About NOVA Alaska Guides
NOVA Alaska Guides is one of the state's most experienced adventure outfitters, offering guided whitewater rafting, glacier hiking, and river trips throughout Southcentral Alaska. Operating since 1975, NOVA is based in Chickaloon on the Matanuska River, roughly 100 miles northeast of Anchorage along the Glenn Highway. Their four-decade track record makes them one of the longest-running adventure companies in Alaska, and their guides hold an intimate knowledge of the rivers, glaciers, and backcountry terrain that surrounds the Matanuska and Copper River valleys.
Rafting trips range from family-friendly Class II floats on the Matanuska River to full-throttle Class IV-V whitewater on Lion Head and the Six Mile Creek near Hope. Glacier hiking excursions take guests onto the surface of the Matanuska Glacier — the largest glacier accessible by road in Alaska — with crampons, ice axes, and expert guides leading the way across crevasses and blue ice formations. NOVA also offers multi-day expeditions, including packrafting and backpacking combos in the Wrangell-St. Elias backcountry. All trips include safety gear, dry suits or splash gear for rafting, and transportation from designated meeting points.
NOVA's strength lies in the diversity of experiences they offer from a single base — visitors can raft, glacier trek, and explore remote wilderness all within a few days. Their guides are certified swift-water rescue technicians and many are lifelong Alaskans with backgrounds in mountaineering and expedition leadership. For adventurous travellers based in Anchorage looking for a genuine backcountry Alaska experience without bush-plane logistics, NOVA delivers the goods right off the road system.
