Rental Equipment	Unguided Backcountry Trips	Hiker/Boater Shuttle

Unguided Backcountry Trips

The following list is a description of some of the most popular trips that GoNorth helps travelers organize. Prospective travelers should be aware of their own limitations, and choose an itinerary that is appropriate to their own level of experience and condition. If you have concerns or questions about the level of experience required to do these trips contact us directly.
Prices are not listed below because each group has very different needs. Some may need only a boat rental, while others will need transportation, and yet others will need a complete outfitting package. Contact us directly for a price quote that is tailored to your specific needs.

Chena River (Tanana Valley), 3 days
Spend three days in the wilderness, long enough to get some nice camping in, but not so long it eats up your whole vacation. Choose your own riverside campsites, toss a hook into the river, cook on the beach, enjoy the solitude for a few days. We pick you up again when the Chena carries you back to town.
River stats: 50 miles., class 1 (easy)
National Parks: Chena State Recreation Area

Tanana River (Tanana Valley), 2 days
This is the shortest of GoNorth's backcountry itineraries. Put in to the Tanana River outside of Fairbanks, or even right in downtown Fairbanks. Choose a nice campsite when you tire of the peaceful float, and arrive in Nenana late the following afternoon. Visit the village for the evening, or ride with us back to Fairbanks.
River stats: 65 miles, class 1 (easy)
National Parks: Tanana Valley State Forest

Middle Fork Koyukuk (Brooks Range), 4 days
This is a relatively short float tour that you can combine easily with a trip up the Dalton Highway. It is a particularly good trip for beginners. You may pick up your gear in Fairbanks and drive to your put-in point at Coldfoot, or we can fly you there. You spend a total of three nights on the river, finally arriving at the tiny Indian trapping village of Bettles. Spend the last night in a rustic lodge and fly back to Fairbanks or Coldfoot the following afternoon. GoNorth can also guide this trip for you.
River stats: 95 miles, Class 1-2 (easy to moderate)
National Park: Gates of the Arctic National Park.

Pinnell Mountain Trail (White Mountains), 4 days
This is the Interior's premiere wilderness hike, famous for its extraordinary vistas across a spectacular treeless landscape. This three day hike is a challenging walk, both because the terrain is mountainous and because the weather can be capricious. The continuous panoramas, abundant wildflowers and excellent wildlife viewing make this trip a particularly worthwhile trip for the well-prepared hiker. The trail begins and ends at the two high points along the Steese Highway. It follows the ridge away from the road and over two steep mountains. The trail is entirely above treeline, so hikers are exposed to windy conditions, but do not have to contend with brush and thickets. The panoramic views from along the trail are spectacular. Water can be a problem at dry times of the year. Hikers may take advantage of two public shelters along the route. GoNorth can drop you off at one trailhead and pick you up at the other end when you are finished.
Trail length: 27.3 miles, strenuous
Elevation: 3000 to 5000 ft
White Mountains National Recreation Area

Yukon River (Fortymile Country), 6 days
Fly or drive from Fairbanks to Eagle City on the Yukon River. Spend the day visiting the extensive historical museums, the National Park Service Visitors Center, and enjoying this tiny bucolic frontier town. Pick up your canoe the next day and float out of town. While on the river, trace the history of the gold rush. This country is empty now, but there are a few old cabins to explore. Keep your eyes open for bears, wolves, fox, beaver and other animals. Spend one day hiking up the Coal Creek valley. Explore the Coal Creek Gold Dredge, a massive mechanical relic of the bygone gold-rush age. After two more days, you reach Circle City, where you return by air or road to Fairbanks. GoNorth can also guide this trip for you.
River stats: 166 miles, class 1 (easy)
National Park: Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve

Beaver Creek (White Mountains), 7-21 days
This is an extended wilderness trip that will take you between two and four weeks. The first portion of this tour takes you through the White Mountains, where you can spend several days hiking. The White Mountains are also a good place to spot Dall sheep up close from the river. Wolves often howl at night in this country. There is one section of upper Beaver Creek where a log jam sometimes redirects the flow of the river. This log jam is the only substantial obstacle on this trip. If you wish to keep this trip short, we can arrange an air taxi to pick you up from a landing strip 7-10 days downstream from the put-in. If you continue paddling past this landing strip, you will gradually leave the White Mountains, arriving eventually at the Yukon River. Paddle for several more days along one of the most wildlife-rich segments of the Yukon to reach the Yukon River Bridge, where you meet your ride back to Fairbanks. This trip is occasionally unavailable because access to the put-in is sometimes washed out by spring meltwater or flooding after heavy rains. As with any wilderness trip in Alaska, always come prepared with an alternate plan.
River stats: 127 miles to Victoria Creek, class 1 to 2 (easy to moderate)
273 miles from Victoria Creek to Yukon Bridge, class 1 (easy)
National Park: White Mountains National Recreation Area

included:
- Overnight at the GoNorth Base Camp, Fairbanks
- Transportation to Nome Creek
- Canoe rental including Paddles and PFDs
- Pick up at Yukon Brindge for transportation back to Fairbanks
or pick up by float plane at Victoria Creek

Birch Creek (White Mountains), 10 days
This is a 10-day wilderness trip that begins between Twelvemile Summit and Eagle Summit on the Steese Highway, about 100 miles northeast of Fairbanks. The upstream sections of the trip are often subject to low water, and the river has a tendency to rise quickly after heavy rains. Come prepared to line your boat or portage often if you arrive at a time when there has been little rain. Birch Creek flows through the White Mountains in a large arc, and eventually passes under the Steese Highway Birch Creek Bridge half-way between Central and Circle City. There is one section of Birch Creek that presents an obstacle to paddlers: a small section of rapids that requires either lining your boat or a portage, depending on water levels. Both the drop-off and pick-up can be carried out by road, and GoNorth can arrange this transportation for you.
River stats: 126 miles, class 1 to 2 (easy to moderate)
National Park: White Mountains National Recreation Area

