"Dall sheep, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve, 2015." by U.S. National Park Service , public domain
Wrangell-St. EliasBrochure |
Official Brochure of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve (NP&PRES) in Alaska. Published by the National Park Service (NPS).
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Wrangell-St. Elias
The wildness of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park
and Preserve is uncompromising, its geography
awe-inspiring. Mount Wrangell, namesake of
one of the park's four mountain ranges, is an
active volcano. Hundreds of glaciers and ice
fields form in the high peaks, then melt into riv
ers and streams that drain to the Gulf of Alaska
and the Bering Sea. Ice is a bridge that connects
the park's geographically isolated areas.
Wrangell - St. Elias
National Park and National Preserve
Alaska
The Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation
Act (ANILCA) of 1980 allows the subsistence
harvest of wildlife within the park, and preserve
and sport hunting only in the preserve. Hunters
find Dall's sheep, the park's most numerous
large mammal, on mountain slopes where they
browse sedges, grasses, and forbs. Sockeye, Chi
nook, and Coho salmon spawn in area lakes and
streams and are caught in the Copper River with
fish wheels, dip nets, and rod and reel. In the
park's southeastern corner, Tlingit people har-
vest harbor seals, which feed on fish and
marine invertebrates. These species and many
more are key foods in the subsistence diet of
the Ahtna and Upper Tanana Athabaskans,
Eyak, and Tlingit peoples. Local, non-Native
people also share in the bounty.
Long, dark winters and brief, lush summers lend
intensity to life here. The sounds of migrant
birds, including trumpeter swans, thrushes, and
warblers, enliven long summer days.
SHARING EARTH'S BOUNTY
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
In late summer, black and brown bears, drawn
by ripening soapberries, frequent the forests
and gravel bars. Human history here is ancient
and relatively sparse, and has left a light imprint
on the immense landscape. Even where people
continue to hunt, fish, and trap, most animal,
fish, and plant populations are healthy and self
regulati ng. For the species who call Wrangell
St. Elias home, the park's size and remoteness
ensure a naturally functioning ecosystem.
PROSPECTING FOR WEALTH
_____ _.,
-
The living cultures of south central Alaska
include the Upper Ahtna, or 'Headwaters
People' (Tatl'ahwt'aenn). Their identity is
embedded in the earth, water, and ice of
the upper Copper River region, where
they draw upon traditional ecological
knowledge to hunt, gather, trap, and
fish. Their knowledge, born of discipline
and wisdom passed down through gen
erations, contributes to an economy
based on sharing natural resources. This
differs from the market economy that
prevails elsewhere in the United States.
During winter the Upper Ahtn a people
traditionally hunted Dall's sheep, caribou,
and moose, and trapped small mammals
in the uplands. In summer they moved to
fish camps. They built fish traps in slow
moving, flat-bottomed creeks.
In the Copper River's fast-moving waters,
people used dip nets to harvest salmon
before they adopted fish wheels in the
early 1900s. The fish wheel's arms are
like spokes on a wheel. As the current
propels the paddles, revolving baskets
lift the fish from the w ater. In summer,
you'll see many of these wheels along
the river edges.
As newcomers began to arrive in the late
1800s, new economic opportunities
emerged. Some Ahtna people began to
work for money, but they also continued
to harvest natural resources to provide
for their families. Although some Alaska
Natives now live in cities, they also con
tinue to participate in the traditional
sharing economy.
ENTER ANOTHER WORLD
Glaciers, icefields, rivers, and mountains
offer challenges and incomparable re
wards to the adventurous.
In spring, climbers attempt Mounts
Drum, Sanford, Blackburn. and St. Elias.
Hike rs usually begin from points along
the Nabesna or McCarthy roads- t he
only two roads into the pa rk. Others
strike out across Root Glacier (right),
whose sheer breadth and dist ant vi ews
of Mount Blackburn and the Stairway
lcefall are otherworldly.
Before you head into the backcountry,
get familiar with techniques for safely
crossing glaciers, rivers, and streams.
M any rivers are impassable, and some
can quickly become raging torrents.
Float the Copper River from Chitina to
the Gulf of Alaska. near Cordova, to see
some of the park's most rugged terra in.
Sea kayakers may opt to paddle in
Icy Bay and Yakutat a reas. Crosscountry
skis offer yet another w ay to explore in
winter and spring. Ca mpers find August
and Sept e mber cool, wit h fewer mosqui
tos. For bird's ey e view s, you may fly or
charter a plan e.
