Alaska's Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park is the largest in the United States - by far. One frequently quoted statistic is that it's 6 times the size of Yellowstone National Park. Here are few more comparisons to give you a frame of reference.
- Glacier Nat. Park - 1 million acres
- Yellowstone - 2.2 million acres
- State of Maryland - 6.3 million acres
- Switzerland (yes the country) 10.2 million acres
- Wrangell-St. Elias National Park- 13.2 million acres
You get the idea - this is a really big place. Just across the Canadian border are Kluane National Park Reserve and Tatshenshini-Alsek National Park. The entire region composed of all three parks has been designated a World Heritage site and at 24.3 million acres comprises the largest internationally protected chunk of real estate on the planet. You could spend a lifetime exploring this park so you had better get started.
Getting to Wrangell-St. Elias National Park takes a bit of doing. It's about an 8 hour drive from Anchorage and the last 60 miles is a gravel road from Chitina to McCarthy. But that remoteness is what Wrangell-St. Elias is all about. Denali has become so heavily visited that it became necessary to institute a permit system to protect the backcountry from overuse. As a result, trekkers can't make plans in advance but are at the mercy of whatever sectors of the backcountry are available when they snow up at park headquarters.
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park doesn't suffer from that problem. The lighter usage combined with stunning terrain make this the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park the ultimate destination for those seeking an epic experience with truly remote wilderness.
It was the lure of riches in the ground that drew the first pioneers to what is now the McCarthy/Kennicott area in the heart of Alaska's Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. But not just gold - it was copper, and lots of it, that put the area on the map. In 1899 gold was discovered near the headwaters of the Nabesna River in what is now the north of the park. It was a good year for mineral exploration in the area because Oscar Rohn also found copper ore samples in the Kennicott glacial moraine that would later lead to the discovery of rich copper deposits on Bonanza Ridge. Production didn't get into full swing until 1911 when a railroad was completed that reached from Kennicott almost 200 miles to Cordova. Ore was transported by rail to Cordova and from there by barge to Tacoma, Washington where it was smelted.
Kennicott was a classic company town. Most of the miners lived there in company housing and everything revolved around the mining operations. McCarthy quickly developed five miles down the road as a support community to the company town. McCarthy provided many services not available in Kennicott including hotels, hospital, shops, school, photographer's studio, brothels and perhaps most importantly of all, saloons.
By 1938 the rich copper deposits were depleted and the mines of Kennicott as well as the railroad, ceased operations. For a while things were pretty quiet though there were always some people living in the area. During the 1970s tourism began to develop in the region and has continued to grow steadily to the present day.
It was the copper strike that gave birth to McCarthy/Kennicott and indeed Wrangell-St. Elias National Park itself, and the effects of those origins are felt today. Kennicott is still a company town of sorts, only now the company is the Park Service instead of the Kennicott Mining Company. And Kennicott is still saloon-less. The bordellos are gone, but McCarthy is still the center of social and nightlife in the area - such as it is.
Eventually the railroad was torn up and the rail bed became the foundation of what is now the McCarthy Road. But the road has a way of reminding visitors of its origin as old nails and spikes from the railroad days work their way up to the surface and into the tires of travelers.
Though it would take decades to come to fruition, the first seeds that would lead to the creation of Alaska's Wrangell-St. Elias National Park were sown almost as soon as the last train pulled out of Kennicott.
The first person to make a recommendation for protected status for the area, was Ernest Gruening, Director of U.S. Territories when he suggested national park or monument status for the region. After visiting the area in 1938, he wrote a memorandum to the Secretary of the Interior:
The region is superlative in its scenic beauty and measures up fully and beyond the requirements for its establishment as a National Monument and later as a National Park. It is my personal view that from the standpoint of scenic beauty, it is the finest region in Alaska. I have traveled through Switzerland extensively, have flown over the Andes, and am familiar with the Valley of Mexico and with other parts of Alaska. It is my unqualified view that this is the finest scenery that I have ever been privileged to see.
It wasn't until 1978 that the area was designated as a National Monument and 1979 when it was designated as a World Heritage Site. The following year, 1980 President Jimmy Carter designated 13.2 million acres as Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve.
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The latitude of Glennallen is 62 north so summer here is pretty short. When most people in the lower forty-eight are working in their gardens, Alaskans are still skiing. The best time of year to visit Wrangell-St. Elias National Park depends on what you plan to do there. May is prime time for mountaineering trips in Alaska's Wrangell and St. Elias Ranges but it's early for backcountry trekking. Snow can linger in the passes until late June. The rate at which snow melts out depends on snow depth but also on how warm the spring is. A warm spring with lots of clear skies can melt a lot of snow very quickly. But if it's a cool spring with lots of overcast days then the snow can stick around a lot longer. In general, May is a transitional month and not the best choice for backcountry travel. Late June through early September is the optimal window of opportunity for such trips.
If you are planning a trip that includes glacier crossings, schedule around the second week of July or later to ensure that the ice will be free of snow. Otherwise be sure to have a backup plan in the event that your glacier route proves uncrossable.
