River Log
a blog celebrating all things water: still, salty, flowing and frozenNew Offerings: Shuttles & Gear Rentals!
The success of any business in small-town Alaska depends on its ability to adapt and diversify. Now that we’ve got a few years of experience running New Skies under our belt, and our gear list has grown, we are able to do just that! We want to make people aware...
The Beauty of June in the Copper River Valley
Ahhh, the beauty of June! Rafting and fishing trips here in the Copper River Valley come back to life and King Salmon are anticipated by every local fisherman, visitor, guide, woman and man looking to stock their larders and fill their smokers. That’s a lot of...
Walking the Banks of the Yukon, Driving the Alcan
Walking the banks of the Yukon River last night, in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory (on our annual trip up the Alcan Highway to run the guide business in Gakona, Alaska), we were treated to gorgeous blue water, views of river ice beginning to head downstream, a beaver on...
Do Something Different with Salmon: Gravlax!
If you have a stockpile of Alaskan sockeye salmon, stop hoarding it, and turn it into a culinary delight with this Scandinavian recipe for gravlax! What’s that, you say? No, not lox, as in lox and cream cheese, but similar. Gravlax is a traditional...
2016 Season Update
Our 2016 rafting and fishing season has been busy and varied. We just got out of a crazy week packed with trips, are starting to put the finishing touches on our new outpost (more on that soon!) and are awaiting the second Sockeye run along with all the others...
Back in Alaska!
New Skies is back in Alaska! Our home base for our rafting and fishing business is located in Gakona, Alaska and we’re back for the 2016 season after almost 5,000 miles on the road through the U.S. and Canada. We’re so ready to stretch our legs (and...
Rafting with Kids
To some, rafting with kids seems more like a scary nightmare than a fun family activity. Indeed, I just talked to the mother of a 3-year-old at the playground the other day who literally shivered at the thought. The thing is, her only rafting experience was...
Nolichucky River, Jan. 9, 2016
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Creekin’ in the Shredder, Part II
…Another scenic river adventure with some whitewater! Since their warm-up run on the Davidson went so well, JJ and Greg decided to try the North Fork of the French Broad river. The North Fork (IV-IV+) is a local creek run in Brevard, NC that had sustained a...
Creekin’ in the ‘Shredder’
No fishing happening on this rafting adventure! A lot of rain and a day off of our winter work afforded JJ and Greg the chance to try out the Shredder (2-man cataraft) on the upper Davidson River in the Pisgah National Forest. The river was running class III+ (IV)...