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23-711: Most of the Alsek River's basin is within protected wilderness areas and National Parks. The Alsek and its main tributary, the Tatshenshini River , are part of the Canadian Heritage Rivers System and a UNESCO World Heritage Site . In the year 2016, the Alsek River captured the flow of the Slims River due to the retreat of Kaskawulsh Glacier . Researchers attributed the change in flow to human-caused climate change ; this

46-410: Is a geomorphological phenomenon occurring when a stream or river drainage system or watershed is diverted from its own bed, and flows down to the bed of a neighbouring stream. This can happen for several reasons, including: The additional water flowing down the capturing stream may accelerate erosion and encourage the development of a canyon (gorge). The now-dry valley of the original stream

69-696: Is a river in the Canadian boreal forest , in the southwestern Yukon and the northwestern corner of British Columbia . It originates in British Columbia, near Haines Highway . It flows north into Yukon, then it turns west and south before it returns into British Columbia, where it flows through the Tatshenshini-Alsek Provincial Wilderness Park . There it joins the Alsek River , which then flows into

92-771: Is known as a wind gap . The Slims River was previously fed by meltwater from the Kaskawulsh Glacier in the Saint Elias Mountains in the Yukon and its waters flowed into Kluane Lake and on to the Bering Sea . Because of climate change , the glacier has rapidly receded and the meltwater no longer feeds the Slims. The water instead now feeds the Kaskawulsh River which is a tributary to

115-526: The Alsek River and drains into the Gulf of Alaska . River capture is a shaping force in the biogeography or distribution of many freshwater fish species. Geological uplift in the southern South Island led to the divergence of freshwater galaxiid populations isolated by river capture. The formerly massive Great Dividing Range runs the length of the eastern coastline of Australia and has isolated native freshwater fish populations east and west of

138-532: The Pacific Ocean in Alaska , United States. It is popular for wilderness rafting trips. This river was used as a vital trade route by First Nations, in particular the coastal Tlingit people . The first Europeans to travel the present-day Tatshenshini River were Jack Dalton and Edward Glave in 1890, accompanied by two native guides. Prior to 1891, the present-day Tatshenshini River was considered to be

161-609: The Tatshenshini River in Tatshenshini-Alsek Park . Finally after passing through the glacier-fed Alsek Lake, it reaches the Pacific Ocean at Dry Bay, in the Gulf of Alaska , south of Yakutat, Alaska , close to the northern end of the Alaska Panhandle . Although the river is navigable by kayak or rubber raft in its northern reaches, it rapidly becomes unnavigable—for any but the most experienced and skilled kayakers—at Turnback Canyon. On older maps,

184-461: The Alsek River's flow increased dramatically. The Alsek and East Alsek rivers are a part of the Yakutat area limited entry set gillnet fishery. Both rivers produce king , silver , and sockeye commercially. Chum and pink salmon can also be caught, but are not generally sought after due to their relative lack of worth/quality. These two rivers can be characterized as low volume fisheries, while

207-520: The Alsek river in particular produces particularly high quality salmon due to its low temperature. The Alsek's high silt content also prevents the sun from damaging the fish. The area also supports subsistence and sport fishing, as well as multiple sight-seeing, hunting, and animal watching lodges. Tatshenshini River The Tatshenshini River ( / ˌ t æ tʃ ɛ n ˈ ʃ iː n i / ; Tlingit Tʼachanshahéeni , Southern Tutchone Shäwshe Chù )

230-547: The Alsek river is labeled as the Kaskawulsh and The Tatshenshini as the Alsek. Some Yukon First Nation elders also refer to the river as the Kaskawulsh. The river flows next to the Lowell Glacier which has sometimes blocked off the river and created a large lake behind it, "Neoglacial Lake Alsek". The last such blockage took place in 1850; its release created a massive flood, washing away everything in its path on

253-472: The Alsek was named Mount Blackadar in his honor. The portion of the river inside Kluane National Park has been designated a Canadian Heritage River . In 1958, a magnitude 7.7 earthquake centered near Lituya bay significantly changed the lay of the land. The earthquake caused the Doame River and East Alsek River to join together. In the year 2016, after capturing the flow of the Slims River ,

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276-589: The government did this without knowledge of the English translation of tatshenshini . The name Tatshenshini is derived from a Tlingit phrase, the meaning of which was not recorded. However, the original phrase appears to have been t’áchán shahéeni , a compound Tlingit noun meaning river with stinking chinook (king) salmon at its headwaters ( t’á [ chinook or king salmon ] + chán [ stink ] + sha [ head of ] + héen [ river ] + i [possessed noun suffix] ). The Tlingit phrase t’áchán shahéeni describes

