August 14, 2019
Before we left Arizona, Ken did some research on a river adventure out of Talkeetna, Alaska. We had been checking the weather for the last week or so to determine the best day to schedule our trip. The weather in northern Alaska was hard to predict since the weather changed rapidly and frequently. The trip we decided on was very popular and we were running out of time to wait out the weather. We made our reservations and today was the day!
We were anxious for the boat trip and woke up early to drive to Talkeetna, have breakfast, and arrive at Mahay’s Jet Boat Adventures by 9 AM. No, today’s weather was not perfect! It was cloudy and foggy. We arrived in Talkeetna at 8AM and picked up our tickets. We took a walk through downtown Talkeetna looking for a place to get a quick breakfast. Most of the shops were still closed, so, it was the perfect time to get some photos!
The Roadhouse is a historic building that is the favorite breakfast spot in town. In addition to it’s family style dining, it also has a really good bakery. We made our way through the crowded restaurant, and selected a Cinamon Roll with frosting and a Sticky Bun from the bakery. We took our goody box and walked back to Mahay’s and ate under their pavillion.
Soon, our “boat mates” began arriving and at 9AM we boarded a bus that took us to the river. We were ready to embark on an incredible adventure!
We boarded a jet boat, the McKinley Queen. We were joined by about 42 other passengers to embark on a 130 mile trip to Devil’s Canyon. We traveled on the Susitna River trhough Denali State Park and into the nationally recognized Devil’s Canyon Gorge. It took a long time to get to the Gorge, but, the boat captain kept us occupied with historical information. Along the way we saw numerous bald eagles, but, no bears or moose.
As we neared Devil’s Canyon, our captain, Eli, told the story of the kayakers and jet boat captains who have tried and failed to navigate the canyon, and of the handful who have succeeded. He said the first person to successfully drive a boat through the canyon was Steve Mahay, owner and operator of Mahay’s Jetboat Adventures. Once we reached Devil’s Canyon, we entered into Class V whitewater. This area of rapids surrounds a boulder the size of a small house and is named, Devil’s Horn. After witnessing the power of the river rapids, I’ve decided that this the best way to experience whitewater is in a safe, dry, and comfortable environment. Why would anyone try this in a kayak???
We enjoyed a light box lunch before going ashore to an authentic trapper’s cabin and a recreated Athabascan village. Perhaps it was just for “show”, but, our guide carried a shot gun in case of a bear encounter. If nothing else, this stop was a chance to stretch our legs before the last half hour of the boat ride.
Arriving back in Talkeetna, we declined the bus ride and took another walk through town. The weather had warmed, considerably, and the sun was shining bright! What a great day!