5 Day Alaska River Float Trip | Gulkana River with our Family of 6 | This Alaska Life Summer 2021

Taking our family of 6 on a 5 day Alaska River Float was a lot of work but we made so many great memories along the way. Come along as we float, fish, and eat our way down the Gulkana River.
Hello from Alaska! I'm Lauren and on This Alaska Life, you will get a glimpse into life in Alaska as a wife and mother of 4 boys. Come along for family adventures, cooking, daily life, and Alaska Grocery Shopping!
#alaska #lifeinalaska #familyvlog
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Mark Hamm
1131 East International Airport Rd. Anchorage Alaska 99518
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[@melisagodair4149]

Also there must be something in the water in Alaska because every older person we’ve encountered throughout our travels there looks half their age and has the strength and stamina of 10 people😂

[@ThisAlaskaLife]

hahah, the grandparents really are amazing. They are in their 70's and still so adventurous. My dad also gets mistaken for someone much younger. I guess all the fun keeps you young! Thank you so much for watching and commenting, I always look forward to hearing from you Melisa.

[@thischick82]

Go grandma!!!!

[@ThisAlaskaLife]

Mark's mom is so adventurous! She absolutely loved the 9 miles after the portage where the water was fast and bumpy. An amazing example that you can still be active in your 70's! She kept saying how much fun she was having.

[@AlaskaBoys]

She is one amazing lady!

[@barbchapman2452]

I LOVED THE RIVER BOAT ENTERTAINMENT, I LAUGHED SO HARD.

[@melisagodair4149]

Impressive! My hats off to you because I’m not sure I could last more than one day on raft (especially in rain) with my boys and they’re a lot older. I certainly couldn’t do that with a raft full of boys 😂 (your boys are awesome btw). Looks like your family made some amazing memories.

[@ThisAlaskaLife]

Hello Melisa! The rain made it a bit miserable at times, but we found ways to make it better. The gigantic hot chocolate and apple cider became our go to! I sure do love my boys, craziness and all! Hope you have a wonderful week!

[@kimbradbury9107]

Hi Lauren, I enjoyed seeing this video. My hat is off I would be hating the rain but that is part of camping. I think it great to see your mom kayaking & seeing Mark & the kids singing 😀

[@ThisAlaskaLife]

Glad you enjoyed it. I should have explained better, that is Mark's mom and Dad. You wouldn't find my mom anywhere near a river raft, not her thing. 😂 Linda (Mark's Mom) is an Alaskan adventure woman through and through, she is a good example to me since I didn't do ANYTHING like this growing up!

[@anniecrawford5911]

Love how you all join in the fun together. You are so blessed that you live in such as amazing state. I love how all of you enjoy the many outdoor activities. Mark and you do such a fabulous job of educating your boys about nature and the importance of safety. You do in excellent job of preparing all the right food and equipment. It is a pleasure to see you all enjoying the wonderful gifts God has provided. May you continue to be blessed. Greetings from Minnesota. ☀️

[@tammybabcock4802]

Good afternoon Lauren and Mark and family and thank you for sharing your beautiful day 🌞

[@jackiebest5613]

All I can say is WOW! You guys are amazing. You handled the weather so well and the kids were great. Your meals looked fantastic. I enjoyed watching your floating adventure. Thanks Lauren

[@ThisAlaskaLife]

Hello Jackie, I am so glad you enjoyed it. It was a lot of work but so many wonderful memories were made. We are all so worn out from the summer but we do have a few more adventures to show here on KZbin, trying to catch up!

[@zaty31]

Can I just say Linda is a beast! I am 51 and couldn’t do what she’s doing!

[@AlaskaBoys]

Awesome on river skit @35:15 Made me cry laughing to watch it again.

[@ThisAlaskaLife]

You really had everyone going! Thanks for being such a fun Dad!

[@thedodafamily]

This floating camping trip looks like so much fun. I’ve never heard of this before but I love how relaxing it looks.

[@ThisAlaskaLife]

It was equal parts relaxing and exhausting if that makes any sense. Either way, we made some great memories! Thanks for watching!

[@annettewalter2273]

Such a fun week. Shame about the rain. The person who could eradicate mosquitoes (called mozzies here in Australia) would be a true saint with all of us falling At their feet🤭🤭 I live opposite a duck pond and wetlands so my outside of an evening in the summer is a battleground. The moose ratatouille sounded so tasty, so sad to hear about the magic flames being drowned out.

