I flipped a Metzler canoe on the Kongakut in 1987 or 1988. I'll never forget looking up at the boat from underneath with fish eyes and watching some of my stuff floating away. Thank heavens it was a warm summer day and I was with experienced friends who helped me out. I was stupid; hit a rock wall and pushed away with my paddle. That caused me to flip. I was in a “mellow” section of the river. We lined around the technical rapids, which only traversed a mile or two of our trip— we started at the Sheenjek River, hiked across the Continental Divide to Kongakut headwaters, and then picked up our boats from a Supercub strip about 20 miles above Drain Creek (at that time, Drain Creek was the spot where most guided trips started). 

Sorry for this tragedy. We take risks whenever we get into technical water-- sure scares me. The really wild ANWR river is the Hulahula-- been there, done that, and I'm too chicken go back (in a boat).