Continuation of our road trip in Alaska! We have been amazed by the coastal treasures of Alaska, but now it’s time to explore the interior. So, we head to the Kennecott Mine, a ghost town located in the heart of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, which is home to some of the highest peaks in North America… and the Root Glacier, on which we are determined to walk on, with or without crampons.
Thursday, August 4, 2022
After an incredible cruise in Valdez where we encountered Alaska’s wildlife and admired its breathtaking scenery, we’re now heading inland. From Valdez, it’s a 290 km (180 mile) drive to reach the remote village of McCarthy. And “remote” really means something here. It takes us all day to get there. First, we drive along a beautiful straight road cutting through the boreal forest. Then comes a washboard and pothole-filled gravel road plunging deep into the heart of Alaska, and more specifically, into the vast Wrangell-St. Elias National Park.
During this long drive, we make three stops.
Thompson Pass
To go to or leave Valdez, you have to cross the stunning Thompson Pass, nestled among massive mountains and high glaciers. From the viewpoint, a rough track leads up to a hill overlooking the pass. With the Jeep, we don’t hesitate! The view over the valley is spectacular.
Worthington Glacier
Next, we stop for a hike to the imposing Worthington Glacier, visible from the road. Technically, the trail is closed due to a landslide, but it remains quite passable. We carefully make our way close to it. The view of the glacier and its constantly flowing ice cave is impressive. We don’t get too close, remembering the chunks of ice breaking off the Meares Glacier during our Valdez cruise. Getting hit by one isn’t on the agenda! 🤪
Then it’s back on the road to McCarthy, not forgetting to fill up at the local gas station.
The Old Railway
On the road to McCarthy, remnants of the old railroad are still visible in places It was built in the early 1900s to transport copper from the Kennecott Mine to the port of Cordova, 320 km (200 miles) south.
We arrive in McCarthy at the end of the day. The village itself is not accessible by car, so we’ll take the free shuttle tomorrow. For now, we need a place to sleep. The local campground charges $30, and without any services! So, we turn back and settle for the trailhead parking lot under a big “No Camping” sign! Oh well. We take the risk. Just minutes after lying down, Rémi hears someone approaching. Since we’re here a bit “illegally,” he peeks out the window… It’s a huge moose wandering around the Jeep. Phew! A moose for a neighbor — that’s Alaska at its best 😊.
Friday, August 5
The old Kennecott Mine is lost deep within Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Alaska’s wildest park. To get there, you have to take a free shuttle, which first stops at McCarthy, a tiny, charming village, even in the rain.
Kennecott is a former copper mining town. In 1900, two prospectors discovered copper ore here with levels never seen before: over 70%, among the purest ever found on Earth. The mining boom was on. At the foot of the five mines spread throughout the mountains, the most famous being Bonanza Mine, the town of Kennecott was created. For years, astronomical amounts of copper were extracted using then-modern techniques. In 1911, the railway sped up the export of production. But by 1938, the mines were exhausted and the town was abandoned. In the 1990s, the U.S. National Park Service bought the Kennecott site and carried out colossal restoration work. Today, it is possible to visit some of the buildings.
Back when the mines were active, Kennecott was a lively, bustling place despite its isolation and the journey of getting there by train. There was a grocery store, a school, tennis courts, and even a hospital, particularly renowned in the region. While the school and hospital are now in ruins, the grocery store has been rebuilt just like the original.
The factory was the heart of the operation, and its towering structure still dominates the town today. When the mines were active, the factory operated 24/7 at full capacity. Copper ore was transported to it via suspended gondolas, which also transported miners between the mines and the village! At the factory, the ore was crushed, copper was extracted, and the refined material was sent south via the railroad, the same line we saw remnants of on the drive in.
We would have loved to hike to one of the mines, up in the mountains, but the rainy weather discourages us. Instead, we walk 3 km on a very muddy trail to the base of the Root Glacier. We don’t have crampons, but we carefully step onto the glacier’s tongue. It may not be much, but we’re thrilled to say we’ve walked on a glacier! Careful, it’s slippery! 😅
Chased away by the rain, which is expected to last several more days, we quickly decide to leave McCarthy and Wrangell-St. Elias in search of blue skies. As soon as we return from visiting the Kennecott Mine, we hit the road again, and even spot a black bear around a bend.
Saturday, August 6 and Sunday, August 7
After a month on the spot, our road trip in Alaska is coming to an end! We drive to Tok, near the Yukon border in Canada. Or at least we’re trying to. Two gas stations are supposed to be on the route. The first one doesn’t exist. Great. Let’s hope the next one is real because we’re almost out of gas. We drive and drive, and the fuel gauge keeps dropping. When we reach the supposed second station, there’s nothing but a ranch! Yikes.
We quickly do the math: 65 km to Tok, and… the Jeep displays “Low Fuel.” Likely less than 15 km left. What now? Hitchhike to Tok with a jerry can? What were we thinking not filling our two 20L cans?! Ugh. Luckily, two sisters stop for us. Their father has a 5-gallon (22-liter) gas can for his ATV. We strike a deal for $30. We’re saved!
The next day, before crossing into Canada, the Jeep needs some maintenance: changing the faulty front headlight, checking oil levels, cleaning the filters, rotating and reinflating the tires — all while enjoying our first pancakes on the road! 😋 That’s also what travel is about. Who wants to go far…
We cross the border in the afternoon, with a slightly heavy heart as our Alaskan adventures come to an end. But it’s time for new ones in Canada, our heart’s country. Yukon, here we come again! 😛
But our journey through Alaska isn’t quite over yet! Even though we are leaving the main part of this end-of-the-world state, Alaska stretches on for hundreds more kilometers to the south, including the lovely village of Haines, famous for bear watching during the salmon run. But to get there, we will first pass through Canada and the incredible Kluane National Park.
