Today we add a new Alaska National Park to our list. Wrangell-St Elias NP, located in south central Alaska, is the largest unit in the U.S. National Park system. Nine of the 16 highest peaks in the U.S. are located in the park, along with North America's largest subpolar icefield, glaciers, rivers, an active volcano and the historic Kennecott copper mines. McCarthy and the Kennecott Mine were the focus of the reality show Edge of Alaska. The small town of McCarthy is the only town located within a National Park.
I am looking forward to seeing the amazing scenery and visiting the Kennecott Mines National Historic Landmark and the town of McCarthy. I am wondering about the 60 mile road from Chitina to McCarthy. The McCarthy Road was built along the old Copper River and Northwestern railroad bed. The railroad was built to haul copper from the Kennecott mines to Cordova. The road is mainly a gravel road with some sections of chip seal. Drivers are warned to watch out for old rails, potholes, flying rocks and soft shoulders and encouraged to obey the 35 MPH speed limit.
BB and I are staying at the Kennicott Glacier Lodge. We leave Anchorage a few minutes after 6:00am in order to arrive at the Lodge by mid-afternoon. It is cloudy with occasional showers, but the showers are few and far between.
(There is lack of consistency in the names - Kennicott and Kennecott. The mining company is spelled with an E. The glacier, river and community are spelled with an I, after naturalist Robert Kennicott.)
It's drizzly. A little rain doesn't stop us!
We stop at The Hub in Glenallen for gas, bathroom and coffee. The Hub is located at the intersection of highways 1 (Glen Hwy) and 4 (Richardson Hwy) and is the last reliable place for gas before heading on to McCarthy. We fill the gas tank, empty our bladders and pick up corn nuts at The Hub. We pick up lattes next door at Spruce Burl Espresso.
Everything a traveler needs is available at The Hub.
Spruce Burl Espresso.
About15 miles down Hwy 4 from The Hub we arrive at the Wrangell-St Elias visitor center. We pull in. We ask the ranger about the conditions on the McCarthy Road. She says to go slow, watch out for soft shoulders and crazy drivers. She thinks traffic will be heavy due to the holiday. We peruse the gift shop (there is a moose puzzle I can't resist!) and I get a stamp for my passport.
This sign, on a board at the visitor center, makes me chuckle.
My moose puzzle.
Advice on driving the McCarthy Road included checking road conditions at the ranger station in Chitina. Our stop in Chitina is full of surprises! First, forget how it's spelled; the name is pronounced CHIT-na. We find the ranger station; however, it is closed. A note on the door states the ranger is sick. The big surprise is that we are just in time for Chitina's 4th of July parade! (Yes! Chitina's July 4th parade is on the 3rd. BB read that they have it on the 3rd because it is easier to get a band). The parade route takes it by the town's wayside. We park at the wayside, eat our picnic lunch of peanut butter and pickle sandwiches, corn nuts and lattes and watch the parade.
The Chitina Ranger Station.
It is 12:30pm. Time to tackle the McCarthy Road! It begins about a half mile from the wayside. The introduction to the road is a one lane section through a rock cut. The road then becomes a 2 lane, mainly chip sealed road. At mile 17 the road crosses the one lane Kuskulana Bridge. The road is gravel the rest of the way to McCarthy. We stop at a overlook after driving a few miles. There is another car there so we take the opportunity to ask about the road. They have driven it before and say it should be OK if you stay at the speed limit. Another car pulls in. Besides these two cars we have a few pass us going towards Chitina (maybe 6?) and see 2 or 3 others going towards McCarthy. BB and I wonder how the ranger at the visitor center defines heavy traffic. It is a pretty drive. At the beginning of the road there are views of the Copper River. Closer to McCarthy are views of lakes, meadows and forest. We safely arrive at the pedestrian bridge at the end of the road at 2:55. Two and a half hours to drive 60 miles!
A view of the Kuskulana Bridge.
Old Copper River and Northwestern bridge
BB on the pedestrian bridge at the end of the road.
The Lodge shuttle runs on the hour. We just missed the 3:00pm run. We walk over the bridge and head towards town. We don't make it to town before we head back to get our luggage across the bridge in time for the 4:00pm shuttle. Kennicott Glacier Lodge and Kennecott Mine are 5 miles down a bumpy gravel road from McCarthy. We are settled in our room by 4:30. We relax and take in the view of the mountains and glacier with an adult beverage on the Lodge's porch. We walk around the Mine until time for dinner at the lodge at 7:00.
Waiting at the shuttle stop at the McCarthy end of the pedestrian bridge.
A quick look at Kennecott.
Dinner on the porch.
Bedtime. Tomorrow is a big day - 4th of July in McCarthy!
Sal
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