PHOTOS, LEFT TO RIGHT:
ICE CLI M BER, ROOT G LA
CIER- N PS / JAC OB W.
FRANK; CA M PI NG AT A IR
STRIP- NPS / NEAL HER
BERT; SA FE HIKIN G W ITH
CRAMPO NS ON ROOT
GLAC IER- BE TSY BRAD
BURY
PHOTOS, TOP
LEFT TO RIGHT:
BLUEBERRIES- NPS /
BARBARA CELL ARIUS;
CA RIBOU- CREDIT;
DA LL' S SHEEP- CR EDIT;
LUPIN E- NPS; TRUMPET
ER SWAN-© TIM
DRE W ; SOA PBER RY© ED DIE KING; BROWN
BE AR- CREDIT
BAC KGRO UND:
ICY BAY A ND MOUNT
ST. ELIAS-NPS / NEAL
HERBERT
PHOTOS, A BOVE
LEFT TO RIGHT:
CHA RLEY SANFOR D
FAM ILY, UPPER A HTNA,
- NATIONAL ARCHIVES;
COHO SA LM ON
USFWS / TIM KNEPP; FISH
WHEEL- M IC HAEL
QUINTON; CLEA NING
SA LMON- © KA TH ER
IN E M cC ONKEY;
MOOSE-CREDIT; RED
FOX- CREDIT; DOG
SLED DING TEA M
A LAS KA STATE LIBRA RY
P17 8- 097; COPPER
ORE- NPS / M ELIN DA
SCH MITT; TOURING KEN
NECOTT M ILL- NPS /
JA M IE HART
After the Klondike gold strike in 1896,
thousands of prospectors poured into
Alaska. Many headed to Chisana and
Nabesna, but found only small amounts
of gold. The discovery of copper deposits
in the Chitina River valley drew investors
who formed a syndicate to develop a
mine. To transport the ore they built a
railroad, completed in 1911. It linked
Kenn ecott mine to Cordova and from
there to profitable markets.
At its pea k of operation the company em
ployed 600 people, many of them immi
grants who worked seven days a w eek
while living in crowded, rough bunk
houses. By 1938, when the mine closed,
workers had extracted ore with a market
value of about $200 million at that time.
Although Kennecott mine and mill
closed, the community continues to
thrive. Restoration crews bring life to
relics of a time of industrial growth,
expanded markets, global migration, and
innovation. At Kennecott you can walk in
the footsteps of mill workers and their
families, and contemplate what made
t his rugged place ho me.
Elias
c=J Wrangell-St.
National Park
l-St . Elias
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Land \
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Kotsina
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Castle Mountain
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Mount Sulzer
• • S:k:'..olai Pass
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Meaning
Copper River
Seal Creek
Big Glacier
Big Glacier
Big Burn
The One at Cold Headwaters
Downriver K' elt'aeni
Mountain Inland of Was'ei
Upr iver K'elt'aeni
The One that Controls Weather
The One with Smoke on It
Naabiah Ni ign
K' atbah Man n'
Upper Tanana
Upper Tanana
Along t he Muddy River
Ptarmigan Lake
Big Lowland One
Rock River
Preserving Wilderness
World Heritage Site
Non
wilderness
Siana
250 Km
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0
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Fairbanks
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10926ft
.3330m
Pass•
Glennallen
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250 Mi
Mount Natazhat
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8. Kennecott
13435ft
4095m.
Chitina
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Wrangell-St. Elias
Chisana
National Park
and Preserve
0
Copper Center
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Falls-f..
