Chugach Outdoor Center

This was the highlight of my Anchorage trip! We started out with a safety swim where you swim perpendicular to the current across a river with fast water dragging you downstream. This was the hardest part of our trip; I was huffing afterwards from the freezing cold water and swimming as fast as I could to complete the task. Two people turned around after this and they weren't charged, which I think is nice. This was followed by the 3 canyons. The first canyon was the mildest, class III-IV, the second was moderately hard and more narrow, still class III-IV, and the third was mostly class V in rapid succession. The price was $129 for the first two and $200 total for all 3. About half of our group signed up for just 2 canyons, but by the end of those we decided to all do the third as well and settle the bill later. You can also duck out if you are overwhelmed by the first 2 and you aren't charged extra. Ara, our guide, did an amazing job safely navigating a bunch of rookies through these treacherous waters and not one person was lost from the boat at any point. We even went backwards down the "harder side" of the rapids sometimes and still came out unscathed. I was very impressed with the safety measures taken to ensure the passengers came out ok, as there were two cat boats near us ready to pick up passengers, ropes, and tour guides that constantly tell us what to do to stay safe. Not one boat overturned the afternoon we went (which was very high water as it rained all night) and not one person was separated from the boat. After we were done we were welcomed with hot tubs, warm showers, and hot chocolate/tea. You could also purchase photos afterwards. They also have a kitty named Allen who lives at the lodge who is very sweet and friendly. Huge shout out again to Ara for making this trip great!

This was an experience of a lifetime! They began by giving us a thorough training on what to expect, so I went into it with confidence. Im convinced we had the best guide of all the groups, no one from our raft fell out! I'm hooked!

We did the white water rafting and it was an amazing experience. They were very thorough in explaining what to do in situation. All the guides were super friendly and nice. We had Kristof and James. Both were very good and made our experience amazing. It was very cold so I recommend wearing lots of warm layers. Bring your own gloves to wear because that's the only thing they don't provide. The swim test is scary at first but quite easy. The water is freezing but definitely worth it. I would definitely recommend this place for people who love adventure!!

I researched places to raft in Ak for a yr before booking and COC was hands down the best decision. We arrived and right away while parking we were met with a staff member with advice and instructions, we got inside and the most wonderful lady (i forgot her name) was super accommodating. All the groups gathered for gear instructions then loaded up the vans and headed out for the swim test, which I'm not gonna lie I was really nervous. Test was probably the worst part but their reasoning behind it was 100% understandable. We had only booked the 2nd canyon so once we got through the canyon our guide gave us the option to continue onto the 3rd or get off, half my party including myself got off with no peer pressure to continue, and everyone was real understanding. The rest of our party continued on and loved every bit. Our guide was wonderful he definitely knew what he was doing and did not disappoint but mostly kept us safe. Safety is a big deal with this company and I love it.
My only complaints were that there was no photographer so you would have to provide your own GoPro or similar camera since they ask that you don't bring phones or anything that could be lost. Wish I knew that in advance.
A few guides were making rude remarks about guests loudly which was poor taste. Just kind of like you could of said that quietly or later to your coworker.
Other then that it was a fantastic experience. All though we didn't participate in the hot tub afterwards it was a nice perk along with a hot beverage. I would call before your trip to get a detailed clothing list so you come prepared. Also there was no phone service out there so cell usage was a no go.

For Father's Day this year my family decided to go white water rafting on Six Mile Creek. We lucked out on weather. The sun was shining and it was a gorgeous summer day.

We showed up at Chugach Outdoor Center about 20 minutes before the 2 o'clock departure time and had plenty of time to check in and then put on our warm layers. If you are doing a rafting trip make sure that you bring warm synthetic (not cotton!) clothing.

The guides were friendly and helped us get outfitted in dry suits, helmets and life jackets. They then drove us to the launch site where Mud Flap (one of the guides) spent 40 minutes going over safety procedures and rafting technique.

I noticed that my dry suit wasn't making a seal around my neck so one of the guides pulled out some medical rubber tubing and tied it around my neck to keep the water from getting in.

Once we were ready to go each person had to perform a "swim test". This consisted of swimming across the river into an eddy. Before this point I had been sweating in my long johns, polar fleece pants and polar fleece jacket, but once we got into the water I was so glad that I was wearing all of my ski gear! The water was only 38 degrees and while the dry suit did a good job of keeping me dry, I would have been freezing if I hadn't been wearing so many layers!

