ONLY AVAILABLE MARCH 1 THROUGH APRIL 30 (possibly available earlier depending on ice formation)
Route Description: There’s a scenic waterfall along Onemile Creek that can be spotted from the Richardson Highway just north of the Lodge at Black Rapids. The waterfall starts freezing over by November, and once enough snow settles over the creek it’s a relatively easy but rugged snowshoe to the base with interesting cliffs to look at along the way. However, the waterfall generally doesn’t look that impressive until later in the winter after enough ice has formed, so this route is only available from March 1 through April 30. The waterfall has three sections and the uppermost is the tallest and most impressive. To reach the middle and upper sections some tough but fun scrambling is required. If conditions are right, another minor scramble up snow will take you behind the ice of the waterfall, which glows like an electric blue curtain. If you haven’t quite had your fill by this point, you can bushwhack above the waterfall for impressive views of the mountains across the Delta River valley. You’ll see signs of wildlife along this tour and quite possibly a moose or two. (No ice climbing gear required; ice climbing is not available, sorry!)
Route Length (Standard Only): 3 miles round-trip, 700 feet elevation gain
Difficulty: Moderate
Rates
Standard Tour (4-6 hours)
1 Person $300
2 People $350 ($175pp)
3 People $450 ($150pp)
4 People $525 ($131pp)
5 People $600 ($120pp)
6 People $675 ($112.50pp)
Each additional person $75 up to 10 max
Alaska Resident & Military Discount: Parties with at least one Alaska resident or active duty military personnel receive a 10% discount. Enter code “AK_AND_MILITARY_DISCOUNT” at checkout.
Add $50 per person for professional adventure portraits. (High-resolution digital files delivered via web download after your hike.)
Receive a discount when you also book an Aurora Borealis Photography Tour. (Please inquire.)
Rates above do not include transportation from Fairbanks! Optional transportation is available for an extra fee.
Standard tours are limited to approximately 6 hours maximum, while Expert tours don’t have any strict time limitations. Clients who want to press farther into the wilderness or spend more time exploring, photographing, or otherwise enjoying their time outdoors should consider the Expert tour option, though Standard tours are designed to offer impressive sights and a fun experience on routes where offered. If you require optional transportation from Fairbanks, please note the tour durations above do not include travel time, and that travel time from Fairbanks is approximately 2.5 hours each way.
All tours are PRIVATE and involve no technical rock or ice climbing. Maximum group size 6; special arrangements must be made for larger groups up to 10. Children are welcome on tours but there is no youth discount; see age recommendations in difficulty ratings below. Full payment is required to reserve a tour. A 50% cancellation fee is charged when reservations are canceled at least three days in advance. No refunds are given for cancellations made less than three days in advance. Tours may be canceled due to extreme cold (below about -15 °F), in which case your tour will be rescheduled or fully refunded. However, 0° F is near average during the coldest months (December & January) and it’s actually a comfortable temperature to recreate in once your blood gets flowing, so clients should prepare to face cold temperatures and dress appropriately. For complete tour policies and more tour information, see the Black Rapids Tours FAQ.
Difficulty Ratings are assigned to each route as follows:
Easy: Low mileage & elevation gain, easy snow travel, suitable for people of average fitness and kids about 7 and up
Moderate: Rugged terrain, higher mileage, and/or breaking trail required, suitable for people of good fitness and kids about 10 and up
Difficult: Very high mileage, rugged terrain, and/or significant trail breaking required, suitable for tough kids about 12 and up
Please contact me if you have questions about the difficulty of a particular route. Keep in mind that snowshoeing requires more energy than walking, and breaking trail through deep snow can be very strenuous. Using alpine touring skis to travel in the backcountry is generally easiest, but I do not provide ski rentals. (Beaver Sports in Fairbanks rents them.) Snow conditions can greatly affect the difficulty of a particular route, and cold weather may make any trip challenging. You may change your selected route anytime before your tour starts, and I may suggest exchanging routes based on weather, snow conditions and other factors as your tour date approaches.