[@rubytaylor4566]

Awesome, so much fun with yall. The river scenery is beautiful. 😊❤🙏 Ms. Ruby

[@ThisAlaskaLife]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@BrLambert]

Quite fun from start to finish

[@kimsonntag9763]

I just came across your channel.I love your 5 day alaska river boating and camping. Number 1 thing on my bucket list is going to Alaska. Love your videos.Beautiful family and pictures

[@marinamayo7994]

What a beautiful family adventure! So enjayable!

[@leekorten1791]

A lovely boat trip with beautiful scenery. And I loved Mark and the boys singing. Sending love 💞

[@lindaedwards4488]

What a wonderful family adventure. Loved it!

[@wendy5443]

Your videos so entertaining and educational. Thanks for sharing this part of your life with me

[@myrakillough8575]

Wow that was one heck of a trip! I grew up camping and weather changes are just a part of the experience. Another amazing trip!

[@ThisAlaskaLife]

We always say, if you don't like the weather, wait a few minutes. It is always changing. I didn't do anything like this growing up, but Mark and his family have taught me to really enjoy the adventures. Thanks for watching Myra and have a wonderful week!

[@janneville7765]

I am not this outdoorsy but I LOVE your adventures. AMAZING!!! And I love that Grandma and Grandpa come along for the family adventures. :)

[@ThisAlaskaLife]

Hi Jan! I am so glad you enjoy the adventures. Mark's parents are amazing examples to me of getting out and enjoying Alaska. Thanks for being here!

[@micheleramirez]

I enjoyed this video sooooo much!!! I live through y’all’s adventures I’m not that adventurous I HATE bugs but it really looked like fun. Ur boys r troopers!!! And happy bday to the bday boy!!!! 🥳

[@ThisAlaskaLife]

Thank you so much! I am so glad you enjoyed it. It was a lot of fun and a lot of work but as we watched it back, we all had great memories. The boys really did great. Hope you have a wonderful week and I will pass on the birthday wishes!

[@daviddalton5851]

If you hate bugs then Alaska is for you. We pretty much have nothing to worry about. Nothing poisonous and nothing that wants to eat you. Also usually bears on the river are fed and full of fish so not really much need to worry about them either. So I travel to Asia and Philippines and they have bugs that literally are trying to eat you. Alaska truly is one of the best places to live.

[@samiraamirakhafrabbi5385]

Wow this is amazing adventure ( definitely one of my favorite videos) 😍 ❤️

[@budgetwithrenay2419]

Absolutely loved the “live entertainment” from Dad and the boys! My Dad helped build the pipeline in 1976 to 1977;( I was about 17). Thanx for taking us along on the river trip!

[@mandywhitton]

We have heavy rain to very wind y nite Nike sleep 👍

[@kimsampleshall7137]

just found you guys about 2 weeks ago doing a little catching up, love your channel, I'm in NW Georgia, 40 minutes from Chattanooga, TN, Hugs from the South.

[@ThisAlaskaLife]

Hello and welcome! So happy to have you here with us! Thanks for watching!

[@transmission612]

For group trips I always recommend a gravity filter you just fill a gallon bag and hang it in a tree and it filters down into another container while you do other things.

[@ThisAlaskaLife]

That is such a great idea!!

[@shanelleneeds2433]

Sooo sooo so jealous.

[@ThisAlaskaLife]

Glad you enjoyed it! We had a lot of fun and I worked really hard trying to make a good video of the experience. Thank you so much for watching and commenting!

[@cathyshuler8149]

Guess from experience how adaptable y'all are! Your sons are being given such unique experiences as they grow up! So much fun to watch!

[@zimboards5898]

Excellent video!

[@robyn7287]

Great to be with extended family but that trip looked hard. Your very organised obviously from experience and this would have made it easier. Well done. Nice to see the area around you. Alaska raises them tough.

[@suziebuckingham9053]

I think the hardest part for me would be wearing long sleeves in the heat. I know u have to cuz of the bugs, but I hate heat. Love the water though whether it’s floating or swimming, I love water.

[@ThisAlaskaLife]

I was actually so grateful I chose the long sleeve, Mark and the boys had so many big bites after day one! It was a little warm but not too bad, but I know what you mean about not wanting to be hot. Thanks for watching Suzie!

