Kennicott / McCarthy Sightseeing Tours and Activities

Even in a state like Alaska which is famous for its size, Wrangell-St. Elias stands out. It is by far the largest of our national parks - almost six times the size of Yellowstone. You fly over it and see mountains beyond mountains, glaciers after glaciers, rivers upon rivers. You float a river and watch the moods and mountains change by the minute. As you walk the tundra, you find Dall's sheep and mountain goats grazing. Four major mountain ranges converge here: the volcanic Wrangells, the Alaska, the Chugach, and the St. Elias - tallest coastal mountains in the world. Together they contain 9 of the 16 highest peaks in the United States, 4 of them above 16,000 feet. There are more than 150 glaciers; one, the Malaspina, is larger than Rhode Island. In 1980 Wrangell-St. Elias and adjoining Kluane National Park Reserve in Canada, along with Glacier Bay NP and Tatshenshini in British Columbia, were designated a United Nations World Heritage site. Vast and rugged as it is, the park is not a fortress. Two roads lead into small communities, remnants of the gold- and copper-mining towns that thrived in the early days of the 20th century. Today not mining but the nearly limitless hiking, rafting, kayaking, and climbing opportunities beckon.

Description

SKM1001 Root Glacier Hiking Tours

Our Root Glacier hike is most likely the best day hiking trip in Alaska, and almost certainly the best glacier hiking in Alaska! After meeting your guide and getting fitted for crampons, you'll start out on the 1.8 mile hike to the "white ice" of the Root. Along the way your guide will share interesting details on the local natural and human history. Once on the ice you will explore other-worldly formations unlike anything else you have ever seen: blue pools, waterfalls, canyons, crevasses and moulins - holes drilled undreds of feet deep into the ice by the flowing meltwater. There is no set route so you and your guide can explore what is most interesting to you. After a picnic lunch on the ice (we'll bring pads for you to sit on), you'll head back by a different route and return on the trail to Kennecott. Glacier Hiking in Alaska at it's finest!
Daily from May – September | Price $95.00 for ½ day and $130 for full day hike

SKM1002 Kennicott Ice Climbing

If you want to experience the thrill of ice climbing in Alaska, this is the trip for you. Set amidst the stunning beauty of the Wrangell St. Elias National Park, the Root Glacier offers the perfect venue for people of all ages and skill levels to participate in this exciting and rewarding sport. Our experienced climbing guides have been leading mountaineering courses, backpacking tours and glacier ice climbing seminars in this remote Alaskan wilderness for over 30 years. You’ll be in good hands from the moment your guide fits you for your harness until you’re swapping stories in our office at the end of the day. We provide climbing options for everyone from the nervous novice to seasoned climbers with views of the 7,000 ft high Stairway Icefall, the 16,390 ft Mt. Blackburn and other surrounding peaks. Full day tour.
Daily from May – September | Price: $155.00

SKM1003 Kennicott Glacier Kayaking

You'll start your day with a leisurely walk from our base in McCarthy to the lake at the toe of the Kennicott Glacier. During the half mile hike to the lake, your guide will share interesting local natural and human history, with a focus on the geology and glaciology you are about to experience up close. When you reach the lake, after a brief safety talk, you'll launch your kayaks and head off. The route changes daily, depending on the location of the best scenery, icebergs and cliffs. As you go, your guide will explain aspects of the glacial features you are seeing, and how this surreal landscape was formed. There are spectacular views up the valley towards Mt. Blackburn, the Stairway Icefall and the town of Kennecott. Part way through the paddle we'll stop for some hot drinks.
Daily from June – September | Price:$95.00

Reviews

History Day Tour to Kennicott --
Since we wanted to see the Kennicott copper mine on our Alaska round trip, we booked the day trip "History Tour". Early in the morning we went from Chitina with a bush plane (pilot and four passengers) to McCarthy. Already during the 30-minute flight we could admire the mountain and glacier world. Our pilot drew our attention to many things on the way. After landing we took the shuttle bus to the small, car-free village McCarthy, after a 45-minute stay we took another shuttle bus to the Kennicott Mine. McCarthy consists only of a few houses, a hotel, a museum, different restaurants and a small store. Our tour included a guided tour through the mine for several hours as well as lunch at Kennicott Lodge. Even though it started to rain after our landing in McCarthy and the rain lasted until the return flight, we enjoyed the day very much. Before the tour through the copper mine we had lunch at Kennicott Lodge. The food was nothing special. But then came the highlight, the highly informative guided tour through the old copper mine. Attention: One walks through the mine from top to bottom over many narrow stairs. Afterwards we took the shuttle bus back to the small airport, again with a short stop in McCarthy. On the return flight the weather god was well disposed to us again and we had fantastic views on glaciers and mountains. Unfortunately we didn't see any animals from above.
Michael W.