Temperatures
Temperatures during the summer in most of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park are mild and pleasant with daytime temps in the upper 60s for most of the summer. Mid summer usually brings temperatures in the low to mid 70s though a heat wave in the 80s is possible but usually lasts only a few days. Nighttime temperatures around the McCarthy area are generally in the low to upper 40s range. By mid August things begin to cool down a bit and by the end of August or beginning of September freezing temperatures at night are possible. Temperatures in the backcountry will be a bit cooler than in McCarthy especially if you're travelling in the glaciated southern area of the park. Glaciers, not surprisingly, have a chilling effect. You will usually notice a marked drop in temperature when walking on or near a glacier.
Precipitation
The amount of rainfall generally increases as the Alaskan summer wears on, especially from mid August into September. By mid September the attention shifts to snow, though snowfall is possible at higher elevations at any time of year. It's not uncommon to see a dusting of snow above 6000 feet starting in August. In September snow accumulation of several inches is possible at 5000 feet and lower. Mid September is about the latest you would want to schedule a pickup in the backcountry of the park. Pilots are very cautious when scheduling late season backcountry flights in Wrangell-St. Elias and will avoid higher elevation airstrips.
Weather varies widely across the huge state of Alaska. The following is a chart showing average weather stats for the McCarthy region of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Annual | |
Avg High °F |
3.1 | 16.0 | 30.0 | 43.6 | 56.0 | 66.1 | 69.6 | 65.7 | 54.8 | 36.2 | 15.3 | 6.2 | 38.6 |
| Avg Low °F | -14.9 | -7.5 | 0.6 | 17.7 | 29.7 | 38.5 | 42.8 | 38.6 | 29.9 | 17.4 | -2.7 | -11.0 | 15.0 |
| Avg Precip (in) | 0.74 | 0.99 | 0.50 | 0.28 | 0.49 | 1.26 | 1.76 | 1.27 | 1.24 | 1.31 | 1.29 | 1.23 | 12.37 |
| Avg Snowfall (in) | 8.6 | 10.0 | 5.9 | 2.9 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.8 | 9.8 | 12.6 | 12.6 | 63.8 |
| Avg Snow Depth (in) | 17.0 | 21.0 | 21.0 | 15.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 8.0 | 14.0 | 8.0 |
Sunlight
Because the Wrangell-St. Elias is so far north, there are major shifts in the amount of daylight throughout the year. The longest day of the year (summer solstice) is June 28 when there are 19 hours and 45 minutes of daylight. From mid June to mid July the nights are so brief that it never gets fully dark. If you're doing a backcountry trek during that period you can save a few ounces by leaving your headlamp at home. That much daylight can take a bit of getting used to however. If you wake up and it's bright daylight outside, check your watch before deciding you overslept or you could find yourself halfway through your first bleary-eyed cup of coffee before realizing that it's four o'clock in the morning.
Want to know more about the park?
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park can be reached by various combinations of car, bus, shuttle van, air and sea. The park headquarters and recently constructed visitor center is located in Copper Center about 14 miles south of Glennallen. The other two points of entry for the park are the Nabesna Road to the north or the McCarthy Road out of Chitina. Copper Center and McCarthy are the two most popular destinations in Wrangell-St. Elias.
Getting to Glennallen
You can reach Glenallen by car or bus out of Anchorage via the Glenn Highway. Bus service is provided from Anchorage with daily arrivals in Glennallen. Shuttle van services are available from Glennallen as well as all the way from Anchorage to Glennallen. See the appendix for service providers and contact information. Transportation companies come and go, so be sure to verify schedules well in advance. If you are driving you should take into account the McCarthy Road which 60 miles of gravel road from Chitina to McCarthy. The condition of the road can vary greatly though it tends to worsen during periods of heavy rain. Be sure that you have a real tire for a spare and not one of the pool-toy tires that come with many cars these days. For additional information, see the section in the book on the McCarthy Road. Most major car rental agencies in Anchorage have restrictions against driving on unpaved roads including the McCarthy Road. However there are some independent agencies the will allow it.
By Air
There are a couple of ways to get to McCarthy by air or a combination of air and car. Those who drive but prefer not to travel the McCarthy Road can drive to Chitina and then take a 30-minute flight to McCarthy on one of Wrangell Mountain Air's three daily flights. This option has the additional bonus of a flightsee tour along the way. Ellis Air has a contract with the US Postal Service to deliver the mail to McCarthy every Wednesday and Friday. Seats on these flights can be booked with departure from Anchorage or Glennallen. Another possibility is to fly from Anchorage to Valdez then either rent a car or charter a flight into McCarthy. It's also possible to charter a direct flight from Anchorage to McCarthy though you will need deep pockets.
By Sea
You can even get to McCarthy by sea… almost. The Alaska State Ferry runs between Whittier (60 miles south of Anchorage) and Valdez, including a high-speed ferry that can make the trip in just a couple of hours. Car rentals are available in Valdez but there is no regular bus or van service between Valdez and McCarthy.
Backcountry Access
Except for the McCarthy and Nabesna roads, there are no roadways into the interior of Alaska's Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. Access to the backcountry is by bush plane only. A selected list of air taxi services is included in the appendix.
Want more information about getting to the park?