Ahtna
Upper Tanana
Ahtna
Tling it
Tling it
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Upper Tanana
Ahtna
Ahtna
Tling it
Ahtna
Ahtna
Ahtna
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Chitistone
f
Language
Natsiidi Chox
Ttheetsaan' Ni ign
Tsedi Na'
Tsaa H~eni
5ft' Tie in
Sit' Tlein
Ch ' ahk an' Choh
K' a'si Tl'aadi
Hwdaand i K'ett'aeni
Was'eitushaa
Hw n i indi K'ett'aen i
K'elt'aeni
Uk'eledi
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Chit istone
Native place name
Rock Lake
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~~
4220m
R;Vt?r
~
Solo Lake
13845ft
'
Ptarmigan Laki
(K' atbah Miinn')
English place name
Boyden Hills
Chisana River
Chiti na River
Grand Wash
Hubbard Glacier
Malasp ina Glacier
Mount A llen
Mount Blackburn
Mount D rum
Mount St. Elias
Mount Sanford
Mount Wrangell
Mount W range ll
(when smoking)
Nabesna River
Ptarmigan Lake
~
1791m
-i'o+,i,
• Regal Mountain
c;;,
ina
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5875ft
A
I
7655ft
2333m
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Wiki Peak,
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the McCarthy and Nabesna Roads and along
the east bank of the Copper River. Please do
not trespass. If you have questions, ask at
f
3318ft
r
of these non-federal lands are located along
7731ft
0 Chisana
~
and the State of Alaska. Significant amounts
Trai l
E=l
Alaska Native Place Names
1201 0ft
36.61m
)
10
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Mount Drum
(Hwdaandi K'elt'aeni)
(
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve
visitor centers or ranger stations.
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are non-federal lands belonging to Alaska
Native Corporations, other private owners,
<D
Q
.
o•
Other unpaved
North
;ff
~
Approximately 750,000 of the 13+ mil lion
acres of land within the boundaries of
~ road
Nat ive Corporat ion
B
Unpaved road
~ wit hin park
D<lwson City
World Heritage Site
!i:!
McCarthy C 2
.,, J>
d'aldez
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Mount Churchill
581ft
177m
1S638ft
Mount Bona •4766m
16421ft
5005m
...
o Cordova
c::
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z
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Mount
Bear
TONSINAGL~
8504ft
2592m
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G UL F OF A LASKA
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Y.akutat O
Sit ka o
GULF OF A LA SKA
Ill
J
• Hanagita Peak
and Preserve
C
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-i
m
14831ft
4520m.
Glllci er Bay Nllt io nll l Pllrk
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Ill
Con gress protected 9.6 mil lion acres o f
Wrangel l-St. El ias National Park and
Preserve as Wilderness u nder t he 1964
W ild erness Act . For informat ion about the
National Wilderness Preservation System,
visit www.wilderness.net.
/
Wrange ll-St. Elias National Pa rk and Pre
serve, Glacier Bay National Park a nd Pre
serve, Canada's Kluane Nat iona l Par k and
Reserve, a nd Tatshe nsh in i-Alsek Provincial
Park are a ll pa rt of a 24-million-acre
World Heritage Site-one of Ea rth's larg
est int ernationally protected ecosystems .
\ ,ffjgK, Mountain
2204m
Cordova Peak
7730ft •
2356m
KLUANE
NATIONAL PARK
AND RESERVE
.,,.,..-
s
N
M cA rthur Peak
Juniper Island
B AG LE Y
14400ft
. 4389m
4434ft •
1351m
I C E
King Peak,
V,4
~
Mount•
Logan
1697 1ft
5173m
L L E y
19551ft
5959m
SEWARD
0
M ount A l verstone
G l A CI
14565ft
4439m
E l?
M ou nt Augusta
14070ft
4289m
Mount Ken n e dy
1309 3ft
399 1m
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NATIONA L 1,
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Q • Poin t Glorious
Visit the Park
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5000ft
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13760ft
4194m
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MAL A SPI N A
G U L F
Begin your visit at the Headquarters and
Wrangell-St. Elias Visitor Center. It offe rs views
of the Wrange ll Mountains, exhibits, a film,
bookstore, picn ic she lter, short hiking tra ils,
park informat ion, a nd seaso na l ra nge r talks
a nd walks .
Kennecott Visitor Center, housed in the historic
0 F
A LA S KA
GLAC I E R
( 5 ft' Tl ei n )
Safety Opportunities for rescue a nd evacua
co untry ca mp ing. We strongly suggest that
yo u ca rry bear spray. • Do not a pproach moose,
wh ich injure more people than bears. • Exp lo
sives, t oxic chemica ls, and residu e may be pres
e nt in mining areas. • Fo r f irearms reg ulations
check t he park website.
tion in the backcountry are slim; response time
can be slow. Adequate preparation, expe ri
ence, and knowledge of extre me wilde rness
trave l and surviva l skills are esse ntia l. Always
carry extra rations and gear fo r emergencies or
weathe r-re lated delays. • Before you head into
t he backcountry, fill out a backcountry itinerary
at a visitor ce nte r o r ranger station . Te ll a
friend or fa mily membe r about your route a nd
expect e d ret urn date and tim e. • This is bea r
co untry! Get a bea r safet y brochure at a visitor
cente r or rang e r station . Make no ise. Stay with
a gro up. Bear-resistant food containe rs, avai l
able at visitor ce nters, are require d fo r a ll back-
Eme rgencies call 24-hour NPS Dis patc h
907-683 -9555 or 911
\
Accessibility We strive to make our faci lities,
se rvices, and programs accessible t o a ll. For
information go to a visitor ce nter, ask a ranger,
ca ll, or check o u r website.
