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Hiking Alaska's
Wrangell St
Elias Natlonal Park
Falcon Guides
Hiking Alaska's
Wrangell St
Elias Natlonal Park
Falcon Guides
One of our most popular shorter trips. Quintessential Alaskan terrain featuring glacier exploration and jaw-dropping, in-your-face views of glaciers, icefalls and Wrangell range peaks. Our most economical backpacking trip.
One of our most popular backpacking trip, this route hits the sweet spot - absolutely stunning vistas every day at our most economical price. Most our trips require a bush flight to access the backcountry but on this one we shoulder our packs and simply start walking out of town from the historic Kennicott site.
We begin by hiking across the Root Glacier, being sure to take the scenic route and explore the fascinating world of glacier ice including moraines, crevasses and meltstream canyons. Your guide will teach you some interesting bits of glaciers along the way - how they are formed, grow and eventually retreat.
Our first camp is set up on the far side of the Root Glacier on the moraine edge near a thundering waterfall. Bears are often spotted here as well as a family of foxes that has a den not far from our camp. The next day is a moderate day of hiking as we make our way (on dry land today) to our next camp by a lake just passed the foot of Donoho Peak. A short hike from camp and up a hill gives us a fantastic view of the glaciers and peaks that surround us.
Over the next several days we do a lot of glacial exploration. Day 3 is usually a layover day which we use to check out the Gates glacier which offers some of the most dramatic features with huge fins and interesting hiking.
We spend a total of 5 days making a loop that brings us back to where we started in Kennicott.
| Arrival Alaska | Arrive in Anchorage at Ted Stevens International Airport 2 days prior to start of the trek. Overnight in Anchorage (not included) |
| Day 0 | It's travel day to McCarthy and you have several options - it's planes, trains and automobiles. Well no trains but planes, vans and automobiles. We will provide information on the possibilities and you can arrange what works. Best for you. It's an amazing drive and one of the most scenic in Alaska. You will arrive in McCarthy late afternoon. As soon as everyone has arrived the guide will meet with the group. At his time the guide will distribute food and group gear to everyone as well as check through gear to make sure everyone is prepared and outfitted for the trip. You will also get a pair of micro-spikes for walking on the ice. After the meeting, which runs about an hour, folks can grab some dinner and then repack their pack for the hike. |
| Day 1 | After breakfast in McCarthy we take a short, 5 mile van ride up the hill to the former mining town of Kennicott. Kennicott is where we start hiking. We get a bit of the interesting history of the place as we pass through town, learning about how copper was discoverd in the valley and how McCarthy and Kennicott got founded, grew and then faded when the copper played out. After passing through Kennicott, we just head out of town on a path that was once a road used to haul copper from the mines up on the ridge. We follow the glacier trail till we get to a cut-off to the glacier where we descend to the ice. The rest of the day is spent hiking, exploring and crossing to the other side of the Root glacier. We hike up over the moraine and make our first camp. |
| Day 2 | After your guide whips up a tasty trail breakfast, we start by hiking along the edge of the lateral moraine of the Root Glacier. Then we turn to the west and cross the Donoho Lakes landmass - so no glacier hiking on this day. We pass right under the base of Donoho Peak which rises 3000 feet directly above us. There is a trail for part of the way but it's a bit brush so we take our time. After passing by a couple of lakes we make our second camp in the moraine at the edge of the Gates glacier. |
| Day 3 | We leave our camp set up today so we can have a leisurely breakfast - might be a good day for pancakes! Then we head out for some exploring with just light day-hiking loads. It's time for more fun on the ice, this time on the Gates and Kennicott glaciers. This area has some of the most interesting glacial features of the trip including dramatic fins and ridges. We might also hike up on some moraine ridges. The day is ours to do with as we please and there are several options. The glaciers are a bit different every summer so we have to see what the glacier presents us. |
| Day 4 | It's back across the Donoho landmass and back to the spot where we camped the first night. This is the last night on the trail so the guide will have some surprise treat in store. |
| Day 5 | After breakfast we head back over the Root Glacier, enjoying a final look at the Stairway Icefall as we make our way back to Kennicott for the conclusion of our trek. We hop on a van for the ride back down to McCarthy where our first stop is usually The Potato for some great eats off their extensive and varied menu. A cold brew might be in order as we toast our adventure. |
| Post Trip | Today everyone makes the return trip to Anchorage by the means of their choice. Plan on arriving in Anchorage sometime late afternoon. It's always best to plan on spending a night in Anchorage before flying out of Anchorage or continuing on with other plans in Alaska. |
How Do We Get to McCarthy Alaska?
There are several options.
Car Rentals
If you have more than 2 in your group then renting a car out of Anchorage can be a good option.
Shuttle Van
Two shuttle services provides van transportation between Anchorage to McCarthy, Alaska. The shuttle departs Anchorage at 8:00 am arriving around 5-5:30 pm in McCarthy. This is the best, most economical way for one or two people to get to McCarthy and back.
