Arrange a bush flight out of Fairbanks, Tok, or Eagle to the Upper Charley airstrip and a pickup at Circle City on the Yukon River. The best water is in late May and early June. You'll want to make this an annual trip. The Charley is a pristine wilderness river that flows through the Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve. You'll travel from open tundra upland into forested valleys.
Mosquitoes are a sure thing.
And watch for the occasional moose. This is whitewater at its finest through the starkly beautiful Brooks Range north of the Arctic Circle. Arrange a flight from Fairbanks and a pickup on the coast. A raft or inflatable kayak is best for maneuvering through boulder fields. You'll be too busy to admire the spectacular scenery while you're on the river, so leave extra time to absorb the beauty of this treeless landscape.