How Fast Hike Wrangell St Elias?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Hiking is easy on the soft tundra

, and the views of Mt. Wrangell are plenty! An active volcano just shy of 14,000 feet, it's a spectacular glaciated backdrop to any adventure! There are alpine lakes to explore, as well as beautiful clear streams.

How do I get to Wrangell?

How to get there: Wrangell St. Elias can be reached

from Anchorage via the Glenn Highway, or from the Alaska Highway cutoff at Tok coming in from the north

. Once at either of those two entrances, drive either the McCarthy Road (61 miles) or the Nebesna Road (45 miles) to get into the heart of the park at Kennecott.

How do I get to Wrangell St Elias?

Air travel to either Anchorage (ANC) or Fairbanks (FAI) is the easiest entry to Alaska. Then you'll want to use a car or shuttle service to reach Wrangell-St. Elias. If you are flying your own airplane to the park, there are public airstrips in the park.

Is Wrangell Alaska worth visiting?

Wrangell, Alaska is

a wonderful place to visit in Southeast Alaska

, especially for travelers who are looking for an authentic Alaskan experience away from the crowds of tourists in bigger towns and cruise ship ports.

How big is Wrangell St Elias?

Elias, at

18,008 feet (5.5km)

, is the second highest peak in the United States. Nine of the 16 highest peaks in the United States. Mt. Wrangell, at 14,163 feet (4.3km), is one of the largest active volcanoes in North America.

Can you climb Mount Saint Elias?

St. Elias has immense vertical relief, comparable to Denali and peaks in the Himalayas. Climbed scarcely more than fifty times since the first ascent in 1897,

this remote summit offers experienced climbers a world class mountaineering challenge

.

Where are the Wrangell Mountains?

Wrangell Mountains, segment of the Pacific Coast Ranges (see Pacific mountain system),

southeastern Alaska, U.S.

The mountains are named for Ferdinand P. Wrangel, a 19th-century Russian explorer.

Is Wrangell St Elias National Park open?

Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve has no entrance stations and

public lands are open year-round

. Please note: When visitor centers close for the day, entrance and parking lot gates are locked.

Are dogs allowed in Wrangell St Elias?


Dogs are allowed on trails within the park and in the backcountry

. Pets must be physically restrained at all times, on a leash which does not exceed six feet in length. It is the owner's responsibility to maintain control over their dogs and keep them on a leash.

How many national parks are in Alaska?

At once inviting and forbidding, there is simply no place in the world like Alaska. These eight Alaskan national parks are home to stunning natural beauty and some of the last remaining examples of true, untouched wilderness in the United States.

Can you drive through Wrangell St Elias?


There are only two roads that enter the park: The Nabesna Road and the McCarthy Road

. Both are gravel roads that are owned and maintained by the state of Alaska and not the National Park Service. Both roads are usually passable to all vehicles during the summer months.

How much does it cost to visit Wrangell St Elias National Park?

Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve is one of the 275 National Park Service sites (more than 2/3rds of the 408 total) that

do NOT charge an entrance fee

. Because we do not charge an entrance fee, Wrangell-St. Elias visitor centers do not sell or issue federal land passes.

Can you camp at Wrangell St Elias National Park?

In the Copper Center Area,

there are no places to camp inside Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve

. However, there are numerous other options for camping in this area, including private campgrounds and other public land agency campgrounds.

What is Wrangell Alaska known for?

ABOUT WRANGELL (TLINGIT: SHTAX'HÉEN)

The picturesque harbor town in the Inside Passage – not to be confused with Wrangell-St Elias National Park in Southcentral Alaska – is known for its

Tlingit culture, wildlife viewing, and exploration on the beautiful Stikine River

.

What is the oldest town in Alaska?


Sitka

is the oldest city in Alaska, which makes it no big surprise that it was the original capital. Some studies suggest that the city is at least 10,000 years old. Russians settled Sitka in 1799. It was an important city when Russia owned it as it was a crucial fur trading port.

What is the annual rainfall in Wrangell Alaska?

Wrangell, Alaska United States Rainfall

91.4 in

. 38.1 in.
Snowfall 76.0 in. 27.8 in. Precipitation 233.4 days 106.2 days Sunny 95 days 205 days

What is Wrangell St Elias known for?

Elias, at 18,008 feet (5,488m), is

the second-highest peak in the United States

. Mt. Wrangell, at 14,163 feet (4,316m), is one of the largest active volcanoes in North America. Nabesna , at approximately 80 miles (128km), is the longest non-polar valley glacier.

Is Mount Wrangell active?

Mount Wrangell is the only volcano in the Wrangell Mountains that is

currently active

.

Why is Wrangell St Elias National Park Interesting?


The Wrangell Volcanic Field covers over 2,000 square miles and includes Mount Wrangell, which is one of the three largest active volcanoes in the world

. Mount Wrangell is the only active volcano in the park, as all the other volcanoes have officially been declared dormant.

How long does it take to climb Mount Saint Elias?

They started from sea level at Icy Bay and it took them eight days to approach on the glacier that ends at Taan fjord.

Three days

afterwards they made the summit. This route is often considered the Harvard Route in their honor.

Who discovered Mt St Elias?

Mount St. Elias (18,008′) is the second highest peak in the United States. The St. Elias Mountains were named by explorer

Vitus Bering

(1681-1741).

Is Mount Saint Elias a volcano?

It is home to Mount Wrangell which is

one of the largest active volcanoes in North America

at 14,163 feet. Saint Elias mountain range has many peaks that exceed 17,000 feet including Mount Saint Elias, Mount Logan, Mount King and Mount Lucania.

How many people visit Wrangell-St Elias each year?

Year Number of Visitors
2016


79,047
2017 68,292 2018 79,450 2019 74,518

How many glaciers in Wrangell-St Elias?

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.

What's the largest National Park in Alaska?

The uncontested heavyweight champion of the National Park System is Alaska's

Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve

. At 13.2 million acres, it's larger than Yellowstone National Park, Yosemite National Park, and Switzerland combined.

Timothy Chehowski
Author
Timothy Chehowski
Timothy Chehowski is a travel writer and photographer with over 10 years of experience exploring the world. He has visited over 50 countries and has a passion for discovering off-the-beaten-path destinations and hidden gems. Juan's writing and photography have been featured in various travel publications.