YAKUTAT
BAY
POINT MANBY
Wra nge ll-St. Elias Nationa l Park and Preserve
is one of ove r 400 parks in the National Park
System. To lea rn more, visit www.nps.gov.
More Information
Private Land Private property a nd Native Cor
poration La nds li e w it hin the park and preserve
boundaries. Do not trespass . Res pect a ll land
owne rs' rights.
Wrange ll-St. Elias National Pa rk a nd Prese rve
PO Box 439
Mile 106.8 Richa rdson Hwy.
Coppe r Ce nter, AK 99 573
907-822-52 34
www.nps.gov/wrst
a
National
Park Foundation.
Join t he park co m mu nity.
www.nationalparks.org
'UGP0:2 0XX- XXX-XXXIXXX)()( New In 20XX
Pr inted on rec11tled paper.
/ To Tok
Getting Around the Wrangell Mountains
M ouN
Siana~ ~ - - - = - -~mr
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Start with th e free park newspaper for curre nt
informati on o n hiking, camping, a nd services.
Download it from the park website, www.nps.
gov/wrst, or ask at visitor cente rs or rang e r
stations (a ll are open seasonally; ca ll for hours
of ope ration).
Blackburn School, is your information hub for
Ke nnecott Mines National Histo ric La ndmark.
It offers mountain and g lacier views, exh ibits,
a f ilm, seasonal ranger t a lks a nd w a lks, and
information on historic structures and hiking
trails. Siana and Chitina Rang er Stations a re
gateways to t he two park roads. They provide
backcount ry trip pla nning, road updates, and
a re a informat ion. Yakutat Ranger Station is
an access point for Mount St. Elias, Hubbard
Glacier, and over o ne hundred mi les of rem ote
coastline .
PARK
M ount Cook
•tl•J:l&G
mr.1nn
To Delta and
'1-'..l
2154ft
657m DlmUl:I
Fairbanks
Co per
Lafe
rm
<.,oPPer
Mount Sanford
(Hwniindi K'elt'aeni) .
TA I Iii s
Road (unpaved - 4 2 miles one
LIU ~
_
• ~ -- ~w ayJ
Kendesnii- - -~
OD~
~
OD
---" '
N ur z o r
3100ft
8 ;:!besna
Mt Allen •
(Ch 'ahk an' Choh)
2ss 2 m
cnis• ""
eetsaal'l
, ti''<)
~'Ith
public lands.
3318ft
1011m
Euchre Mtn
Mt Gordon .
1
'1-i'e<_ ~
IN
9480ft
2890m
Private properfl
inierspersed w,th
16 237ft
Mount Drum
(Hwdaandi K'elt'aeni)
r,.1abesna p.,
~!!:!!_Cho:;
Tanag;,:t •
•I 4949m
,,,,e(
80Yden Hil t.
o Chisana
6862ft.
2092m
9040ft
2755m
Private property
in terspersed wrth
public lands.
Mount Wrangell
(K'elt'aeni)
12010ft
. 3661m
Mt Zanetti.
14163ft
• 43 17m
13009ft
3965m
~411111
Glennallen
CHESHNINA
. m,,oott
ll&lll 335m
Donoho Pk
6696ft
2D41m.
-1>
6653ft
2028 m
"'
\
Iron Mtn .
Kots,'r,q
\
/
Ken necott Visitor Center
(summer only)
4
Private property_
intersperse d with
public lands.
River
• Sourdo ugh Pk
6201ft
189 0m
/
58 1ft
177m
Nizina
Gilahina Butte·
2783ft
84&n
•
Cnitina
River
Nelson Mtn.
54571t
1663m
a
•
Campground
Restrooms
m
Picnic area
Telephone
Parking
North
Scale varies on t his map. Foreground
areas a ppear larger than comparable
areas in t h e background.
(!)