Alsek River
Encyclopedia
The Alsek River is a wilderness
river
flowing from the Yukon
into Northern British Columbia
and into Alaska
. The surrounding area from the Western edge of the Alsek to East of the East Alsek is known to locals as Dry Bay.
It starts at the confluence of the Dezadeash and Kaskawulsh rivers in Kluane National Park and Reserve
. After flowing south into the northwestern tip of British Columbia, it is joined by the Tatshenshini River
in Tatshenshini-Alsek Park
. It reaches the Pacific Ocean
at Dry Bay, in the Gulf of Alaska
, south of Yakutat, Alaska
close to the northern end of the Alaska Panhandle
. Although the river is navigable by kayak
or rubber raft
in its northern reaches, it rapidly becomes unnavigable—for any but the most experienced and skilled kayakers—at Turnback Canyon.
On older maps, the Alsek river is labeled as the Tatshenshini and vice versa. Some Yukon First Nation elders also refer to the river as the Tatshenshini.
The river flows next to the Lowell glacier
which blocked off the river from 1725 to 1850 and created a large lake behind it. When the glacier broke in 1850, it created a massive flood, washing away everything in its path on the way to the Pacific.
The river carries a lot of silt from the Alsek lake/glacier, which contributes to the river's low temperature.
The Alsek and nearby East Alsek rivers were at one time connected, and the old river bed can still be made out on some maps.
The Alsek glacier contacts the Grand Plateau glacier, which faces the shoreline. Also in the same general area are the Doame foothills and Doame River.
. "This has been a day!," he wrote in his journal. "I want any other kayaker or would-be expert to read my words well. The Alsek Gorge is unpaddleable!" Despite this sincere warning from a man who apparently felt lucky to be alive, groups of expert kayakers have successfully run Turnback Canyon since then. A prominent mountain which overlooks the Alsek was named Mount Blackadar in his honor.
The portion of the river inside Kluane National Park has been designated a Canadian Heritage River
.
In 1958, a magnitude 7.7 earthquake centered near Lituya bay significantly changed the lay of the land. The earthquake caused the Doame River and East Alsek River to join together.
, Silver
, and Sockeye
commercially. Chum
and Pink salmon
can also be caught, but are not generally sought after due to their relative lack of worth/quality. These two rivers can be characterized as low volume fisheries, while the Alsek river in particular produces particularly high quality salmon due to its low temperature. The Alsek's silt content also prevents the sun from damaging the fish.
The area also supports subsistence and sport fishing. There are multiple local sport fishing, sight-seeing, hunting, and animal watching lodges
Published by:
Cloudburst Productions
P.O. Box 81
Haines, Alaska 99827
USA
http://www.cloudburstProductions.net
ISBN 0-9728122-1-0
Wilderness
Wilderness or wildland is a natural environment on Earth that has not been significantly modified by human activity. It may also be defined as: "The most intact, undisturbed wild natural areas left on our planet—those last truly wild places that humans do not control and have not developed with...
river
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
flowing from the Yukon
Yukon
Yukon is the westernmost and smallest of Canada's three federal territories. It was named after the Yukon River. The word Yukon means "Great River" in Gwich’in....
into Northern British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
and into Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
. The surrounding area from the Western edge of the Alsek to East of the East Alsek is known to locals as Dry Bay.
Course
Kluane National Park and Reserve
Kluane National Park and Reserve are two units of Canada's national park system, located in the extreme southwestern corner of Yukon Territory. Kluane National Park Reserve was established in 1972, covering 22,016 square kilometres....
. After flowing south into the northwestern tip of British Columbia, it is joined by the Tatshenshini River
Tatshenshini River
The Tatshenshini River is a river in the southwestern Yukon and the northwestern corner of British Columbia. It originates in British Columbia, near Haines Highway...
in Tatshenshini-Alsek Park
Tatshenshini-Alsek Park
Tatshenshini-Alsek Park or Tatshenshini-Alsek Provincial Wilderness Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada . It was established in 1993 after an intensive campaign by Canadian and American conservation organizations to halt mining exploration and development in the area and protect...
. It reaches the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
at Dry Bay, in the Gulf of Alaska
Gulf of Alaska
The Gulf of Alaska is an arm of the Pacific Ocean defined by the curve of the southern coast of Alaska, stretching from the Alaska Peninsula and Kodiak Island in the west to the Alexander Archipelago in the east, where Glacier Bay and the Inside Passage are found.The entire shoreline of the Gulf is...