Noatak River (Brooks Range), 16 days
This most remote and challenging of GoNorth's backcountry programs qualifies as an expedition-class trip. Fly to Bettles in a mail plane, and then take an air taxi onward to a lake in the west-central Brooks Range. From here, the Noatak flows westward towards Siberia, into the most sparsely populated region of Alaska. This river system is so undisturbed by human activity that the region is designated as a biosphere reserve, and used as a benchmark for measuring global ecological change. The float trip ends when you arrive at the village of Noatak and take a boat or air taxi across Kotzebue Sound to the Eskimo village of Kotzebue. Fly back from Kotzebue to Anchorage or Fairbanks. For all true arctic fans or canoe adventurers, this is truly the ultimate tour. GoNorth can also guide this trip for you.
River stats: 375 miles, class 1 to 2 (easy to moderate)
National Parks: Gates of the Arctic National Park, Noatak National Preserve.

North Fork Koyukuk (Brooks Range), 9 days
Fly from Fairbanks to Bettles to meet your air taxi. Enjoy a spectacular flight to the remote Brooks Range lake at the headwaters of the Koyukuk river. The scenery on this river trip is remarkably diverse, but the float itself is not technically difficult. If the river is clear, the Koyukuk offers some great fishing. The upper portion of the river is ideal for day hikes. Your float trip returns you directly to Bettles, where you catch a bush plane back to Fairbanks. GoNorth can also guide this trip for you.
River stats: 95 miles, Class 1-2 (easy to moderate)
National Park: Gates of the Arctic National Park

John River (Brooks Range), 10 days
Fly from Fairbanks to Bettles, then take an air taxi to a lake 150 miles north of the Arctic Circle. Paddle across the water to the source of the John River, known as one of the best floating-rivers in the Brooks Range. The John River flows from mountainous highlands down to the lush valley-bottom, trough some of the most diverse ecology of all Alaskan river drainages. If the water is clear, the John river also offers some of the best fishing in the region. The river trip ends at the abandoned village of Old Bettles, where you meet your boat for a transfer upriver to the new Bettles townsite. Return to Fairbanks by air from Bettles. GoNorth can also guide this trip for you.
River stats: 100 miles, class 1-2 (easy to moderate)
National Park: Gates of the Arctic National Park

Arrigetch Peaks Hike (Brooks Range), 6 days
Fly from Fairbanks to Bettles, then take an air taxi to Circle Lake, near the headwaters of the Alatna River. Hike upward to the ridgetop, out of the forests and onto the tundra. After the first day, the hike becomes an easy walk along the ridgeline amongst some of the smoothest, sharpest mountain peaks in Alaska. Spend six days on the tundra amongst these lonely mountains, and then hike back down to the valley-bottom to meet your air-taxi back to Bettles. Return to Fairbanks by air from Bettles. GoNorth can also guide this trip for you.
River stats: 100 miles, class 1-2 (easy to moderate)
National Park: Gates of the Arctic National Park

Trailhead and river landing drop-offs & pick-ups
These prices are for ground transportation to select destinations only. They reflect the capacity of one GMC Suburban. Other rates will apply if your party is larger or if your destination is not listed here. See Air Taxi and Bush Plane page for prices and information on air transportation for backcountry travelers.

Rosehip Campground canoe pick-up/drop-off: $90, $120 with trailer

Chena Lakes canoe pick-up/drop-off: $75, $95 with trailer.

Nordale Bridge canoe pick-up/drop-off: $65, $85 with trailer.

Wickersham Dome (White Mountains National Recreation Area): $120, $155 with trailer

Granite Tors, Chena Dome and Angel Rocks Trailheads: $120, $155 with trailer.

Twelvemile Summit (Pinnell Mountain Trailhead) $280, $335 with trailer

Eagle Summit (Pinnell Mountain Trailhead) $335, $390 with trailer

Beaver Creek (Nome Creek/Ophir Creek) and Birch Creek canoe drop-off: $325, $395 with trailer

Yukon River Bridge canoe pick-up/drop-off: $395, $425 with trailer

Birch Creek canoe pick-up/drop-off: $435, $495 with trailer

Circle City $475, $550 with trailer

Coldfoot $750, $850 with trailer

included in price "car" prices:
> max 1 hard shell canoe
> max 5 clients plus limited gear for Suburban 4x4 needed for some drop off / pick up locations
> max. 12 clients for 15 pax Van, not possible for certain drop off or pick up location, also depending on road / trail conditions. Van has no 4x4.

included in "trailer" prices:
> max 3 hard sehell canoes
> max 8 clients plus limided gear
trasport provided with 4x4 Suburban including trailer

Rental Equipment 2007

River Sports

	day	week	month
Hard shell canoe	$37.00	$185.00	$509.00
Ally Pack canoe (folding canoe)	$50.00	$275.00	$756.00
expedition canoe	$45.00	$245.00	$674.00
inflatable 4person raft	$55.00	$295.00	$811.00
*all boat rental include lifejackets and paddles

Camping Equipment

(one week minumum)

Safety Equipment

Bicycles

	day	week	month
Mountain Bike	$27.00	$115.00	$290.00
Mountain Bike 1/2 day(4hrs)	$8.00
expedition package for Mountain Bike	$15.00	$60.00	$120.00