Crossing the Sag on Haul Rd Hunt

[Sawtoothsteve]

I'm in the midst of planning for a fall 2024 Haul Rd hunt with son and son-in-law and hoping to get some insight from those with experience with the Sag River. Specifically, I am hoping to learn what's the most practical gear needed for crossing the Sag. The plan right now is we will be flying into Fairbanks and driving up from there, so we would need to acquire anything big or heavy upon arrival. I'm not looking for a boat w/motor to navigate upstream, but would like to be able to cross in pursuit of Caribou spotted from the other side. Can the river be navigated with:

• fishing chest waders
• cheap inflatables purchased upon arrival in Fairbanks
• rented boat?

Any input is appreciated.

Thanks

Steve

 

[kwackkillncrew]

If theres a place in fairbanks to rent one I think that would be your best option. Rover levels rise and fall like crazy up there. You could cross in waders and a few hours later levels could come way up. Cheap and rivers dont really ever mix well up here.

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[Wrench]

I've been in the sag at the end of the haul rd fishing quite a bit in all seasons. Not one time in 7 years did i think crossing it in waders would end with me being alive. Some braids are shallow and no problem....some are not. That water is never warm enough to hang out in for even a few minutes.

You might have better luck upstream....but near deadhorse...I'd have a raft 100%

 

[Broomd]

Wife and I took our Aire Traveller raft with full intentions of inflating it to cross the Sag, as luck would have it we both crossed in our waders. She's 5'1"...
It got a bit sporty crossing back over with meat, but we did it.

Aside from our backpacks, we used slick plastic-backed foam snow sleds to pull gear/meat across tundra/tussock, and they float darn well too.
We got lucky with the river level.

 

[AKBorn]

Sometime around 10-15 years ago, I recall a thread on the Alaska Outdoors Directory discussing a hunter that drowned trying to cross the Sag in a cheap inflatable raft. I think kwackkillncrew's comment about cheap and rivers not mixing well in AK is spot on.

 

[MBN]

I have crossed it a few times with chest waders but it was pretty sketchy.

 

[bmrfish]

Pristine ventures rents rafts in Fairbanks I believe.
I am an upper percentile wader but no way I’d chance that one.
Could probably get away with one of those cheaper plastic rafts if it wasn’t a pool toy. Life jackets.


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[diamond10x]

The number of places I’ve fished along it, no way I’d try crossing the entire river in waders.

There is a number of raft rental options in Fairbanks.

 

[Sawtoothsteve]

Thanks for the replies all. Your first hand knowledge is much appreciated.

 

[TWHrunner]

As others have pointed out, a raft is the correct approach….lifejacket included.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Take a packraft, if you don’t think you’ll use it again, sell it. Packraft seem to have good re-sale odds.

 

[Nontyp]

We camped along the river one year about 80’ from the high water bank. Woke up the next am with water 3’ from the tent. We had crossed all but the last braid the day before in knee boots. Someone had parked a black F250 along the river where we had camped and the water was about up their hubs. If you wade/raft it make sure you wear a life jacket

 

[Sawtoothsteve]

Take a packraft, if you don’t think you’ll use it again, sell it. Packraft seem to have good re-sale odds.

This is exactly what I was thinking....Thanks!

 

[Behlftball]

How much of an advantage is it to be able to cross the Sag?

 

[kwackkillncrew]

Well it doubles your hunting area

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[Gunnersdad49]

I've only been on it once, late August, and no way I would have tried it in waders. We took oar framed rafts, and still lost a lot of ground before getting across it. Put in well upstream from where your target pull out is on the other side. It was deceptively fast when we were there.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I've only been on it once, late August, and no way I would have tried it in waders. We took oar framed rafts, and still lost a lot of ground before getting across it. Put in well upstream from where your target pull out is on the other side. It was deceptively fast when we were there.

Been there, done that….not on the sag but on another river crossing to go hunting.

 

[Broomd]

How much of an advantage is it to be able to cross the Sag?

You can't rifle hunt much of that country on the East side north of station 3 without crossing the Sag--or at least its incarnations. Not all of the Sag it as wide and imposing as the maps indicate, but as we've all stated here, it can treacherous anywhere! And it can change quickly given its sources. The Brooks Range is the big kahuna--serious biz.
Study the map and you'll see opportunities that the river and other tributaries can give you once you break out into East side Tundra!

That's where a packraft will shine. I hope to do that hunt one more time in my lifetime, just because.

 

[JBWinter]

Anyone have raft type recommendations? you can get intex inflatable kayaks for not much all the way up kokopelli and alpaca pack rafts. wondering what folks have used or had success with. I see the PR49s mentioned some too. Wondering what advantages people see in each or what brands folks would recommend. Are there a lot of people who do cross the sag on a regular basis?

 

[Larry Bartlett]

You'll see guys crossing with all kinds of rafts small and mid sized. I even followed a group of Airforce guys as they dragged a 16' aluminum canoe over the tundra to cross the sag. The smaller rafts with low capacities are fine but expect to have to make multiple ferries to get gear and meat back across. Guys that get in to trouble overload their rafts and flip trying to cross. It can be sketchy if river flow rises. The PR49 is a bit heavier compared to other packrafts because it's designed around a paddler his gear and a pile of meat. It's more boat because you need as much as you can get crammed into the smallest package.

Intex is a little low-pro IMO and you might catch a side wave and flip it loaded with meat. I'd go with koko or alpacka over that option.