We finally got to paddle our whitewater kayaks again, on the Tatshenshini River from Yukon to Alaska. It was our second trip on the Tatshenshini and the third on the lower part, the Alsek River. We spend 12 days with friends from all over the Westcoast (Vancouver, Trail, Seattle, WA Pocatello, ID and Eli, NV), most of them in rafts (so there was plenty space for our food and gear).
The Tatshenshini runs through the most glaciated mountain range of the world outside the Polar region. The high point of the journey is Alsek Lake with its many icebergs. The bergs are very scenic but may also pose a problem. Moved by wind they can block the route through the lake. Good thing that on our way down the river we met an old friend who was guiding a commercial trip. He told us about a different route to avoid the bergs.
Pilot Hans from Yakutat brought us back to civilization to Haines, Aaska with his Turbine Otter (a bush plane). Although bad weather was chasing us this was our most amazing plane flight so far, with stunning close-up views of snow covered peaks and endless valley glaciers below. The drive up to the Yukon was an adventure in itself; I watched a lynx, got stopped in the middle of the road by a bison herd, had a great northern light photo session and of course there were countless road-side bears (I stopped counting at 20).
