best floats? Class II -III

[theronn]

I have an inflatable kayak ( so I need moving water ) and am looking for some float trip ideas for summer. Floats that are road accessible, are a must. Floats I can fish are a plus. asy floats around anchorage are perfect, but a multi-day float would be AWESOME. I have the Alaska River Guide, but like getting feedback from another source. THANKS.

[markoathout]

There are a couple of threads in which you will find the info you seek. So seek and yea shall find.
If you cant find them i will rewrite some trips for you.
MO

[Jim Strutz]

Day trips: Lower Eagle River, Lyon Creek, Portage Creek, Kenai Canyon, Willow Creek from Red Gate, Matanuska from Glacier Access bridge to wherever. The first canyon on Sixmile Creek when the water is below 9' is like a class 3.

Three to five days: Chulitna, Gulkana, Nelchina-Tazlina.

[theronn]

is it possible to do ship creek or peters creek? anyone have experience floating the small, tight, slow moving water around anchorage?

[markoathout]

Sounds like you may be looking for the Portage Creek/river. At a good flow you may see class II-, more like I+.Another beginner run is the Matanuska from Kings River to Moose creek. This section is Class II, and is a big silty swiftwater river with small waves, and is harder than the portage.
Eagle river also has a class I section that goes for several miles.
If you are a absolute beginner, you can learn to catch eddies, practice ferry angles(downstream and upstream) on these streams.You can practice your sweep strokes and draw strokes etc. and learn their impact on a particular maneuver
A real bonus for guys like yourself, is to befriend someone who can help guide you down Alaskan rivers. A word of warning however, don't let the friend coax you into something you don't feel good about. Trust me, people react differently under pressure, and nobody knows themselves or others until they have been there, staring into the eyes of the beast.Keep gathering info, get that paddle wet and these questions will soon be answered
Good luck MO
BTW
Ship Creek and Peters are well known class V runs, so don't go to far upstream.

[markoathout]

Sorry i didnt directly answer part of your question. I have not floated it but Tim has it in his guidebook and rates it a class I to II, just might be perfect. I think the rainbow fishing is ok up alittle higher but there may be a bear problem, and im not sure its open.
MO

[ganleyhonda]

Three weeks ago we did a float trip, I have a old town kayak adventurer sitin. It was a great trip, took five days lots of grayling to catch lost count. class three tops in one spot which you can portage around.

[silverworld]

Maybe I will, I still have my mage here, but unless wnet makes some significant fixes I dont think it would be a good idea to come back . But maybe I start learn russian and come here to practice a bit .

[markoathout]

A really super cool class II, II+ run with one class III- drop is the lower section of the lower Kings river canyon.
Go about 4 milers up permanente(sp?) road, you go down a big hill and the trail splits with some deep mud holes in it, take the left trail. This path will lead you too the class V- drop which is the crux of the lower canyon. There is a slot in the canyon wall RIGHT below the last ledge drop of the big drop.( you will find it)Put in there, you will still have more cool canyon to travel through but no major difficulties, just class II continuous whitewater. It is about as hard as Redgate on Willow, but is more remote and for the first part is in a canyon.
After the canyon the river is splashy all the way to the road,about 6 miles or so.
If you are a class III boater you can do the whole river under the magic mile at low water. There are 3 drops you may want to scout and could portage, 2 ledge drops one about 4 ft and and one about 3 ft and an interesting, tight slide drop where the whole river is constricted to 6 or 7 feet, the rest is read and run steepish fun whitewater. These drops become class IV at normal flows so think fall time and you will be fine. Make sure however, you keep a lookout for the big drop called "Gotta give er" V-, portage on the left if need be.
All of the main drops can be portaged so don't worry when the walls start closing in.
Mark O.