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Want
a true wilderness experience with an
outfitter you can trust? Raft down
the Matanuska River with NOVA,
the company that pioneered the first
river trips in Alaska on this very
waterway. Most of their guides are
in their 30's, with years of experience,
and NOVA's been around since 1975-the
state's oldest rafting outfitter. Let
them guide you down a mellow fork or
through rollercoaster hydraulics. Either
option makes for a great day's outing
from Anchorage, especially combined
with the scenic drive up. Yet unlike
other rafting hotspots, the Matanuska
isn't crowded with busloads of other
rafters.
The Glacier
Run offers
a family-oriented 1.5-hour float
with just a dash of whitewater. The
trip begins on the Matanuska's glacial
fork, which runs right out from under
Matanuska Glacier, and it drops into
the main river past all the big rapids.
Your guide will navigate the oarboat
down splashy Class II and III rapids
as you enjoy the spectacular views.
Before you even get on the river,
you'll find great photo opportunities
of the glacier right in the parking
lot. If there's time, you can walk
out on the ice.
The Lion Head Run tackles
a short, fast stretch of whitewater where the Matanuska
gets squeezed between rock and ice. During your 3.5
hours on the water, you'll get a great view of the
27-mile-long Matanuska Glacier, which presses the river
up against the massive rock wall called Lion Head.
Even the white of the whitewater is gray from glacial
silt, and boulders deposited in the river by the glacier
make the ride that much wilder. This is NOVA's most
popular rafting trip, with a few miles of Class IV
rapids and 14 miles of Class III over three hours.
Choose between an oarboat, steering provided by your
guide, or a passenger-piloted paddleboat. The 2:00pm
departure is typically the high-water run of the day,
as glacial rivers crest at night. Relax around the
campfire while guides grill up a riverside dinner.
During the weeks before and after the Summer Solstice,
NOVA offers a Midnight
Sun Run (7:00pm-midnight)
down Lion Head. Mid-summer glacial melt and the higher
water of evening combine to offer maximum whitewater
thrills-all bathed in the soft hues of the midnight
sun. Hike on the glacier moraine while your guides
prepare the barbecue dinner.
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