I'm thinking of poking around the Lower Stikine a bit. Never been in that area before and I'm wondering if anyone operates with floats on the river. Can't find much about it one way or the other but sounds like the water is moving pretty fast. Does anyone here have experience?

I have a fair bit of experience on the lower and upper Stikine. I was just through that area last week with my c180. I have landed at Telegraph Creek and Glenora. Also landed at some spot about 20 miles downstream from Glenora. Also have landed on the upper Stikine near where the Spatszi runs into the Stikine. The water is fairly low right now so be aware of sandbars. Generally try to land into the current. It can be difficult to turn out of the current if you are going with it. I found it useful to take off with the water rudders down to aid in directional control in the strong current.

AP

Thank-you very much for this great information. I might not even have thought about leaving the water rudders down, it's gotten so ingrained in my routine to raise them,
20 miles down from Glenora, would that be at the Chutine River then? I'm looking a little lower than that even, down around the .. or the Iskut, so the Stikine should be a little bigger yet down there. Good to hear that this is doable, should be a neat place to check out.

I made the mistake of landing in the lower Stikine near the Iskut and soon found myself heading tail first downstream at a frightening rate. It didn't look that fast from the air but there was no way I would have been able to get to shore. The other hazard I found when trying to depart was that the lower river is full of boats and of course one came into view as soon as I was on the step...

MattW wrote:Thank-you very much for this great information. I might not even have thought about leaving the water rudders down, it's gotten so ingrained in my routine to raise them,
20 miles down from Glenora, would that be at the Chutine River then? I'm looking a little lower than that even, down around the .. or the Iskut, so the Stikine should be a little bigger yet down there. Good to hear that this is doable, should be a neat place to check out.

I don't know much about the lower Stikine, I think I was somewhere between Glendora and the Chutine. My biggest worry would be hitting a sandbar or not being able to figure out the main channel. What kind of floatplane are you using?
AP

I'm flying a 59 C180B on EDO 2960's.
I talked to the local air charter up there and he's apparently landing on the river right at the Canada/US border to take out canoeists.
I've got alternate ideas if the river looks like it'll be too much. I'm not gonna be a hero.

DCB wrote:I made the mistake of landing in the lower Stikine near the Iskut and soon found myself heading tail first downstream at a frightening rate. It didn't look that fast from the air but there was no way I would have been able to get to shore. The other hazard I found when trying to depart was that the lower river is full of boats and of course one came into view as soon as I was on the step...

Good to know. Thank you

Antique Pilot wrote:

MattW wrote:Thank-you very much for this great information. I might not even have thought about leaving the water rudders down, it's gotten so ingrained in my routine to raise them,
20 miles down from Glenora, would that be at the Chutine River then? I'm looking a little lower than that even, down around the .. or the Iskut, so the Stikine should be a little bigger yet down there. Good to hear that this is doable, should be a neat place to check out.

I don't know much about the lower Stikine, I think I was somewhere between Glendora and the Chutine. My biggest worry would be hitting a sandbar or not being able to figure out the main channel. What kind of floatplane are you using?
AP

In your time up there did you ever land on Newmont lake? Can't find much information on it.

MattW wrote:

Antique Pilot wrote:

MattW wrote:Thank-you very much for this great information. I might not even have thought about leaving the water rudders down, it's gotten so ingrained in my routine to raise them,
20 miles down from Glenora, would that be at the Chutine River then? I'm looking a little lower than that even, down around the .. or the Iskut, so the Stikine should be a little bigger yet down there. Good to hear that this is doable, should be a neat place to check out.

I don't know much about the lower Stikine, I think I was somewhere between Glendora and the Chutine. My biggest worry would be hitting a sandbar or not being able to figure out the main channel. What kind of floatplane are you using?
AP

In your time up there did you ever land on Newmont lake? Can't find much information on it.

No. I landed at Arctic Lake about a week ago. It is about 35 miles sw of Kiniskan Lake and north of
Newmont. Beautiful place, 4800'asl, ice along the shoreline. A good take off run to the south. I went in there about 10 years ago and a Grizzly bear was patrolling right where I wanted to heel up on the north end.
AP

Antique Pilot wrote:

MattW wrote:

Antique Pilot wrote:
I don't know much about the lower Stikine, I think I was somewhere between Glendora and the Chutine. My biggest worry would be hitting a sandbar or not being able to figure out the main channel. What kind of floatplane are you using?
AP

In your time up there did you ever land on Newmont lake? Can't find much information on it.

No. I landed at Arctic Lake about a week ago. It is about 35 miles sw of Kiniskan Lake and north of
Newmont. Beautiful place, 4800'asl, ice along the shoreline. A good take off run to the south. I went in there about 10 years ago and a Grizzly bear was patrolling right where I wanted to heel up on the north end.
AP

I've been looking at Arctic Lake also. Maybe I'll have to fly into there.