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Other Whitewater Trips on the Sheep Creek
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 Lodging in Alaska
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:: Wilderness Run Whitewater Kayaking & Canoeing Trip
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Wilderness Run Whitewater Kayaking & Canoeing Trip on the Sheep Creek |
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Related River Guidebooks on AllAboutRivers |
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Wilderness Run Info
Use this information at your own risk. See our legal notices. |
| Put In: |
Fly-In |
| Take Out: |
Parks Hwy Bridge |
| Difficulty: |
Class III
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| Gradient: |
56 feet/mile |
| Run Length: |
25 miles |
| Good Level: |
High water |
| Streamflow Comments: |
One must guage this run visually at the Parks Hwy bridge. If the creek is brownish clear and meandering it is lower, if it's opaque with good movement it is high. |
| Season Comments: |
June, July, August
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| Primary Season: |
Either right after the lake thaws and the creek is at its snowmelt peak or at any point during the summer after some days of rain. |
| Permit: |
None required at this time |
| Character/Similar To: |
Big Eddy section of the Deschutes, Olalie Campground section of the McKenzie River, Lower Chilliwack |
| Hazards: |
Bears, trees, and devils club on the hike in. |
| Water Craft: |
kayak |
| Wilderness: |
Remote wilderness with a couple of houses in the last few miles above the bridge. |
| Camping on River: |
Yes |
| Location: |
In the Pacific Region (AK), 88.6 miles North of Anchorage |
| Area Name: |
Mat-Sus Valley |
| Shuttle Logistics: |
Willow Air in Willow, (907) 495-6370, will fly a Beaver float plane up to a lake at the 2757 foot level on a plateau above the creek and for a extra fee they can run your shuttle rig down to the bridge at the take-out. Once at the lake a two hour hike/bushwack will get you down to creek level and on the water. |
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| Wilderness Run on the Sheep Creek |
Sheep Creek is a an inexpensive fly-in wilderness trip for the intermediate boater with a good set of backcountry skills and experience. Flowing out of the sharp granite peaks of the Talkeetna Mountains this stream is full of granite boulders, salmon and most consequentially, bears. At most flows the run would be a splashy somewhat technical boulder garden of mostly continous nature but with more pool-drop character in the steeper sections. Expect an ass-massage for the ten miles of whitewater if you go in there at low water. At these levels during the heart of the salmon runs you can also expect to see bears, lots of them, easily the most hazardous aspect of this run (see the Wild and Wooly on Sheep Creek story by Roger Pollard in the back of Fast and Cold: A Guide to Alaska Whitewater). High water runs are the way to go with this creek though. The rapids take on solid Class III form, characterized by big wave trains which usually end with large, punchable holes and a short pool to rest and regroup, and best of all, the bears are all off the water. The ten miles of whitewater on Sheep Creek at flood remain as one of the most fun times I've ever had in a kayak. The 15 miles of flatwater paddle out, however, remain as one of the most arduous paddles I've ever done. Yet another reason to only do this run at high water. For the scenery, the whitewater and the wilderness, a fly-in to Sheep Creek is a tremendous day out and always promises to be an adventure.
For a raft assisted kayak expedition trip or kayak lessons visit Kayak Alaska. |
Last Edited by allanwarren on 10/1/2007
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Towns near Wilderness Run Kayaking |
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