Wrangell - St. Elias National Park - FAQ
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Alaska Wrangell-St.Elias National Park Accommodation. McCarthy, Kennicott Sightseeing Tours. Park access, scheduled flights from Anchorage, Alaska to Kennicott, transfers from Chitina on the famous Mc.Carthy Road, Kennicott Glacier Lodge, Copper River Rafting and Sockeye Salmon Fishing . Wrangell-St. Elias National Park is located in the Eastern region of Southcentral Alaska. Six times the size of Yellowstone Nat’l Park, Wrangell-St. Elias encompasses 20,000 square miles of grandeur mountain wilderness. It includes the largest concentration of mountains over 14,000 feet in North America and is home to the largest glacier system. Mt. Logan, Canada's highest peak is just thirty minutes by air from McCarthy. After Copper was discovered on Bonanza Ridge the famous Kennicott Mines were developed and the mining boomtowns of Kennicott and McCarthy sprang up.
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Wrangell-St. Elias National Park is located in the Eastern region of Southcentral Alaska. Six times the size of Yellowstone Nat’l Park, Wrangell-St. Elias encompasses 20,000 square miles of grandeur mountain wilderness. It includes the largest concentration of mountains over 14,000 feet in North America and is home to the largest glacier system. Mt. Logan, Canada's highest peak is just thirty minutes by air from McCarthy. After Copper was discovered on Bonanza Ridge the famous Kennicott mines were developed and the mining boomtowns of Kennicott and McCarthy sprang up.
Q:
A:		 Where is the National Park Located?
Wrangell St. Elias National Park is located in Southeast Alaska - about 320 road miles from Anchorage or 180 road miles from Valdez. The park is accessible by air from Anchorage, Glenallen and Chitina, or via the famous and rough Mc.Carthy  Gravel Road. Please Note: most rental car companies do not allow driving this road with its 20 mph speed limit, soft shoulders and surfacing old rail spikes! The road ends at a river with a large parking area. From here it is a 15 Min walk to Mc.Carthy. Fly-in cost is about $210.00 p.p. for a round trip from Chitina.
Q:
A:		 How about Kennicott and Mc.Carthy?
The Kennicott Copper Mine operated from 1911-1938 with a work force of 500 people. Over 90 % of the copper ever produced in Alaska came from Kennicott and its dollar value was greater than the value of all gold discovered during the famous Yukon Gold Rush. Today, the red wooden buildings of the Kennicott Mine sits above the rock covered Kennicott Glacier – about 4 miles from Mc.Carthy. The biggest attraction may be its ghost-town mining camp atmosphere.
Q:
A:		 Are there any hotels directly in the National Park?
Only a few hotels / bed & breakfasts are within the immediate vicinity of Mc.Carthy and Kennicott. Additional accommodation is available along the Mc.Carthy Road, in Chitina, Valdez and Glenallen. A public campground is located at Silver Lake. The area hosts also some very exclusive and expensive remote backcountry fly-in lodges. Advance reservation is highly recommended. Restaurants and food oulets are readily available.
Q:
A:		 What is the weather like?
Summer daytime temperatures range from 41° to 71° F. Periods of rainy, cool and overcast weather are common within the area.
Q:
A:		 What’s about Outdoor Activities?
There are a number of outfitters and soft-adventure companies operating from Chitina and Mc.Carthy. Some of the available activities include: flight seeing and  glacier hiking, day and overnight raft tours, sport (salmon) fishing on the famous Copper River, photography and wildlife viewing. For additional information please refer to our tour pages.