Launching a Jetboat on the Colvillle River?

[James/Spokane Maule Pilot]

Hello Alaska Hunters,
A friend of mine lives near Anchorage and has a 16 foot jetboat with a 50hp outboard jet. How would a guy launch it to hunt the Colville River?
Thanks,

James

 

[VernAK]

I don't believe it's possible.....you would have to access via oil company roads and that could be a problem.

 

[swampdonkey]

You'd have to launch it in the Sagavonirktok (Sag) river, run downstream to the ocean about 5 miles, then travel west offshore about 40 miles or so, then take a left into the HUGE braided mouth of the Colville river. No launches available in Prudhoe/Deadhorse or from the oilfield. Even 5 miles out, the work boats with jets I've been in churn up mud. Real shallow.. Good luck..

PS... If you do make it, stay out of Nuiqsut. I'm just saying...

 

[hodgeman]

I've been to Nuiqsuit. I've been to the Colville.

Absolutely no reason to go there to hunt. Nothing you can't get there you can't get a bunch of other places cheaper, easier and safer.

 

[257wby]

Load the boat on a Herc and fly it in to Umiat. Then have some fun...lots of bears, caribou and moose and not so many people. We flew in and landed on the beach many years ago. We hunted with inflatables and had a great time. Not much for wood around there but we picked up coal on the riverbank and burned that.....beautiful country!