Girdwood Alaska

For unparalleled adrenaline, join Chugach Adventure Guides (DBA - Class V Whitewater) for a rafting trip down Sixmile River-a difficult, strenuous run through deep canyons with pushy, technical water. During high water levels, all the rapids here are Class V. Choose to paddle all three canyons-the third offers some of the toughest runnable whitewater around-or just enjoy a wild ride down one or two. Past paddlers say that when you get to the take-out, you'll be wearing a "Sixmile Smile."

While Sixmile offers high adventure, it's also well suited for commercial guiding. Rapids are separated by calm sections, giving time to recover and regroup if a boat flips or people swim. The river runs down a valley near a road, and while you don't usually see it, the road's there for support.

Not only is Sixmile one of Alaska's wildest rafting runs, it's also very scenic. Canyon walls rise above you, ranging from 50 feet in the first to over 400 in the third. You'll eddy out and take breaks, leapfrogging down the river with other rafts for backup, so there'll be time to enjoy the scenery. The milky-green water is clearer, more colorful, and warmer than gray, glacial rivers of the Alaska Range. Some rapids make 50-degree turns, where water's power has carved the bedrock.

The First Canyon of the Sixmile is offered to beginners and families, and must be run by our other paddlers going for the 2nd and 3rd Canyons as well. It is ranked a solid Class III run, with one section that ranges from Class III - Class V depending on the water level. After a nice calm stretch of river to warm up, you'll arrive at the top of the first canyon. There is a pull-out point here and hiking trail for those who do not want to run the rapids. At ultra-high water, even the guides walk around. Then you have 20 minutes of class III/III+ whitewater (during medium and low flows; things change dramatically at high water). Watch for an eagle's nest. During the float to the take-out, you'll pass by pass by Canyon Creek, whose beautiful, clear waters usually offer easy viewing of spawning king salmon. From the first canyon take-out, a 20- to 25-minute float to the rapids of second canyon offers stunning views of the Chugach Mountains. You'll often see bald eagles, black bears, and moose.

The Second Canyon adds another 2.5 miles to the trip (and about 1 hr, 45 min), and steps the paddler up a level of difficulty. The 2nd Canyon is ranked solid Class III+ and IV and combines four big drops in rapid succession with other smaller rapids to keep you on your toes. You'll take on rapids that are more technically difficult and have bigger features, such as waves and holes. This add-on is Class V's most popular trip.

Anyone who wants to raft the Third Canyon must jump out of the raft and swim through the second-canyon rapid known as the "Swimmer's Wave Train." In a raft, this is a simple rapid of big waves, but with no watercraft but a life jacket (and a wetsuit) it is a little more exciting! If swimmers pass the test (meaning they make it through the rapid and get themselves to shore without assistance) they can go down the Third Canyon.

The Third Canyon adds another 3.5 miles of river (and 1 hr) to the trip and has enough Class IV and V rapids on it at all water levels to make it Alaska's premier whitewater paddle-rafting run, and among the top 10 most challenging runs in the U.S. The likelihood of falling out or flipping the raft increases greatly in the Third Canyon, but you'll have the satisfaction of taking on rapids such as "Suckhole," "Zig-Zag," and "Jaws."

Which trip is right for you? Paddlers often make their decisions on the river. Class V can refund money if you get out earlier than planned, or they can take payment at the river if you want to go further than planned. Their van meets the rafters between every canyon, so people who are getting out have a ride back to their own vehicles.