[@karenbaker5800]

Thank you for taking me rafting and fishing and camping with you and your family. Due to my age and being lesser abled nowadays I and my husband of almost two years cannot experience camping in particular which I did in my 20s mainly in a different state to where I live now. I miss it greatly. Due to the pandemic travel of any kind including any further than ten KMs from home has been banned for most of the last two years. My travel is done remotely and I greatly appreciate it.love all your videos. We are just coming into what you call fall from our summer. It was not hot for more than the occasional day or two here which is very unusual and we have not had rain in my state unlike others here who have had storms and flooding. One nephew interstate lost electricity for about a week and a friend had her dam and tanks filled with only the main road blocked by floodwaters. God has been kind to them. I live in Melbourne Australia which is the second largest city in the country and the capital of Victoria. We live in a one bedroom villa unit with a very small courtyard. We currently only have one kitty called Rocket who is about nine. We got him in May last year after his mum died and he had to be rehomed. We lost our kitty in my photo Lleyton last year when he was less than a week from being 18. Our hearts are still absolutely shattered as I had been his willing slave since he was three weeks old. Stay safe and I look forward to watching you all some more in the future.

[@marizaanvisagie9537]

Love it 😁😁😁😁

[@shirleymack8651]

What a great adventure. I felt like i was along with you all. That is a lot of work but looks like so much fun. Grandma has a lot of energy. Love it.

[@ThisAlaskaLife]

Hi Shirley! It really was an amazing family adventure. Grandma has an amazing amount of energy and sense of adventure!

[@rebeccahiggins2369]

I loved watching your family’s adventure, but I afraid for me it would be on my list of nightmares. LOL! Amazing meals, amazing grandparents, awesome parents and very well behaved kids. I bet Luna 🐈‍⬛ really missed you being gone. God Bless you All!

[@ThisAlaskaLife]

I can see how this could be a nightmare. There were several times during the trip where I wondered why I was doing it!! Glad you can enjoy it from the comfort of your own home.

[@paulinemaclellan8204]

This looks like really good fun...what an exciting trip. In Scotland we say there's no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothes 🌞🌪🌬🌨🌧🌈🌂

[@ThisAlaskaLife]

100% agree! Just have to dress properly! Thanks for watching!

[@michellewilson4815]

Thanks again for a great and scenic adventure. Nice to see you, spending time with Mark's parents and wonderful memories your kids will have . Love the adventure too.

[@alishab1853]

What fun memories for your kiddos!!! Priceless!!

[@ThisAlaskaLife]

Hi Alisha! Great memories for all of us!

[@samanthawilliams3206]

Loved this. Looked so much fun. X

[@ThisAlaskaLife]

Thanks for watching Samantha! So glad you enjoyed coming along on the raft trip.

[@carolhull8803]

Wonderful

[@lizetearruda3196]

love watching your family adventures. Do you ever see any bears?

[@JoelandKylesMom]

Living life to it's fullest! You guys are awesome and so adventurous. Loved the old trapper's cabin, I love seeing buildings being reclaimed by nature.

[@ThisAlaskaLife]

We sure crammed a lot in this summer! The trapper cabin really was amazing. It is 20 below zero for months up there during the winter, can you imagine that in a little cabin like that!!! Thanks for watching, hope you have an amazing week.

[@garykos1308]

Those boys are blessed.

[@ThisAlaskaLife]

Thanks Gary! They don't know how good they have it but sometimes we remind them, LOL We really have a good time together.

[@tammymcmullen8238]

Alot of interesting critters up in Alaska!!

[@ThisAlaskaLife]

Alaska is full of interesting creatures. I was grateful not to have seen bears on this trip so I wasn't paranoid the rest of the time.

[@tammymcmullen8238]

Happy Birthday Weston!!

[@ThisAlaskaLife]

Thank you Tammy, he had a great birthday!

[@NayStouffer]

This was so fun to watch! I loved the river dance part at the end. So fun!! That looks like so much hard work, but worth it in the end. The kids seemed to have a great time, despite the heat and rain. I forgot all about the magic flames until this video and now have an Amazon order for some for our next camping trip. P.S. your in laws are amazing!! Alaskan all the way.

[@ThisAlaskaLife]

Hello Janai! How is back to school going for you all? Have you settled into a routine yet? I have been so exhausted from all the summer fun that it is taking me a bit to find my groove. Glad you enjoyed the float trip, the dance to was so fun, we all had a good laugh. The boys did amazing, I was a bit worried about taking Everett but he did so well. Have a wonderful week and thanks for being here! - Lauren And yes, Mark's parents are great examples of true Alaskans. I have learned so much from them!

