Delata river crossing

[jnjgaudette]

Ok planning on making the long trek from Anchorage to Delta Junction in the next couple weeks. Looking to cross at the Whitestone property area on wheelers. Has anyone had any luck crossing there lately? If not there then can someone give me some ideas where to cross on wheelers to get into the DM772 area so we don't waste a weekend trying to find a crossing spot. I know it will all depend on the weather so we will be prepared for that. Is there someone who can do a ferry across with wheelers in the Delta Junction area?

Can I get in thru Ft Greely somewhere?

 

[VernAK]

Currently rivers here are very high and more rain is forecast. Two weeks from now may be different.

Crossing at Fort Greely can get you in trouble with Military Police or get you into the impact zone [unexploded ordnance]. It's best to check with USARAK website for recreation passes and advice. Lately there has been extensive bombing in that area.

 

[jnjgaudette]

I wont have a problem getting a isportsman pass pass since we are military down here on JBER. Just didn't know if there was some trails that where not in the impact zone, of course if there was I know that would all depend on if the training area was open or not.

 

[BAR300]

most people don't even attempt that river on an ATV, last year a rollagon flipped, so an ATV is just failure waiting to happen.. like you mentioned finding someone with a landing craft river boat that can take you across is your best bet. Maybe you can rent one from the military???

Good luck on your hunt, there are some nice ones in there.

 

[jnjgaudette]

So lets approach this from a different angle. We also have a 16ft flat bottom with a 40HP jet. Does anyone happen to know if getting across the Tanana and up the little delta river or delta creek is possible. I have read some post that there is a big log jam up the little delta river, does anyone know if this is still there?

 

[hodgeman]

Good call, using a boat that is.

I've crossed the Delta twice on ATVs and that'll never happen again...and the water was way, way lower than it is right now.

If you can ferry a wheeler across you can get on the Valdez winter trail, I'm not sure how far you can get up the little Delta or Delta Cr- that water gets pretty skinny.

 

[jnjgaudette]

Hodgeman, do you know anyone who will do the ferry with wheelers across.

 

[kahahawai]

My hunting partner had the DM773 area last year, and we tried to cross at whitestone and it was too deep for the side by side Polaris Ranger, theres a guy there that will ferry you across in a huge tractor buggy that has a flatbed big enough to put a couple of trucks on it and oversize wide tractor tires about 6 feet tall, believe he 'll do it for few hundred bucks a trip. Once you get across theres trails that will take you up to higher ground to glassing areas, the bulls will be around the ponds , theres hundreds of them, you will need to get a pass from Greely to get on the area where the big bulls are, get far away from Whitestone as you can, its a small community that live off the land too, and I'm sure they take a few bulls every year....Good luck

 

[jnjgaudette]

Do you know who it is that has the big rigs? name, number, address...

 

[Gulkana Rafting]

I have been sending a number of floaters down the Delta from Tangles and the reports from mile 212 is the river is high and swift. I am guess ing that down below it would only be worse. I am not a wheeler hunter but my first impression is you would loose your rig!

What is plan B?

Walt
Northwest Alaska Back Country Outfitters
Unit 23-Kotzebue
www.northwestalaska.net

 

[jnjgaudette]

Thanks Gulkana Rafting, as time goes on it looks like wheelers might be out of the question for trying to get across the river. Other plans we have will be to find someone to shuttle us across the river by boat taking the wheelers. Next option will be to use our flat bottom to cross the Tanana and try to get up the Delta Creek or the little Delta River, which I have also been told is kind of tough due to log jams and the river getting really small at points. I would like to say our final plan is to do a fly in, but haven't really researched that option yet.

 

[shphtr]

If you are planning on going in less than 2 weeks you might find an available air taxi a challenge with that short of a notice. If a fly in is in your options I would recommend initiating inquiries ASAP! Good luck.

 

[H20Dogg]

I tried in October two years ago and dunked my wheeler, water was high because of late fall rain.

 

[Kmagers]

I tried in October two years ago and dunked my wheeler, water was high because of late fall rain.

you didnt happen to help pull out a blue chevy from the ice. That was a bad trip for everyone i talked to. I ask cuz i met a few guys who had swamped wheelers when they were pulling my friends truck out.

 

[jnjgaudette]

man this looks like it is going to be a hard ass hunt

 

[H20Dogg]

Nope was not me, I hauled ass back to the truck after I went in.

 

[Rock_skipper]

man this looks like it is going to be a hard ass hunt

You can always put a add in the http://www.deltanewsweb.com/ , theres always somebody around here hungry enough to ferry you across for a buck. Alot of people here ar'nt on this forum. ( Hope that helps.)

 

[323]

2012 was a bad one for a lot of folks, one guy swamped a f250 in the delta state troopers had to get them, another group swamped and lost their wheelers in the river I think the troopers found the son walking down the Richardson hwy, me I swamped my ranger and rolled it on its side. So **** all that no moose worth dying over. The flat bottom boat is a great idea but no way in hell I try crossing it on wheelers. Also the blue chevy that was stuck our bud help yank it out with the bronco he was borrowing from another bud. On the little delta if you make it to the fork you will have company at least two airstrips and several cabins back their. If you cross the delta once you get out of the trees and on the high ground their is only one trail anyhow their is a airstrip and cabin up their and it's a nice one with a stack of moose antlers.