Matanuska River?

[MToutdoorsman]

This may be a crazy question, but is the Matanuska feasible to run with a 20' jet boat? If so, how far up can a feller run it? Just kinda curious because I can't recall ever hearing anything about anyone running it, but I'm pretty sure that if it's do-able, someone on here has done it. Thanks in advance for any input.

 

[LuJon]

The lower is shallow and braided. I have played around the mouth in my 17' wolly and was on the beach as much as I was on the water. I rafted the upper w/ nova about a decade ago and from my recollection it had some pretty big hydraulics that would be a bit much for a shallow water boat but nothing for one of those big water river boats. A pretty short river with significantly different personalities between the upper and lower so I don't know that there is a singe good power boat to run the whole thing. Best bet would be to just float it in a rubber boat.

 

[tjm]

you trying to get to the glacier?

 

[MToutdoorsman]

No real goal in mind, just asking questions that have come to mind. I realized that the Matanuska was one of the few rivers that I have read almost nothing about anyone running in all the threads on here so I figured I'd ask.

 

[akmike30]

what kind of boat and you really can go as far as you want....

 

[swampdonkey]

That river fluctuates alot during the summer. It's very braided and relatively shallow over half way up. The single channels are typically fast with boulders. There's class III-V rapids there. Super silty and hard to read. Most who have tried it ended up with alot of sweat and cussing from pushing their boats off of the bars or took it to a shop for repairs afterwards. If you're up for it, go for it and report back with how it went.

 

[akgravelpumper]

ran it from the old glen bridge just outside palmer to just a little past sutton in early october, still plenty of water and easier to read, less channels to choose from. not a bad run no more difficult than a run to the knik glacier as far as shallow, braided ect. have run it mid summer but it is not as fun, constant pounding from pressure waves in a lite boat gets old. Doesn't seem to get run much because there isn't anything special to see and most of it can be accesed by road, one exception is durring hunting season

 

[MToutdoorsman]

Thanks for all the input. I'd be running it in a Wooly Sport with a 140 Merc. If I were to run it, it'd be most likely with hunting in mind.

 

[akmike30]

you'll have no problem have fun. just read the river kinda hard but hey that's half the fun.