Mahay’s Jet Boat Adventures is the culmination of a dream and a fierce spirit of adventure that began almost 50 years ago when Steve Mahay and his young wife set out from Sarasota Springs, New York in his Volkswagon Super Beetle and drove across the country to homestead in the remote wilderness backcountry outside of Talkeetna Alaska.
With little more than they could carry on their backs, Steve and his wife Kris departed the train near mile marker 233, and set foot off into the rugged Alaskan wilderness. They staked their claim on a back-country bluff near the Susitna River with impressive views of Denali Peak looming in the distance, and hand built their 14 x 16 foot cabin home harvesting materials from the surrounding spruce trees with only a bucksaw and an axe.
The grueling and treacherous 10+ mile trek back and forth to town over land was a difficult task, especially when it involved carrying hundreds of pounds of supplies. It was this need for an easier method of travel along with an endless pursuit of adventure which compelled Steve to custom build his first Jon boat which would use a modified outboard motor with jet propulsion rather than a prop.
Steve was one of the first people to ever run up the Susitna River – a task that required lots of skill, nerve, and an intimate knowledge of the river. However the challenge was worth it as it cut Mahay’s travel time to and from town in half, and tripled their load capacity!
Mahay’s Jet Boat Adventures slowly grew from those humble beginnings, as other hunters, fishermen, and adventurers began to call on Steve for his skills and abilities to get up stream to remote stretches of the surrounding rivers which were all but inaccessible before.
Today Mahay’s Jet Boat Adventures uses a fleet of custom designed inboard jet boats, designed by Mahay himself, to offer efficiency and comfort on these challenging waters. Carrying on the tradition and passion of his father (who still runs the rivers this day) Steve’s son Israel now runs Mahay’s Jet Boat Adventures along with his crew of river guides who are all licensed captains by the US Coast Guard, and intimately familiar with these rivers.
Currently offering four unique river adventures, there is surely something to satisfy everyone’s wanderlust in this remarkable wilderness ecosystem of interior Alaska!
Getting There
Mahay’s Jet Boat Adventures is located in the town of Talkeetna, Alaska. All trips start at the tour office (look for the white building with a green roof and trim).
Talkeetna is located about 120 miles north of Anchorage and is a popular stop off point for those who are making their way to Denali National Park. Both the Park Connection Motor-coach and the Alaska Railroad make a stop at Talkeetna on their way to Denali.
