Last updated: May 4, 2021
Itinerary
What follows is a general flow of events. Expect the unexpected and prepare to be flexible.
Day 0
Meet your guide for a pre-trip meeting at your hotel in Haines at 5 pm. Lodging included.
Day 1
Weather permitting we fly, one at a time into the Upper Tsirku and land next to the glacier. Set up camp and let the fun begin!
Day 2
A full day to hike in the upper Tsirku. We could hike to the very head of the valley and day-hike into the peaks above the glacier. Or stay closer to camp and paddle around in the glacial lake or scamper on the ice. It is dramatic and challenging country and there is no end to the adventures we can invent.
Day 3
Down the River. We’ll paddle and row our raft captained by your guide through the initial rapids and down through the braids. Once we pass the rapids we enter the forest and tundra gives way to lush greenery on the banks. If water levels and time permit we’ll have a chance to explore and fish in the Little Salmon River before paddling the remaining miles to the Chilkat River and the road. We spend this night at a local B&B in Haines. Lodging included.
Day 4
Showered and with clean clothes ready for the next adventure, we load our gear into the water-taxi for a 1/2 hour boat ride across the inlet and south of Haines to our favorite campsite. We’ll pitch our tents above the tide-line in the grass near a small river, protected from the south-wind and with an amazing view of the mountains and ocean. Welcome to paradise! We’ll have the afternoon to collect driftwood, hike the beach or kayak along the shore in search of wildlife.
Day 5 - 6
Tide and wind are our masters. We can paddle into quiet coves, or kayak across the broad grey sea. We can climb to the top of an island for views up and down the fjord, fish for halibut, or walk in the green woods. No matter where we go we’ll scan the beach for bears and the water for whales. Or if you’d prefer to hike inland, we can trek up the river dwarfed by 1,000 ft cliffs to the glacier. It is a challenging hike to a spectacular destination. There is no end to the adventures we can have on the wild and rocky shores of this northern fjord. With long days we can probably do a bit of everything!
Day 7
All good things must come to an end. We’ll spend the morning packing-up, hiking and paddling. Mid-day we meet our water taxi for the ride back to Haines. If the weather permits, we’ll ask the captain to swing past a big rookery of sealions on the way back to town. We may miss the quiet of the woods and the rhythm of the tide but Haines is a fun town to end a trip in. Lodging included.
