Wrangell-St. Elias National Park

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When I turned 60, my sister Linda, presented me with a wonderful book published by National Geographic on our National Parks. This book first introduced me to Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, America's Largest National Park with over 13 million acres (over six times the size of Yellowstone) !! Out of the 15 tallest mountains in North America, nine are in this park.

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Photos

McCarthy Road
There are two unpaved roads into the park. We took the McCarthy Road, a 61-mile journey following the old Copper River and Northwestern Railway route. This photo shows the start of that road with Mt. Blackburn at 16, 390 ft. in the background and the Copper River in the foreground. This road is not maintained so we left our car and camper behind and took a shuttle service.

Gilahina Trestle along McCarthy Road
This wooden trestle was completed in eight days in the winter of 1911. The trains were needed to transfer copper from the Kennecott Mine to the coast. Due to the rugged landscape, over 15% of the entire railway was built on trestles such as this.

Train Depot Sign in McCarthy
McCarthy where we stayed is 5 miles from Kennecott. The ore was shipped by rail from Kennecott to Cordova 191 miles through rough mountains.

Golden Salon at McCarthy Lodge
We enjoyed a VERY YUMMY dinner here. McCarthy Lodge has a long history of business since it’s construction here in 1916. Once a cannery building on the coast near Cordova, it was dismantled and shipped via train to the new town of McCarthy. It is the oldest structure inside Wrangell St. Elias National Park.

Ma Johnson's Hotel
At the end of the 60 mile gravel road is this charming hotel where Don and I stayed.

Cement Mixer from 1920s
The workers and the buildings were abandoned when the copper ran out. There is evidence throughout our world of the exploitation of resources without regard to the footprints left behind.

Kennecott
In 1900 large copper deposits were found here. JP Morgan and the Guggenheim family collaborated to form the Alaska Syndicate to build a railroad and develp the mines. In 1911 the first train left Kennecott filled wiwth $250,000 worth of copper.

Kennecott Glacier showing filings left behind
The mines closed in 1938. The huge profits fueled by high demand for copper allowed further mine investments and growth into one of the largest mineral companies in the world.

Kenecott Mill
This was a place of long hours and dangerous work. About 600 men worked in the mines and mill. Miners worked seven days a week with only two vacation days per year (Christmas and the 4th of July).

Kennecott Today
When the mine closed in 1938, everything was left behind. In 1998, the National Park Service acquired the significant buildings and lands. There are still private landowners and cottages sprinkled about the park. A few buildings such as the store and post office are restored. Other buildings are too far degraded and some buildings were in the process of restoration.

Worker Housing
Workers often lived in bunkhouses with little time off, often sending money home to their families around the world. Despite the dangers they mined and concentrated at least $200 million worth of ore.

Kennecott
In 1900 large copper deposits were found here. JP Morgan and the Guggenheim family collaborated to form the Alaska Syndicate to build a railroad and develp the mines. In 1911 the first train left Kennecott filled wiwth $250,000 worth of copper.

Kennecott Glacier showing filings left behind
The mines closed in 1938. The huge profits fueled by high demand for copper allowed further mine investments and growth into one of the largest mineral companies in the world.

Kenecott Mill
This was a place of long hours and dangerous work. About 600 men worked in the mines and mill. Miners worked seven days a week with only two vacation days per year (Christmas and the 4th of July).

Kennecott Today
When the mine closed in 1938, everything was left behind. In 1998, the National Park Service acquired the significant buildings and lands. There are still private landowners and cottages sprinkled about the park. A few buildings such as the store and post office are restored. Other buildings are too far degraded and some buildings were in the process of restoration.

Worker Housing
Workers often lived in bunkhouses with little time off, often sending money home to their families around the world. Despite the dangers they mined and concentrated at least $200 million worth of ore.

Cement Mixer from 1920s
The workers and the buildings were abandoned when the copper ran out. There is evidence throughout our world of the exploitation of resources without regard to the footprints left behind.

Mt Wrangell 14163 ft
The Wrangell Mountains are Volcanic, but only Mt. Wrangell remains active with vents of steam near its summt. Mt. Wrangell las erupted in 1900. Because it is not very accessible, this park has few visitors.

Moose along McCarthy Road
We did not venture off the road too much. Yet wildlife was all around us.

Backcountry Outfitters
Many of the visitors to Wrangell-Ellias National Park take bush planes into extremely remote areas. This is one of the few parks where back-country travel does NOT require a permit. You can literaly grab your backpack and go.

Rainbow at the end
On our exit from the Park we were hugged by a rainbow. In spite of the exploitation of the miners and the mess left behind, there were millions of acres untouched by man.