[adamread]

The Russ Lyman guidebook is a bit dated, and depending on where you are I would be happy to let you read my book.
As an alternative, I created an updated guidebook on the Tatshenshini / Alsek system which includes illustrations, humor and some experiences of note. Hit me up if you are interested, I will not be charging $138!

I'll be there about a week earlier than the OP and am really looking forward to it. Is your guidebook available somewhere? Also, I've heard that glacial rebound has made some of the lower camps in the 2010 Lyman guide inaccessible. I'm a geologist and that seems awfully quick to me. Anybody have more info? Also, has anyone put-in above Dalton Post? It's appealing to have a bit more whitewater and to avoid what I hear is a human zoo cluster at the regular put-in in early July.

 

[adamread]

When we were there (but this was 2000) we did day runs on the Blanchard into the Tat taking out at Dalton Post. Launched at a spot below a gravel pit off the highway. Fun run tons to salmon (and bears).

My understanding is that the Blanchard can be too boney for fully loaded rafts and isn't recommended to start a Tat trip. The upper Tat has more water and is a little longer (about 6 hours on the river to Dalton Post). Put-in is Mosquito Flats aka Bear Flats.

 

[adamread]

Group of 12 are running it in early/mid June. Half driving from Anchorage, other half coming from Juneau. Some of us are going a day or so early to run the Upper Tat. Can give ya trip report after as well. It was cold and a big snow year in that part of the world and spring is starting out on the cooler side. Really curious to see what sort of conditions we get.

We're hoping to put-in on the upper Tat on 7/9 and takeout on the 19th. Any beta on running the upper Tat with loaded rafts would be greatly appreciated. I've read that the put-in is either called "Mosquito Flats" or "Bear Flats", but they are probably the same place. There is a dirt road to the river a few miles south of the Canadian border, which the only obvious place on satellite images.

Also curious if starting in AK will pose any extra issues with customs. We plan to drive to the border to deal with that and then turn around.

 

[adamread]

Unfortunately I can't help ya as we opted to not run the upper tat. The day we were going to do it the river was cresting just below flood stage (I think it was around 19.5ft on the gauge that day). It was just about overflowing the banks and we couldn't see an eddy anywhere due to the thick brush that lines the river. The current was ripping. We figured we would probably be okay if we ran it, but as my buddy said standing on the river bank "if we have any swimmers we will never get them back." So we opted to play it safe and skip it what with the ten day adventure ahead of us and all. When we launched two days later for the normal Tat the water was a foot lower (18.3ish) but still very burly. All the rapids in the canyon at that point turn into one long 3+ mile Class III+/IV rapid with very little eddies. I had to eddy out to assist a packrafter and it took me about a mile to find one.

As for the border. Yea, make sure you have six months or more left on your passports and can legally get into Canada, Make sure you have you ArriveCan app filled out too. Two folks in our group forgot and had to fill it out in the parking lot before Canada would let them in. Also, try and time your border crossings against the Alaska ferry. The few hours after the Alaska Ferry docks in Haines leads to long wait times at the Canadian Border. We unfortunately got to the the border about the same time 20 RV's/Cars did and took close to two hours to get through. Otherwise both border stations (The US and Canadian ones) near Haines are very familiar with river runners and it should be a breeze.

Thanks for the heads up on the customs info! I didn't know about the ArriveCan app.

Hopefully, it'll be at a more manageable level on July 9th, but it looks like it'll still be high or higher than what you saw:

National Weather Service Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service

National Weather Service Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service (AHPS)

water.weather.gov

National Weather Service Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service

National Weather Service Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service (AHPS)

water.weather.gov

Is this the put-in you checked out? 59°54'44.6"N 136°48'16.5"W · Stikine Region, BC V0W 1A0, Canada
It's the only spot I could find on Google Maps that looks like a possible put-in. How was the dirt road down to the river? We're thinking about checking it out prior to going to the border and customs. If it looks good, we'll come back and put-in there. Otherwise, we'll just go on to Dalton Post like you did.