had joined the rush to the Klondike and it declined. Now it is the best preserved gold rush town in Southcentral Alaska. Very nice as it was well maintained. They had a wonderful restored Museaum with several old buildings including a barn, blacksmiths shed, one room schoolhouse and an old rooming house for the miners. Pictures below. However as that was the only thing worth seeing we decided to drive back up the road and stay overnight at the location where we were to meet the Outfitter in the morning for our White Water Rafting Adventure.
July 3 we met the people from Nova River runners. We were scheduled to run 2 of the 3 canyons on the Sixmile River. This is a Class IV and V river. I have rafted in the past but never rapids rated that high. Garry and I got suited up. We were told to wear lots of layers. They gave us dry suits and special shoes to wear. We were then driven about 15 miles up river. We were then instructed to sit on the bank while the rafts were put in the water. Garry and I were dismayed to see the rafts take off without us. What???? We were then instructed that we would need to wade out into the river which was moving rather swiftly, swim to the opposite shore all the while being swept down stream. Once we got to the other side there was a bit of an eddy and calmer water where we were to turn onto our backs, raise our legs up and ride the current down and around a corner where the guides waited. At that point we would get onto the opposite bank and then assigned a guide to go with. When garry heard about the swimming he bowed out. There was no way he could do that. I wasn't all that sure about my ability. Also that water was COOOOOOOLD! I went last. I was surprised that when i waded out into the water the dry suit actually kept me warm! So I dove in and started to swim for all I was worth. It was hard work and my hands and face were freezing! I made it however. Good for me. So I was assigned a raft and off I went. I am in the midddle in the front of the following pictures with a blue helmet on. What a riade!! The canyons were gorgeous. very narrow in spots and wild. Then we would float through a beautiful valley before we hit more rapids. After we got through the two Class 4 I was given the option to be left off at shore where the support vehicle would pick me up. I had made it that far I decided to continue on. Oh my God! We hit the next canyon and rapids and I wondered what I had been thinking!!!!! We had to go down some "steps".We probaably dropped 5 feet several times. i was terrified/exhilarated all at the same time. As you can see in the pictures which were taken at the at the first and second canyon I frequently got a face and whole body full of water. When that happened my hands were numb. By the end of the trip my feet were cold too. At the end when we had to get out of the raft I wasn't sure I could walk my feet were so cold. As it was my hands were freezing and I had a hard time undoing the buckles on both my helmet and the life vest.I am so glad Garry didn't go. He would not have enjoyed it. As it was he went along with the support people and saw me do the first canyon. he was amazed that after the raft disappeared frpm view in a hole and I was blasted with water that when we came back into view I was SMILING!!
So I survived. Didn't get bounced out of the raft. The dry suit did keep me dry and mostly warm. I loved it. However I am probably getting too old to risk doing this again. Afterwards Garry took me to get a hot hamburger and some hot tea to warm up. We then headed to Seward where we will spend the 4th of July.
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