Crossing the Teklanika River

May 12 2011 - by Erik Halfacre

When people contact me about hiking the Stampede Trail, the most common questions I'm asked are about the crossing at the Teklanika River. The Teklanika is the second and largest of the river crossings on the way to old bus 142. It's also the most dangerous.

The main threat posed by the Teklanika is it's depth and current. At times it is high enough to easily take a hiker off their feet. The water is then so cold that you face a number of risks ranging from loss of gear, through hypothermia, to having your muscles cramp and being unable to swim. For these reasons, it's always best to try and cross when the river level is at it's lowest. Predicting this though, can be hit or miss.

Alaska is full of glaciers. When those glaciers melt they create glacial rivers. For many, even experienced hikers in the lower 48 states, the concepts of a glacial river seem somewhat counter intuitive. In most of the country, the hotter it gets, the lower the rivers get as things dry out; not so in Alaska. As it gets hotter the glaciers melt faster, thus the depth of the river actually increases.

If you are hiking the Stampede Trail in the middle of the Alaskan summer, expect the river to be high. July and August are the hottest months, with the most glacial melt, and therefore the greatest river depth. In addition to fluctuating over the course of the seasons though, glacial rivers also change depth over the course of the day. At night temperatures drop. This means the glaciers don't melt as fast. In the early hours of the morning the river will be shallower than at two o'clock in the afternoon. Though the difference might not be huge, it's certainly something to consider.

The other major factor contributing to river depth is, of course, precipitation. A lot of rain will raise the water level. Last year (2010) was a particularly rainy year in Alaska and the river ran exceptionally high most of the summer.

So enough about the river itself. Time to talk about getting across the thing. First thing you should know is what NOT to do. There are a few things that can get you hurt in a hurry and you need to know to avoid them.

Using Rope

At first glance, using a rope to cross a river seems like a great idea. In fact, there are river crossing techniques that, when properly used, are safe and effective that involve the use of a rope. These techniques are still very dangerous if not executed with care and precision. Because of the risks involved I do not recommend the use of rope in crossing the Teklanika.

If you come across a rope already strung across the river, and choose to use it, do not tie into it. This is very important. A rope strung perpendicular to the river is exceptionally dangerous if used as anything other than a hand rail to steady yourself. If you are tied into such a rope, and you fall, the current will push you downstream. The rope will bow into an inescapable V. You will be held under the water and your chance of freeing yourself before you drown is very low. The psychological comfort that tying into a rope can offer you, is not worth the risk of disaster.

It is worth noting at this point that the tragic 2010 death of Claire Ackermann was caused by just such an incident. It's easy to see how the idea of using a rope can be appealing, and how it can even seem safer. By reading this article though, you will know better. Tell your friends. It could easily save their life.

Before You Cross

In preperation for crossing the river you should do a few things to improve your safety. First, and perhaps most importantly, prepare your gear. If you have a dry bag make sure you have at least the following items stored safely in it:

• sleeping bag
• 1 change of clothing
• fire starter (even toilet paper is better than nothing)
• means of lighting the fire (waterproof matches, lighter, flint and steel, etc...)
• camera/other water sensitive electronics
• map and compass (or GPS if you are carrying one and it's not 100% waterproof)

With those items safe and dry, you will be able to easily recover from taking a swim in the river. If on the other hand, your sleeping bag/clothes are wet, the ink washes off your map, your GPS is fried, and your matches are soggy, you could be in a real world of hurt. Being able to change into dry clothes and start a fire is priority 1. That's how you avoid hypothermia.

Before crossing, unbuckle the waist and sternum straps on your pack. If you do end up being swept downstream, you want to be able to free yourself from your pack if necessary. That simple step will allow you to do so.

Trying to improvise some form of personal floatation device is an idea worth trying. One idea, is to take your sleeping mat (Inflatable or otherwise but this works best with an inflatable) and fold it up. Place the folded mat on your chest and zip your rain jacket up around it. Finish this off with a strap around your middle to secure the mat. If your raincoat has a waist draw-string, tighten this. If not, tuck your raincoat into your pants.

Get ready to get cold! If you are wearing convertible pants, zip the legs off. If you're not wearing convertibles, or if the river is higher than your thighs, consider taking your pants off altogether. The nylon material of your pants does nothing to keep you any warmer, but it does increase your drag, and allows the river to push harder on you. Keeping them dry in your pack will be of more benefit in the long term.

Your boots are going to get wet (unless you brought water shoes.) Take your socks off and put your bare feet back into the boots. You'll want the protection and traction they will offer. Taking out your insoles will also make them easier to dry back out once you're across.

Time to Cross

Now you're prepared as you'll ever be, and the only thing between you and the other shore is the river itself. Scout along the riverbank (upstream to the south) and try to find a spot where the crossing will be easiest. As you head upstream eventually the river braids out into multiple channels. Depending on what time of year, and how the river has moved (braided rivers change their channels all the time) this may be the easiest spot for a crossing.

If you are crossing alone cut yourself a nice long springy green alder for a pole. Cross the river facing upstream and placing the pole in front of you. Use it as a third leg. Move the stick, then one foot, then the other, always keeping two points of contact, steadying yourself as needed. Take your time and place your feet carefully. The rocks on the bottom can be somewhat slippery, and since you can't see them it's easy to lose your footing.

If you are crossing in a group cut yourself a pole long enough to be carried by the entire group cross-ways at abdomen level. Have everyone line up along the bank and pick the pole up. Line everyone up from largest to smallest, with the largest being farthest upstream. In this way, the largest person will take the brunt of the current. Walk slowly across the river with the pole held firmly. If anyone in the group starts to lose balance, everyone else in the group will be able to support them long enough to regain control. This method has worked well for me and I highly recommend it.

Packrafts

If you've never heard of a packraft, don't worry, they're just starting to take off. A packraft is a small inflatable raft that rolls up to the size of a loaf of bread and weighs around five pounds. The best available are made by Alpacka Raft. In Fairbanks, Alaska you can rent one through Northern Alaska Packraft and in Anchorage you can rent them through Alaska Packraft.

Having even a single packraft in your group can make the task of crossing the Teklanika a lot less daunting. It is possible to have one person in a raft ferry across all the packs and then take a second person across several times until the crossing is complete. It may take a while but everyone will be a lot dryer, happier, and safer.

Most Important

Do not cross the river if it looks beyond your capabilities. Even if you traveled all the way to Alaska just to get out to Bus 142, it's still better to go home empty handed and try again later someday (or even not at all) than it is to never make it home. Be safe.

Also, lastly, with an article dealing with something this risky, it's worth pointing out that although every effort is made to present accurate information, all content found on this site is simply for informative purposes and any decisions you make are your responsibility. To read the full disclaimer click here.

Photo © Andrew Haertel

Erik Halfacre crossing the Teklanika River with Scott Ashmore on the shore.
Video © Jeremy Egger

Photo © Aaron Glaser

This video by redheadmurrayyt shows just how powerful the Teklanika River can be.

This video by Shane Redman gives a pretty good idea of what the crossing can be like.