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River kayaking and rafting in Alaska

A watery ride is a great way to see wild country

By Ken Marsh / Anchorage Daily News

Although the Richardson Highway traverses it all, there is no better way to see the canyon -- to feel the beauty, power and rawness of it all -- than from a raft on the river's swift current.

Floating the whole thing takes only an hour. Your guide, a confident, broad-shouldered oarsman with Popeye forearms and years of river experience, tells you what to expect, carefully explaining the proper safety procedures.

Then you suit up in a life vest, hop into the raft, and off you go, ready to enjoy one of the most scenic, exhilarating rides of a lifetime.

In a state large enough to be divided into a million acres for every day of the year -- that's 365 million acres or nearly 600,000 square miles -- getting around can be problematic.

Especially when you consider that all of this space is served by only 15 main roads, or roughly 15,000 highway miles. As a result, people seeking to travel here have long learned to take advantage of what's naturally available. And among the state's most widely used natural highways are its 3,000 rivers.

Keystone Canyon's Lowe River is only one example of the scores of rivers floated by Alaskans and visitors each summer. No matter where you travel in Alaska, chances are that great rivers -- and competent river guides -- are available nearby. Perhaps the best part of it all is that most anyone can enjoy the thrills of white-water rafting.

In all but the most extreme waters, rafting trips are generally safe and without age limits.

Rafting trips come in all forms and lengths ranging from short, swift treks of an hour or a day in rivers located close to Alaska's main population centers, to meandering weeklong trips on remote waters throughout the state. Some of the most exciting, affordable and accessible rafting adventures are the shorter ones on such popular rivers as the Nenana in Denali National Park, Keystone Canyon near Valdez, the Matanuska and Eagle rivers north of Anchorage, Sixmile Creek on the northern Kenai Peninsula and the upper Kenai River out of Cooper Landing.

Prices for these shorter trips range from $35 per person to $70 per person. All provide life vests and, depending upon the length of the float, some even supply lunch. For remote, guided float trips lasting from three days to a week, expect to pay anywhere from $400 to more than $2,000. Prices for these longer floats include camping gear and food.

To simply see the country, perhaps a half-day spent floating the relatively gentle upper Kenai River would work best; you will drift lazily through the Kenai Mountains where Dall sheep are often seen grazing in alpine meadows and possibly see moose and bears along the riverbanks. For short, wild, breathtaking rides on Class III and IV rapids, the Lowe, Nenana, Sixmile and Eagle rivers may be more your speed. But these are just a few among scores of river-rafting opportunities found here.

Alaska promises something for river rafters of all types, ages and abilities.

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