Wrangell - St. Elias National Park
Paddling - Copper River
This trip covers approximately 140 miles in a five- to 10-day period. Road access is via the Richardson Highway to the Tazlina River rest area at Mile 110.6. Alternate put-ins are the Klutina River confluence at Copper Center or the Copper River Bridge at Chitina via the Edgerton Highway.
From the Put-in at Tazlina, it is 0.5 mile to the confluence with the Copper River. Watch for
shallow spots and rocks along the Tazlina. The Copper River is a large glacial river with mostly Class I
and II water. From the Tazlina River to the confluence with the Chitina River, the Copper meanders
through a valley sided with forested bluffs. The river is braided for the most part and navigating the
main channel is necessary to keep from running aground on gravel bars. Waves and holes along
various stretches make for exciting travel.
From Chitina, the river cuts through the Chugach Mountains to the Prince William Sound on the Gulf of
Alaska. High winds along this stretch of the route can make travel difficult. It is recommended to
travel in the morning as the winds tend to come up in the afternoon, blowing dust along the gravel bars
and making downstream travel almost impossible at times. Just south of Chitina, the Copper passes
through Wood Canyon, a scenic section of fast water. Beyond Wood Canyon is the Haley Creek
hydraulic which can be avoided by staying river-left. There are numerous campspots with clearwater
streams along the way, and also scenic and historic areas that make for interesting side-trips. Near the
confluence with the Bremner River, the river braids extensively, and the main channels are usually
found toward river-right.
Approximately eight miles before the Million Dollar Bridge are the Abercrombie Rapids, a series of large
waves and fast water. This area can be avoided by staying on river-right, although some rough water
may be encountered here as well. Beyond the rapids is Miles Lake, an area of slow, flat water. This
area is very scenic as the lake is bounded by the Miles Glacier to the east. Take-out is at the other end
of the lake at the Million Dollar Bridge. A pick-up and transportation to Cordova should be arranged
for this area.
MAPS: USGS Quadrangle Maps - 1:63,360 Gulkana (A-3), Valdez (D-4), (D-3), (C-3), (C-2), (B-3),
(B-2), (A-3) and Cordova (D-2), (C-2). 1:250,000 Gulkana, Valdez and Cordova
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