299-516: The last two species seemingly many times as they are found in most or all coastal streams in south eastern Australia as well as the Murray-Darling system. Unfortunately, with the exception of eastern freshwater cod and Mary River cod , it has not been widely recognised that these coastal populations of Murray–Darling native fish are separate species and their classifications have not been updated to reflect this. Many are threatened and two,

322-563: The location where the present-day Tatshenini begins to flow westward. This trading post flourished during the Klondike Gold Rush . Today, the site of Dalton's trading post is a popular location for salmon fishermen, and it is the launch point for rafting trips on the Tatshenshini River. The Tatshenshini River was designated a Canadian Heritage River in 2004. Prior to 1891, the name Tatshenshini did not refer to

345-579: The present-day Blanchard River (pre-1891 Tatshenshini River). Chinook (king) salmon run up the present-day Tatshenshini River to the Blanchard River and, thence, up the Blanchard River. At the headwaters ( shahéen ) of the Blanchard River, the salmon ( t’á ) die, and their carcasses stink ( chán ). These headwaters were on the old Tlingit trail and trade route between Haines, Alaska and Lake Kusawa, Yukon. Stream capture Stream capture , river capture , river piracy or stream piracy

368-471: The present-day Tatshenshini River. Instead, the name referred to the present-day Blanchard River, which is a tributary of the present-day Tatshenshini River, located about 10 miles (16 km) upstream from Dalton's trading post. In 1891, or shortly thereafter, the Canadian government reassigned the name Tatshenshini from the present-day Blanchard River to the present-day Tatshenshini River. Apparently,

391-543: The range for millions of years. In the last two million years erosion has reduced the Great Dividing Range to a critical point where west-to-east river capture events have been possible. A number of native fish species that originated in the Murray– Darling river system to the west are (or were) found naturally occurring in a number of coastal systems spanning almost the entire length of the range. None of

414-766: The river capture events that allowed native fish of the Murray-Darling system to cross into and colonise these East Coast river systems seem to have formed permanent linkages. The colonising Murray-Darling fish in these East Coast river systems have therefore become isolated from their parent species, and due to isolation, the founder effect , genetic drift and natural selection , have become separate species (see allopatric speciation ). Examples include: Olive perchlet ( Ambassis agassizii ), western carp gudgeon ( Hypseleotris klungzingeri ), pygmy perch ( Nannoperca australis ) and Australian smelt ( Retropinna semoni ) also appear to have made crossings into coastal systems,

437-537: The steeper way to the ocean through Grand Plateau Lake and a small embankment, moving its outlet some 17 miles (27 km) to the southeast, within the confines of Glacier Bay National Park . The Alsek starts at the confluence of the Dezadeash River and Kaskawulsh River in Kluane National Park and Reserve . After flowing south into the northwestern tip of British Columbia, it is joined by

460-413: The upper Alsek River. (At that time, the present-day upper Alsek River was considered to be the lower Kaskawulsh River. ) In or about 1891, the present-day Tatshenshini River (pre-1891 upper Alsek River) was assigned the name Tatshenshini by the Canadian government, and the pre-1891 lower Kaskawulsh River became the present-day upper Alsek River. About 1897, Jack Dalton established a trading post near

483-717: The way to the Pacific. The river carries much silt from the Alsek Lake/Glacier, which contributes to the river's low temperature. The Alsek and nearby East Alsek rivers were at one time connected, and the old river bed can still be made out on some maps. The Alsek Glacier contacts the Grand Plateau Glacier, which faces the shoreline. Also in the same general area are the Doame foothills and Doame River . The first known kayak descent of Turnback Canyon

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506-463: Was by Walt Blackadar , who ran the canyon solo on August 25, 1971. He wrote about his trip for Sports Illustrated . "This has been a day!," he wrote in his journal. "I want any other kayaker or would-be expert to read my words well. The Alsek Gorge is unpaddleable!" Despite this sincere warning from a man who apparently felt lucky to be alive, groups of expert kayakers have successfully run Turnback Canyon since then. A prominent mountain which overlooks

529-407: Was the first time human-caused climate change was implicated in the reorganization of a river . Research indicates that in a few decades, Alsek River may further change its final course. The rapidly retreating Grand Plateau Glacier separates Alsek River and lake from nearby Grand Plateau Lake. Geologists predict that when the two lakes merge, Alsek River will abandon its current outlet in favour of

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