, south of Yakutat, Alaska
Yakutat City and Borough, Alaska
Yakutat City and Borough is a unified city-borough in the U.S. state of Alaska. As of the 2010 census, the population was 4035. The name is Tlingit, Yaakwdáat, meaning "the place where canoes rest", but it originally derives from an Eyak name diyaʼqudaʼt and was influenced by the Tlingit word...
close to the northern end of the Alaska Panhandle
Alaska Panhandle
Southeast Alaska, sometimes referred to as the Alaska Panhandle, is the southeastern portion of the U.S. state of Alaska, which lies west of the northern half of the Canadian province of British Columbia. The majority of Southeast Alaska's area is part of the Tongass National Forest, the United...
. Although the river is navigable by kayak
Kayak
A kayak is a small, relatively narrow, human-powered boat primarily designed to be manually propelled by means of a double blade paddle.The traditional kayak has a covered deck and one or more cockpits, each seating one paddler...
or rubber raft
Raft
A raft is any flat structure for support or transportation over water. It is the most basic of boat design, characterized by the absence of a hull...
in its northern reaches, it rapidly becomes unnavigable—for any but the most experienced and skilled kayakers—at Turnback Canyon.
On older maps, the Alsek river is labeled as the Tatshenshini and vice versa. Some Yukon First Nation elders also refer to the river as the Tatshenshini.
The river flows next to the Lowell glacier
Glacier
A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
which blocked off the river from 1725 to 1850 and created a large lake behind it. When the glacier broke in 1850, it created a massive flood, washing away everything in its path on the way to the Pacific.
The river carries a lot of silt from the Alsek lake/glacier, which contributes to the river's low temperature.
The Alsek and nearby East Alsek rivers were at one time connected, and the old river bed can still be made out on some maps.
The Alsek glacier contacts the Grand Plateau glacier, which faces the shoreline. Also in the same general area are the Doame foothills and Doame River.
History
The first known kayak descent of Turnback Canyon was by Dr. Walt Blackadar, who ran the canyon solo on August 25, 1971. He wrote about his trip for Sports IllustratedSports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
. "This has been a day!," he wrote in his journal. "I want any other kayaker or would-be expert to read my words well. The Alsek Gorge is unpaddleable!" Despite this sincere warning from a man who apparently felt lucky to be alive, groups of expert kayakers have successfully run Turnback Canyon since then. A prominent mountain which overlooks the Alsek was named Mount Blackadar in his honor.
The portion of the river inside Kluane National Park has been designated a Canadian Heritage River
Canadian Heritage Rivers System
The Canadian Heritage Rivers System was established in 1984 by the federal, provincial and territorial governments to conserve and protect the best examples of Canada's river heritage, to give them national recognition, and to encourage the public to enjoy and appreciate them. It is a cooperative...
.
In 1958, a magnitude 7.7 earthquake centered near Lituya bay significantly changed the lay of the land. The earthquake caused the Doame River and East Alsek River to join together.
Fishing
The Alsek and East Alsek rivers are a part of the Yakutat area limited entry set gillnet fishery. Both rivers produce KingChinook salmon
The Chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, is the largest species in the pacific salmon family. Other commonly used names for the species include King salmon, Quinnat salmon, Spring salmon and Tyee salmon...
, Silver
Coho salmon
The Coho salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch, is a species of anadromous fish in the salmon family. Coho salmon are also known as silver salmon or "silvers". It is the state animal of Chiba, Japan.-Description:...
, and Sockeye
Sockeye salmon
Sockeye salmon , also called red salmon or blueback salmon in the USA, is an anadromous species of salmon found in the Northern Pacific Ocean and rivers discharging into it...
commercially. Chum
Chum salmon
The chum salmon, Oncorhynchus keta, is a species of anadromous fish in the salmon family. It is a Pacific salmon, and may also be known as dog salmon or Keta salmon, and is often marketed under the name Silverbrite salmon...
and Pink salmon
Pink salmon
Pink salmon or humpback salmon, Oncorhynchus gorbuscha, is a species of anadromous fish in the salmon family. It is the smallest and most abundant of the Pacific salmon.- Appearance :...
can also be caught, but are not generally sought after due to their relative lack of worth/quality. These two rivers can be characterized as low volume fisheries, while the Alsek river in particular produces particularly high quality salmon due to its low temperature. The Alsek's silt content also prevents the sun from damaging the fish.
The area also supports subsistence and sport fishing. There are multiple local sport fishing, sight-seeing, hunting, and animal watching lodges
See also
- List of Alaska rivers
- List of Yukon rivers
- List of British Columbia rivers
River Book
The Complete Guide to the Tatshenshini River including the Upper Alsek River by Russ Lyman and Joe Ordonez and Mike SpeaksPublished by:
Cloudburst Productions
P.O. Box 81
Haines, Alaska 99827
USA
http://www.cloudburstProductions.net
ISBN 0-9728122-1-0