[@NayStouffer]

@@ThisAlaskaLife same! It was hard to go from summer mode to back to school mode. But all is going good now that we are on a routine. I hope you and the family are all doing good and enjoying the new school year. Have a great rest of your week! 😊

[@pamelajackson3148]

I loved the video. I would love to be able to do that

[@brilliantbutblue]

Mark and the Boys should be on "Alaska's Got Talent" pop pop the corn😅 THAT WAS AWESOME Lauren!! Loved every second of this trip, reminds me so much of camping as a child in the "High Country" here in Melbourne on the Howqua River, the rapids always fun for us kids!! Sensational video despite how much work it was the trip came together brilliantly. Thanks so much to Grandma and Grandpa, Mark and all the boys this was an epic adventure and lm so glad we had the privilege of watching this trip. Greatest of appreciation for all your work. Much ❤ to you and thanks for sharing 👍

[@ThisAlaskaLife]

Hello! Yes, the boys were so funny, they really got into their performance. We all died laughing watching it back. I am so glad you enjoyed coming along on the trip and appreciate all the work that goes into this. I make it with all of you in mind and my boys for their future. I hope they cherish these memories (and realize as adults how much work Mom and Dad put in to make sure they have a good time!) I am so grateful for Mark's family and all the skills they taught him growing up. It is so fun to see him pass on his love of Alaska to our kids. I am grateful to be along for the ride. Have a wonderful week, and thanks for being here. I'm so grateful for you! - Lauren

[@brilliantbutblue]

@@ThisAlaskaLife : Well said!! Raising kids is not only about an Education, its also teaching life skills and creating memories and this was reflected in my comment about how much it brought me back to camping trips as a child/teenager. You are both doing a fab job of raising those boys. X

[@kelliepineda9822]

my brother in law helped built that pipeline n the one that runs thru cali to az n nv plus many others

[@sandrabogley459]

Oh my goodness. I’m speechless. I do have a question. If you don’t mind. If (God Forbid) something happened how close are you to the nearest hospital? Bless you all. Your family is beautiful ❤️

[@mandywhitton]

Hi Lauren how many moose fish and other Animals are you aloud to take in a year please if you can let me know or food always look nice ❤️

[@ThisAlaskaLife]

Moose, fish, and all game animals have certain limits and permits you must have. For fish you must have a license and each river/lake has different limits.

[@colleenbrewer4453]

What an adventure I bet the boys love it!

[@ThisAlaskaLife]

Hi Colleen! It was a huge adventure. The boys did really well through all the different weather. Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

[@mandywhitton]

@@ThisAlaskaLife one am here right night night for

[@thischick82]

Happy b day!!

[@ThisAlaskaLife]

Thank you! I will pass on the birthday wishes!

[@mandywhitton]

Lauren can we order the beef and moose

[@emmib1388]

Thanks for sharing..but I was confused at the end.... how far did you have to go to get the cars? how does that part work (in 25 words or less LOL) :-)

[@ThisAlaskaLife]

When we were driving to the river, we met grandma at the end of the float trip and left her car. When we finished the float trip, we had to drive Grandma's car back to Paxon lake to get our van. We then drove back toward home to pick up the boys and the gear. Hope that helps!

[@emmib1388]

@@ThisAlaskaLife thanks ! That makes sense! Happy you had a fun time 50 percent of the time -- and that Grandma and Grandpa are still physically able to go with you -- what fun memories you are making with your boys :-)

[@ANGELSLVME]

I’m curious how do you do the Bathroom situation ? Especially the Women! Lucky you have BOYS😂EE

[@daviddalton5851]

Im not able to watch this all at the moment i am off to work..... But how was the canyon and the falls? Love to hear.

[@ThisAlaskaLife]

It was good but it was several summers ago.

[@daviddalton5851]

@@ThisAlaskaLife yeah I seen that. Did you portage or take on the falls?

[@adventurealaska2482]

Can you tell me what size outboard you used on your Alaska Series Raft and how long the lake portion took? Thanks

[@ThisAlaskaLife]

2 horse power Yamaha, took about an hour

[@hobbygardeninthewoods]

How did you store the food during the night so you don't attract bears to your camp?