Days 36-38: A Braided River, An Old Mining Town & A Glacier
- Karen Derrick-Davis
- Jun 2
- 6 min read
Wildlife Bingo
3 Grizzlies
First moose!
Bald Eagle
Highlights
walk to Root Glacier
Kennicott ghost town
mountain views of Wrangell-St Elias (almost as high as Denali)
Hiccups
none!
Bye, Bye Valdez
We said goodbye to Valdez and headed to McCarthy, one of only two ways to drive into the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve. The last 60 miles to McCarthy are along a gravel road with a reputation. It was built on top of an old railroad track from mining days. We had read about and heard first-hand accounts of flat tires from exposed metal and nails, as well as extreme washboarding. We were not sure whether we would be able to get all the way to McCarthy and were definitely not sure we wanted to pull out trailer there -- even though there was camping at the end of the road. So, we left Valdez without solid plans on where we would stay next.
The drive out of Valdez and back over Thompson Pass was again beautiful with clear roads. After 85 miles, we turned off Rt 4 on to Edgerton Highway and headed to Chitina (pronounced Chit-na), where the paved road ends and the dirt road to McCarthy begins. On the drive, we decided we would try to camp in Chitina and leave our trailer there for the day, while we drove our truck (with our extra tires) to McCarthy.
On the road to Chitina, we saw the first moose of our entire trip! She was shoulder-deep in a small lake by the road.
Chitina's one-block-long "Main Street" is comprised of three lonely old buildings -- one, a hotel, looked like it might be open during the summer, though it had a "For Sale" sign in the window. Luckily, we found the one gas pump in town -- an automated, 24-hr pump. We filled up and then headed to check out the camping options, supposedly two choices just beyond town. Heading east from Chitina, the road narrows to one lane and squeezes through a narrow passage blasted through solid rock -- quite a feat when it was created in 1909.
Then the road leads down to the Copper River -- a "braided river" -- several swiftly flowing arms in its massive riverbed. The little public campground run by the Ahtna Tribe on the right was empty and dusty -- from significant winds blowing up the riverbed dirt. The other camping option was across the road -- on the riverbed. Neither of these were appealing since we planned to leave our trailer for the whole next day while we drove to McCarthy. So, we headed back to check out the little private campground supposedly on a side road just before Chitina.
The Wrangell View RV Park with no one on site was also empty, but sits on the road to the little airport and across the street from a health clinic. The campground owner was also available by phone. We felt better leaving our trailer here -- so we set up camp. Around 8:30pm, two other campers showed up. Eleven o'clock sunsets make late arrivals common!
On to McCarthy & Kennicott
The next day, we packed our lunch, checked our spare tire and supplies, locked up the trailer and headed for McCarthy. The dirt road was bumpy and full of potholes, but had very little washboarding. That said, we could not go over 30 mph 90% of the time. Sixty miles = 2+ hours. We were glad we didn't bring the trailer!
You cannot actually drive to McCarthy. The road ends at a parking lot and a footbridge. There were about a dozen cars in the parking lot, but no one in sight. We were prepared for the final mile-walk to town, and we hoped to get to the ghost town of Kennicott, five miles beyond McCarthy without walking. According to guidebooks, there was a shuttle, but we were unsure they would take our Golden Retriever on board...
McCarthy is a cute little town with a hotel, a couple of restaurants, a bar and lots of loose dogs (thankfully, friendly to ours). It is so far away from anything, it feels weird to all of the sudden see these folks in a town in the middle of nowhere. In mid-May, the town is just waking up from the long winter. There are several guide companies for glacier treks, outback camping, small-plane tours over the National Park, etc. We when we arrived, we learned that McCarthy Road itself just opened for the summer a few days before!
We found the (free!) shuttle bus to Kennicott and the driver, K, gladly let our Golden on board! He was cheerful and talkative. Kennicott is pretty special. It is managed by the National Parks and is an old mining town with buildings in varying conditions -- from beautifully restored to falling down -- including a 14-story mining structure clinging to the mountainside. The town sits right above a valley of frozen mounds of gravel -- moraines -- that are at the foot of two converging glaciers, the Kennicott and Root. Old photos show that the icy blue glacier used to tower over Kennicott from the valley below.
A few families still live in Kennicott. K told us they live there year-round. In summer, a weekly “box truck” brings in supplies and groceries. In winter, they live on what they have until the spring brings the box truck deliveries. They hunt and fish for food. I cannot imagine the life up here in winter -- dark, cold and snowbound. Since these folks owned the land before the National Park was created, the land will continue to be in private hands for one more generation. The children of the current owners must cede the land to the government upon their death, rather than leaving it to their children. (According to our bus driver, K.)
K suggested we take the 5-mile roundtrip hike out to Root Glacier-- so we headed that way! With all the bears we have seen on the road, every walk here is a test of my nerves. We wear our bear bells and jingle our way along the trail, bear spray in hand. So far, we've met none while hiking. The trail had great views and crossed over two waterfalls. We made it pretty close to the blue-ice part of Root Glacier -- impressive.
After some snacks and drinks at the Golden Saloon back in McCarthy, we walked the mile back to the truck and drove the two hours back to the trailer. On the drive back, we saw our first grizzlies of Alaska (all other bear sightings up to now had been in Canada). They were too quick for a photo.
Before leaving the Chitina area, we walked down to the Copper River and found fishers’ equipment for catching its prized salmon.
In the morning, a moose visited the campground.
Our kids arrive at the Anchorage airport in two days, we will now make our way toward Alaska’s largest city.
Fellow Travelers
K, our shuttle driver from McCarthy to Kennicott. Originally from Birmingham, AL had a great story to tell. He was driving his RV from Florida to McCarthy, AK and it broke down in Kansas. He left the RV at a repair shop in Kansas and flew to Florida to pick up his truck to drive to McCarthy. While in Florida, he got the call that his RV was repaired and ready for pickup. So, he got on Facebook marketplace to find someone who was willing to drive his RV from Kansas to Alaska. He flew the guy to Kansas, met him for the first time in person, and they caravanned (he in his truck, the guy in his RV) to McCarthy. K said they became good friends and still meet up often!
S started chatting with us at a restaurant in McCarthy. He lives in Soldotna, AK on the Kenai Peninsula and gave us some tips on places to go while there (our next stop!).
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