The Tonsina, a pretty blue-green glacial river, flows eastward out of the northern Chugach Mountains before turning south and creating a portion of the western border of the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park.
      The popular one-day rafting trip begins at Mile 79 on the Richardson Highway, and continues for 35 miles (56 km) south to the Copper River near Chitina. The trip offers plenty of exciting and swift Class III-IV whitewater, majestic mountain scenery, and abundant wildlife including often seen eagles, moose and bear. Because of the steep gradient and swift currents the 35-mile (56-km) river trip is completed in six to seven hours.