Moody Creek

Moody Creek is a stellar alpine hike plus world class packraft in the Alaska Range between Denali National Park and Healy. It is also a challenging trip, first because it's hard to anticipate what water level might be, and because the Moody Creek gorge is tight, steep, and unforgiving at higher water. 

If you want to paddle Moody, you should feel confident on Class IV water, and I'd recommend checking out the river in late June or early July in an average snow year, after tracking weather in the Denali Park/Healy area to make sure you're not putting in during a period of rain-driven high water. 

Moody Creek has a spectacularly beautiful approach, though one with plenty of elevation gain. Park in the pullout just south of the Dragonfly Creek bridge on the Parks Highway north of Glitter Gulch, then walk north across the bridge. Look for the social trail that starts through young aspens approximately 50 feet north of Dragonfly Creek. Follow this social trail uphill, sticking to the nose of the ridge. There is also a well-defined social trail that parallels the Parks Highway; that is a nice trail but not the way to Moody Creek.  

Within a half hour, you should be emerging into light tree cover with great views of the Nenana canyon.  Continue following the social trail on the ridge uphill to the primary broad ridgeline.  Sugar Loaf Mountain is a striking white color, and is a nice landmark. 

Sugarloaf; you'll walk down to stream on right of the sub-peak

You will end up walking to the col south of Sugarloaf, then side-hilling on a distinct sheep trail west-by-northwest toward Moody Creek. This sheep trail takes you through the steeper terrain to a nice ridgeline that continues down to Moody, with relatively brief periods of brush and a couple small cliff bands down in the trees that you'll wind around.

After putting in on Moody Creek, the action begins quickly and is unrelenting. At lower flows, it's fun and non-threatening. High water would be seriously challenging and very consequential for swims.  At the largest noticeable horizon line, get out and scout. This first larger rapid has a slide with converging currents that partially flow under an undercut on the right side. It's challenging at most water levels, though I'm not aware of anyone getting stuck under the undercut. At low water we ran the tight center line in an attempt to maintain momentum past the undercut, which was partially successful.

After what seem like endless Class III+ boulder gardens through a stunning canyon, the gradient relents and you'll wonder if the river's main action is done. It is not. Keep an eye out for landslides and what seems like a giant permafront slump from the river left. This marks a more dangerous area in the river, despite overall lower gradient than the first long canyon. Some rapids have dangerous pinning rocks at low water, and a significant sieve (photo below) has most water flowing under rocks rather than through the channel. I attempted to run the sieve and got pinned before pulling myself through it--I wouldn't recommend that rapid.

Downstream of the sieve; most water flows under the massive rock on river right/lookers left, upstream of the pyramid rock. Portage carefully along the base of the landslide on river right, which could be challenging at high flows.

Moody Creek joins Healy Creek, which after a half hour joins the Nenana right where you'll take out by the bridge, across the river from the powerplant.

If you have group members who aren't up for Moody, the hike up and back to Sugarloaf is a beautiful alpine hike.