Stikine River Raft

Telegraph Creek · Canada

Challenging10 daysNorth America~£5,000 est.

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Overview

The Stikine is the great wild river of northwest British Columbia, and floating its lower reach from Telegraph Creek to Wrangell, Alaska is one of North America's finest self-supported river expeditions: about 260 km of swift Class I-II water through a corridor where the Coast Mountains stand straight out of the river. Upstream — and emphatically not on the itinerary — lies the Grand Canyon of the Stikine, a 70 km Class V+ chasm run only by elite kayak teams; you can peer into it near Telegraph Creek before launching below. The float piles up rewards daily: a side-trip to the Great Glacier's berg-dotted lagoon, a soak at Chief Shakes Hot Springs, black bears and moose on the gravel bars, and bald eagles at densities that stop feeling remarkable. Tides govern the final day across the delta to Wrangell. June to August gives long daylight and workable water, but the river runs cold and fast with snowmelt, so drysuits and solid group rescue skills are non-negotiable, and the trip suits experienced wilderness paddlers rather than experts only. Logistics are half the expedition — ferry or flight to Wrangell, road shuttle to Telegraph Creek, customs at both ends; around £5,000 covers a guided descent.