The Skilak Challenge 2011

Matt and I took off on a exploratory adventure over the extended 4th of July weekend. First off we tried to see if we could get my boat to fly by tying Matt’s canoe across the front like wings. As we told a couple tourists on our arrival back when asked, “no, it didn’t fly as hoped, anytime we ‘took off’ and the prop came clear of the water, we’d drop back down. So we just skipped across the lake.”

We left the boat tied up on a gravel bar and hitching myself up like a mule to the front rope, we slogged our way lining the canoe up the braided river in the rain. After an hour of being too hot in a rain coat and too wet without, we found a spot to set up the tent and made a hot supper at 11pm.

The Braided Route

Camping Spot Numero Uno

We were surrounded on all sides by different channels of the river and wondered at what hour we were going to wake up with the river rising and our gravel bar disappearing. It must not have bothered us too bad because we slept in till the rain quit and we started the trek again at 10:30am.

Fresh water was obtained from the night's rain. The river was very silty.

The further upriver we made it the clouds dispersed and the river channels funneled together. We often made the comment on how we’d need to get out and walk the canoe around those rapids and avoid the main channel here and there. Things were looking sketchy for us on the way out.

Working like Mules

The Lumberjack

Making Accessories

Avoiding the rocks

The end of the river opened into another lake. Our desired camp spot was 2 miles across it with a stiff wind in our face making the surface of the water unstable with two foot swells, white cap waves, and giant icebergs to get around.

First Canoe on the lake...maybe ever?

Iceberg Obstacles

A test run to a closer potential camping spot to wait for a calmer wind boosted our confidence and the next thing we know we are going for it. Several times our bow busted midway on an oncoming wave and we took on water. But a little sloshing in the bottom of the boat couldn’t wash the smiles from our faces. Once, with nothing but cliffs on one side and open water on the other we glanced at shore and saw that we were making no progress against the wind. Shortly after creeping forward to a rockslide, we took a break to rest our shoulders. It took us over an hour of rowing to get to the other end of the lake and a nice gravel bar where we could camp. To put it in perspective, when we headed out with calm winds, we crossed the lake in less than twenty minutes.

Campsite Numero Dos

Our camp on the gravel bar was crisscrossed with bear and goat tracks right on the beach. We explored a little that evening but determined that it was basically impassable to venture further up this drainage. Another supper at 11pm that night and we were ready for the next stage in the morning. A rumbling and calving glacier lulled us to sleep on our peaceful gravel bed.

This was the impassible side drainage

Skilak Glacier - as seen from camp

Matt was rocking the adventrue

I was the classic explorer

Sunday had us picking our way up the side of the glacier through a maze of cliffs, ice, and mud as we navigated safe but psychologically tough footholds and trails. It was amazing to see giant boulders sticking out of the sides of giant walls of ice and nasty spires of frozen water towers. Other boulders sat in awkward balancing acts, carried there by moving ice and left as it melted away. Matt “couldn’t resist” and often sent these boulders crashing and tumbling down to our amusement.

Our route up the side of the Glacier

Elevation Gains up the moraine.

Nannie and Kid

Watch your step - we weren't the only ones using this route.

Ice, Cliffs, and Mud

Views that pulled the eyes into wonderment

A mountain of ice

Eventually we cliffed out and unless we had a death wish or lots of different gear we couldn’t continue on over the side of the glacier. A creek a little ways back provided an easy way up without bushwhacking and soon enough we climbed out into high country goodness.

The Creek Route

Trails to Follow

Endless Ice

Traveling Companions

Mountain Goats

It's Wider than the Foot...good to go

We saw the end of the mountains, enjoyed snacks in the hot sun, then made our way back down to the glacier and onto the lake. We pulled our gear into the tent and zipped the flap just as the evening rain hit us.

The Way Home

Cozy, but dead tired to the world and enjoying our second cup of coffee before going to sleep the last night in camp, I made the comment, “We didn’t just take a nibble of adventure for this trip, we took the whole bull. And tomorrow we’re going to get to the horns. (referring to the rapids ahead in our canoe)



A plane buzzed our camp twice early Monday morning, we didn’t think much of it till about 45min later the thump thump thump of a helicopter heading our way got us curious. I got out of the tent to check it out and here came Search and Rescue. As they hovered overhead, I waved them off and watched them head straight away the way they’d just come. How awesome is that! We were so far back up in there that search and rescue comes along just to see if we’re okay.

Our excitement level was high as we walked the canoe down around the first corner of the river and scanned the waters ahead, looking for the best route and approach. On the next corner we hesitated on whether to take our or not and next thing we knew were right in the middle of the rough water. Things weren’t as bad as we made them out in our minds, but we did have to pull off to the side and dump water out of the canoe three different times. The electric fence around the boat kept it from being chewed on by bears and we reloaded gear and boats and off across the lake we went again.

Both Matt and I decided that we’ll give tours next time. We figure we’d be the only outfit offering canoe trips to this glacier.