ALASKA’S MOST Exhilarating WHITEWATER Rafting TRIP
Sixmile Creek is Alaska’s premier whitewater raft trip, one of the wildest most exhilarating trips in North America, and a NOVA pioneered section that is well known around the world of whitewater. Prepare to get wet as this pristine wild creek runs through three consecutive canyons. Each canyon is more beautiful and more challenging than the last, with tight narrow routes, steep slot drops, crashing waves, and deep beautiful blue pools. It’s an awesome ride all surrounded by lush green rainforest walls. A truly world-class section of whitewater that happens to be half-day accessible and gives a one-of-a-kind Alaskan adventure in just a few hours. This creek cuts right through the gorgeous Chugach National Forest and then pours into the pacific ocean at Turnagain Arm just south of Anchorage. From the creek is a 16-mile drive to the quaint mining town of Hope, AK from the highway junction meeting area. In the town of Hope there are great dining options along with quaint Alaskan charm to explore after your trip. This tour is located two hours south of Anchorage off the Seward Highway. With action-packed adrenaline-pumping rapids set in a serene semi-rain forest gorge, it’s a picture-perfect river trip. NOVA pioneered Sixmile Creek in the 1980s and has constantly led adventures on this famous section of whitewater.
These canyon rapids are defined as ‘pool-drop’ at most water levels. Allowing for the sudden gradient drop or rapid breaks into a calm smaller pool below. When water levels rise these pools become less tame and increase in current between rapids. The first and second canyons have multiple significant Class IV rapids with decent size pools and distance between rapids. Sixmile Creek’s third canyon is where the canyon really changes character. The third canyon is more committing and packed with Class V consecutive rapids. With even more gradient drop and more rapids back-to-back. The pools become smaller and the distance between rapids shortens. This constant and consistent gradient decreasing time between rapids is what elevates the intensity, difficulty and risk for the third canyon.
Both our 2 canyon and 3 canyon raft tours include a mandatory (yet fun) in-river swim test before the start of the tour. This also is to help demystify the experience of being in the moving water and currents, to practice self-rescue, and check everyone’s swimming abilities prior to the trip launch. Guides are able to deny anyone participation in the tour based on their judgment. NOVA was the first in Alaska to incorporate a pre-trip swim test as a safety standard for commercially run class V whitewater. For those adventurous 3rd canyon section rafters, you can choose to enjoy a popular post-rapid celebration swim session after successfully navigating all three of the Sixmile Creek canyons and float down to the take-out to meet the bus for pick up riverside. Sixmile Creek is one of the highest quality and highest adrenaline experiences you can have. NOVA takes pride in being the original rafting company on this legendary section of Alaskan whitewater!
