Wrangell-St. Elias National Park

Even in a state famous for its size, Wrangell-St. Elias stands out.  It is by far the largest national park ... Four major mountain ranges converge here:  the volvanic 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.

Few roads are as storied as the MacCarthy Road, one of only two roads entering Wrangell-St. Elias National Park.  It offers unrivaled scenery and vast and varied wilderness. The gravel road's 59 miles connect the Copper and Kennicott Rivers, roughly following part of the historic 196 mile long Copper River and Northwestern Railway railroad grade.  Constructed between 1908 and 1911 through a herculean effort comparable to the construction of the Alcan Highway or the Trans-Alaska Oil Pipeline.

Kuskulana Bridge spans a 238 ft gorge.  This is a one-lane bridge.  The 600 ft steel bridge was redecked in 1988 and guard rails were installed.  A spectacular achievement, the bridge was constructed during the winter or 1910.

Construction of the 196 mile Copper River and Northwestern Railroad (jokingly called the Can't Run and Never Will) from Kennecott to Cordova began in 1907.  The railroad would allow supplies to come in to the mines and ore to go out.

The construction challenge was massive.  The railroad had to span rivers, mountains, and active glaciers on its way to Kennecott from the coast.  Kennecott was a company town.  Most miners lived in company housing and every revolved arund mining operations.

Kennecott

The impressive ruin of a railroad trestle ... Built in 1990 that spans the Gilahina River.  This wooden trestle was originally 890 feet long and 90 feet high, required 1/2 million board feet of timber and was completed in 8 days in the winter of 1911.


Thompson Pass area (2,678 feet) has dramatic route plunges down to sea level in less than 10 miles.

50 feet of snow annually!

Richardson Hwy to Chitina

One of the many waterfalls along the road