy and overgrown situation brought us to improving travel overlooking the aquamarine riffles of the creek.




As the headwaters of Windy Creek spread in front of us, the walking and views just kept improving. I wished we had time to connect all the way through the Alaska Range to the Sanctuary River or at least explore the upper basin. But, Oliver would be waiting at the road, so it was time to blow up our packrafts and hop in those expensive pool toys.

At the put in, I estimated about 165 cfs in the river. We were near peak snowmelt and the creek was bankfull. I think it would hard to time higher water in here, but I bet its easier to get it with less water.

On the water, Windy was straightforward and splashy. I could see how it would be a perfect choice for someone looking for safe fun on the edges of Denali. There was no significant wood in the river and I didn't note any particular features of note or concern. At low flow I bet it would be draggy, and at high flow fast and smooth.

Upon reaching the Jack River, the character shifted. The gradient slacked off and the water spread into scenic flatwater floating lazily sweeping past gravel bars and mountains filling the horizon.

Jordan on the Jack with Panorama Mountain rising above the Nenana Valley - another classic I'm still hoping to do:


Its taking me forever to check out all these classics, which I love. Can't wait to get back to this zone!

Moody Creek Packraft - 6.3.2017

Updated in 2025 include another great day on this little chocolate river.

After a dry winter in the Alaska Range (and everywhere else), spring 2017 brought persistent cool weather to Southcentral. We wanted to get onto the water, but the weather history was tricky for predicting how much water we'd find. Driving north on the Parks Highway, the plan was to make a game-time decision. Passing Honolulu Creek, it had way too much water in it, so we headed for Moody.

We dropped a bike shuttle at the Healy bridge then parked at Dragonfly Creek to begin our customary late start. Following the dry drainage was straightforward and within a mile we were on the clear ridge.


Complete with game trail highways, the ridge was a great way to gain elevation towards the plateau above. Pretty good views southwest into the foothills of the Alaska Range too.


It also had vivid folding rock patterns to check out. The quartz intrusions are neat. Alex for scale:

Okpilak River Packraft - June 2024

Last June, Nyssa, Hazel, Charlee, Tony, Charlie and I headed north for our solstice pilgrimage to the Arctic. In Fairbanks, we met with Kirk Sweetsir who flew us in his bushplane to where the Hulahula River cuts through the Romanzoff Mountains of the Brooks Range. From there, we worked our way down the Hulahula to the edge of the coastal plain where we portaged to the Okpilak River. We explored the country around the Okpilak Hot Springs then floated the Okpilak to the edge of the coastal plain before one last portage to Kaktovic and our flight home. I think this is a close replica of a trip that Ken Hill, Robin Beebee, Ed Plumb, and Seth Adams did years ago - I'm sure others have done it as well.

The adventure started early on a Saturday June morning in Fairbanks as we dragged ourselves out of bed, injected caffeine into our groggy brains, and Ubered to Wright Air. We dropped off the Charliees and Tony who would fly to Arctic Village in one of Wright's Cessna Grand Caravans where Kirk would double back to get them after dropping us off at the landing strip.

Typical of operations serving rural Alaska, Wrights wasn't open yet, and we left the trio standing outside to figure out finding breakfast while we went looking for Kirk. The Yukon Air hangar was also deserted upon our arrival and it was our turn to work on breakfast while we waited for Kirk. Breakfast was on the way by the time Kirk pulled up in his Subaru. Then we started digging around for the bear spray and fuel he has stashed for us and stuffing our gear into his Cessna 185. Packing was pretty quick and we are soon airborne and leaving Fairbanks behind. As we flew north, the foothills of the Brooks Range begin to grow out of the vast northern coniferous forest. 


The taiga melted away below replaced by surreal barren mountains rising around us. These peaks aren't tall, but they cut into sky with their raw untamed beauty. 


As we passed the continental divide, and flew into the Hulahula watershed, I was filled with excitement to explore this wild place of caribou, pastel colors, and beautiful rivers.

Spirit Walker - 2.12.2025

With its beautiful 3,500 vertical foot west face of sustained avalanche terrain rising straight out Mills Creek, Spirit Walker has been on my list for what seems like forever. But, as it has a tendency to do, time has ticked forward without me skiing Spirit Walker or many of the other things on the list. 

Before the glorious midwinter ski window of 2025 came to an end, Dan and I drove south out of Anchorage to give the Summit classic a go. Around Twentymile I realized my beacon was not present. Discussions, brainstorming, justifying, and phone calls ensued. We were saved in Girdwood with a loaner beacon from George - thank you so much. Back on track, we were soon leaving the inversion of Canyon Creek behind and skinning up the old mining road.

We left the road behind where the west ridge of Spirit Walker met the mining grade and began to climb up the ridgeline. I'd heard horror stories about trying to navigate this ridge and imagine they are true between the top of Soul Fire and the true summit, but when we dropped into the Soul Fire face we'd encountered nothing but smooth travel on our climb.


The snow surface had an unpleasant looking texture and it was hard to believe it would ski ok, but a little bit of faith and a few bad turns brought us past the bad wind affect and into really faceted windboard that skied a bit liked corn. I enjoyed the consistent pitch of the ribs of Soul Fire and chased after Dan until we were at the bottom and right under Spirit Walker proper. The detour warmup lap was a great way to maximize the approach to the objective and spend less time in the mega terrain trap of Mills Creek. Stoked on the snow conditions we'd found and what was to come, I continued my hopeless pursuit of Dan as he raced towards the top.


We followed Zack, Claire, and Eli's old skintrack up the south ridge towards the summit. Soaked in sunlight and generally out of significant avalanche terrain, it felt like a great way to get to the peak.

Wolverine Peak Ski - 4.10.2020

Updated in February 2025 to include another great day on Wolverine.

It was April and we were all chomping at the bit. But, I was tired from my solo Bench Peak slog the previous day, and was looking for more vertical and less horizontal. So, Connor, Jordan, and I settled on a circumnavigation of a Turnagain classic - Wolverine.

We parked at the Eddies lot and followed the familiar trail into the woods before leaving the Iditarod Trail and contouring into Wolverine Creek. 


Leaving the hemlock forest behind, we startled two moose who, cautious of hungry bears, high-tailed it up the north face of Eddies. Oddly, the moose were still postholing towards the heavens as we skinned out of sight. 

Under Wolverine's iconic northwest-facing catcher's mitt we turned left and started climbing. I'd found good snow in the mid elevations of Bench the previous day, and hoped for the same, but no luck. By the the upper face we were front-pointing on a nearly unskiable mix of rime, ice, icy windboard, and debris.

Photo: Connor Johnson