After the swim test everybody broke into groups of five and got into rafts. Chuck, our guide, was really friendly and instilled a lot of confidence. The entire trip was incredibly fun. I think that Chuck got a good idea about what kind of trip each of us wanted. My brother, boyfriend and I all wanted to be in front of the raft where the action was. My dad and brother's girlfriend were in the back of the raft holding on. My brother and I really wanted to be in the thick of it and hit rapids head on, whereas his girlfriend wasn't excited about getting really wet. Chuck managed to navigate the raft in a way where we were completely submersed in rapids in the front, but the people in the back didn't get as wet.

Throughout the day I kept looking to the back of the raft to make sure that my dad was doing okay. Every time I looked back he had a huge grin on his face spanning from ear to ear.

We did all three canyons which was totally worth it! Once we were through all three canyons we were allowed to jump out of the boat and float the rest of the way to the pull-out. This was really fun! Just make sure to keep your hands out of the water!

When we got back to the lodge and got our dry suits off I noticed that there was a moisture on the outside of my layers, which made me really happy I hadn't been wearing cotton. They also have a hot tub at the lodge so you can warm up after your adventure!

So long story short - wear very warm clothes and do all three canyons!

We did an afternoon trip through all 3 canyons. The raft fit the 6 people for our group, with each person getting a new dry suit. The weather was beautiful, but I wasn't as prepared for how cold/crisp the water would be...definitely wear a nice pair of warm socks/undergarments. Tommy was our guide and was a very experienced rafter...taught us all the appropriate techniques and was clear and directive throughout the float.

I had a blast; great way to experience the views of Alaska. I'd definitely recommend if you can endure 2 hrs in some chilly water. I would go back and recommend to friends, for sure,

I now know what it's like to raft from Class 1 to Class 5 rapids on the infamous Six Mile Creek in Alaska, & I could not have felt more supported by the Chugach Outdoor Center team. There was always someone keeping tabs on us as we did our practice swim in Class 1 (or was it 2) rapids & while we maneuvered through all 3 canyons. The whole experience was hardcore & surreal. Sometimes I still can't believe I put on my big girl panties & actually did this.

MUDFLAP. Dude. This guy makes a mullet cool. He's the happiest redneck in freezing water you're ever gonna see. He'd fit right in drinking a Natty Light at a Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute concert. He & the rest of the crew take their jobs VERY seriously, but still manage to fit a healthy dose of fun into every adventure. They had me cracking up on several occasions.

If you are going to do something like this, I only hope you have excellent guides like we did. A raft with a different crew flipped & these guys snatched them up almost immediately, despite high waters & intense currents. It was impressive to watch & it made me very confident in their abilities, in case our raft would have flipped.

If you're looking to get candid action shots of this ordeal, the Chugach Center has a photographer who takes pictures of rafters during the excursion (for no small fee). You can buy one, some, or all of them in disc format. This was good news for one of the people who flipped, since the Go Pro camera on his helmet died during the rescue.

Thanks to Chugach Outdoor Center, I have checked one of the most amazing things I've ever done off my bucket list.

I've never been water rafting. My boyfriend and I are here from Colorado. Neil was the best guide. The whole crew was fantastic. Made it very easy to get in and be comfortable. We only did two canyons, would definitely go back and do the third canyon. I loved all of the enthusiasm from the guides, it really helped ease my anxiety! The water was cold, but the dry suits and shoes they provide kept me dry and the layers I brought (long sleeve, leggings, hoodie and long socks) kept me warm on a 60° day. I highly recommend this rafting tour, the location was beautiful and they take pictures of you and your boat group while you're rafting so don't worry about not having your phone or camera.

I rafted the first two canyons with this company about 10 years ago and it was amazing. I don't think I have rafted since then because it almost seemed pointless to go if it wasn't on six mile. We did all three canyons this time and it was just as exhilarating as I remember. Tommy was our raft guide and he was hilarious and kept us alive, so that's a plus. We also saw a bald eagle up close, so another plus.

Excellent staff at Chugach Adventures! The guides are well trained and have been rafting for many years. Our team was Mudflap, Tommy and Archie. They were a very entertaining bunch and made sure we knew what was expected at each rapid. I have now been with this company twice doing all three canyons and could not have asked for a better experience.

Also, who doesn't love that there's a hot tub afterwards!!