If you are driving or taking the shuttle it takes about 8 hours to drive Anchorage to McCarthy.
Once you have a hotel reservation in Anchorage you will need to let them, as well as Trek Alaska, know where you will be staying. Also give them your cell phone number if you will have one with you. Please note that in McCarthy only Verizon has coverage.
Overflow Transit
Operates on a fixed schedule with two trips in each direction per week
https://overflowtransit.com/
Email: overflowtransit@gmail.com
Phone: (907)-707-9921
Copper Spike Transport
Operates “on demand” rather than set schedule
https://www.copperspiketransport.com/
jamie@copperspiketransport.com
Phone: 907.406.9599
Ride n Fly
The last 60 miles from Chitina to McCarthy is on the McCarthy road most of which is gravel. It's usualy in good shape and any vehicle can easily drive it. But some folks prefer not to.
An alternative is to drive to Chitina and from there take the Wrangell Mountain Air shuttle that flies three times daily to McCarthy.
Wrangell Mt. Air - http://www.wrangellmountainair.com/getting_to_alaska.htm
Wrangell Mt. Air can also arrange a charter flight just for your group. Contact them about current rates.
Mail Plane
There is a mail plane that flies between Anchorage and McCarthy twice a week - on Mondays and Thursdays. This is a good way for one or two people to get to and from McCarthy. Beautiful flight and no long drive in the car. With only two flights weekly you would likely need to arrive a few days early in McCarthy.
https://www.coppervalleyairservice.com/flights/flights-anchorage-gulkana-mccarthy
Where Do We Meet in McCarthy?
The shuttle vans usually arrives in McCarthy by 5:30 pm. If you are flying you will arrive earlier. The meeting begins when the whole group has arrived which is usually around 5:30-6:00 pm/ At this time you will meet your guide and the rest of the group in McCarthy for an orientation meeting the evening before the trip begins. We will meet up in front of Ma Johnsons Hotel in the middle of McCarthy. McCarthy is a very small town so don't worry, you'll have no problems finding your way around. We make every effort to be on hand with everyone upon arrival in McCarthy. You will be contacted approximately 2-3 weeks before your trip and we will confirm the exact location of the orientation meeting. The morning of departure it's a short walk down the street to Wrangell Mt. Air where we catch a shuttle van to the airstrip for our departure into the backcountry.
If you're on the Donoho trip the van to Kennicott departs right by Ma Johnsons. All those details will be covered at the meeting with the guide on arrival.
Drop Off/PickupTimes
We like to get an early start on the first day as it might take two flights to get everyone into the backcountry. Departure times of 8:30 a.m. are common. Our pickups on the last day are usualy around mid-day to allow us time to get back to McCarthy and get cleaned up and relax before dinner.
Safety Considerations
Your safety is our top priority. Our treks are led by professional hiking guides, all of whom are certified wilderness first responders, each with years of wilderness experience. The guide carries a satellite phone on all trips. If you have any further questions about safety, please contact us at 907.795.5252 or trips@trekalaska.com for more information.
Guides
Your tour will be led by a trained, experienced professional with a solid guiding background, years of personal wilderness and hiking experience, medical certifications, and a passion for leading people into breathtaking landscapes. Check out our Meet Our Team page for staff bios.
Forms/Policies
Here is a link to forms that you will need to complete and return to us before the trip. These include medical history, dietary restrictions, conditioning information as well as policies such as cancellations and refunds.
Group Size
We prefer to run small groups and our clients like it that way too. The standard group size on backpacking trips is 5 guests and 1 guide. Larger groups are possible for private trips. If you have more questions about group size, please give us a call at 907.795.5252 and we'll answer all your questions.
Weather in the Wrangells
Alaska is pretty far north and like any mountain environment we are prone to sudden temperature and weather shifts. To be fully prepared, please follow the recommended clothing list closely (this list comes as part of your trip packet when you register). See below for average summer temperatures in Wrangell-St. Elias. July is especialy variable and we have had temps hit the low 80s some summers. Mid August is when things start to cool down a bit but still great hiking weather.
What's Included
What's Not Included
Meals: What To Expect
All of our hiking and backpacking tours include a diversity of tasty meals packed full of critical carbohydrates, proteins and fats. We carry foods that travel well in the backcountry – rice, pastas, lentils, beans, packaged meats, nuts, breads, oatmeal, granola, and more.
For optimal taste and energy, we supplement all our meals with spices, herbs, oils, cheeses, butter, sugar, and fruits and vegetables. In addition, we provide you with with an assortment of trail mix, snacks, and dried fruits to eat at your own discretion.
We try to accomodate restricted diets and will make adjustments for food allergies. It depends on the severity of the restrictions. Vegetarian diets are easy to accomodate but gluten-free for example is more challenging. Contact us to discuss your situation and needs.
