Wrangell-St. Elias

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 c=J Wrangel Nat io nal Preserve c=J Lands 0 ~ 0 (./ NaHve) Corporation__... Land \ Capital • Mountain \ \ I \ 2356m i 20 30 K i lo met ers 20 10 30 Miles I \ 101 1m Braye Lakes (? r;1:ea:;,:::~e:rth ub/ic lands. " '\. ~ l J ChisamJ Pass o/o MoJntain e Kotsina \ Castle Mountain \ \ Sko!a/ _Cr~~+ I Mount Sulzer • • S:k:'..olai Pass r 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 f'\ 0 J> ;;0 ~ Fairbanks \ \ 10926ft .3330m Pass• Glennallen 0 250 Mi Mount Natazhat "' 8. Kennecott 13435ft 4095m. Chitina ilthf.!}f.JI 0 Wrangell-St. Elias Chisana National Park and Preserve 0 Copper Center u '::. Falls-f.. Ahtna Upper Tanana Ahtna Tling it Tling it Tling it Upper Tanana Ahtna Ahtna Tling it Ahtna Ahtna Ahtna J> 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 \ ~:~~ r Chit istone Native place name Rock Lake C" ~~ 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 / 5875ft A I 7655ft 2333m '~ ~ T N I Wiki Peak, \ \ 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 0 Mount Drum (Hwdaandi K'elt'aeni) ( Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve visitor centers or ranger stations. 0 \ ii V~ 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 0 J> Mount Churchill 581ft 177m 1S638ft Mount Bona •4766m 16421ft 5005m ... o Cordova c:: z =l m n )> z C Mount Bear TONSINAGL~ 8504ft 2592m I G UL F OF A LASKA )> Y.akutat O Sit ka o GULF OF A LA SKA Ill J • Hanagita Peak and Preserve C -i )> -i m 14831ft 4520m. Glllci er Bay Nllt io nll l Pllrk )> 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 / "'"' ,:, ~ c} <J f . f' NATIONA L 1, ~~Q'l', ..::,~ Q • Poin t Glorious Visit the Park ct 5000ft I '"•m 13760ft 4194m "'It~ ;:: ~ ~{.-<-6'< ~ (' % 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 -~_!11!'1!!11!!II!•~d]"il:i!'l"!llf!.tiil!ll, 1!1 / 1,,,, ., "'"' 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. (!)