Packrafting and Hiking Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Alaska

The Trip

In this trip of a lifetime, we will get stunning views of the 7,000-foot Stairway Icefall and 16,394-foot Mt. Blackburn, camp at the base of Nizina Glacier, and paddle across Nizina Glacier Lake. After meeting in Anchorage for an orientation dinner (included), we will experience one of the most breathtaking drives in Alaska -- along the Matanuska Glacier between Anchorage and McCarthy. Once in McCarthy, we will check into our accommodations (for two nights) at the Kennicott River Lodge and Hostel. The view from the lodge is an outstanding panorama of Kennicott and Root glaciers.  The next day we will suit up and hike one mile to a lake system (connected by small streams) at the base of the Root Glacier.  There we will receive instructions from Kennicott Wilderness Guides on safely maneuvering our packrafts on lakes and down small (Class 1 and 2) rapids.

Flying from McCarthy to the base of Nizina Glacier will be an adventure in itself. After a breathtaking flight past the Mile High Cliffs, we will be dropped off near the headwaters of the Nizina River. Come equipped to take non-stop pictures from the window of the plane as we fly over this gigantic wilderness. From our camp, expect outstanding views of Nizina Glacier Lake and its impressive array of iceburgs. The next four days will be spent exploring this gorgeous area via packraft excursions across the lake and day hikes near the base of the glacier, followed by gourmet meals.

Day 1: Arrive in Anchorage and transfer on your own to your accommodations.  We will meet for an orientation dinner (included) at a nearby restaurant.

Day 2: After breakfast, you will be picked up by Sierra Club leaders and transported via van along the beautiful Glenn Highway to McCarthy, Alaska.  We will leave early as it is seven to eight hours from Anchorage to McCarthy. The last 61 miles between Chitina and the Kennicott River is on an historic road.  We will spend the next two nights in a local McCarthy lodge, enjoying views of the Root Glacier.

Day 3: Today will be devoted to learning how to safely packraft on lakes and streams.  Within one mile of where we are staying, Kennicott Wilderness Guides will instruct us on the basics (ferrying, paddling, boat re-entry, and running small rapids). We will end the day with a celebration dinner.

Days 4-6: Flying to our base camp location at the foot of Nizina Glacier on Nizina Glacier Lake will be an adventure all its own as we fly past the Mile High Cliffs and scenery beyond words.  After we land, we will paddle across the lake to a lovely base camp where we will set up camp.  There will be time that first afternoon to take a short loop hike.  We will camp the next three nights.  Each day we will explore a different loop hike, paddling on the lake to access those hikes.

Day 7: After our final day in the backcountry, we will be shuttled by aircraft back to the town of McCarthy. We will return to our original McCarthy lodge for hot showers and a celebratory dinner.

Day 8: We will leave early in the morning for our trip back to Anchorage. The trip will end when we arrive in Anchorage.

Getting There

The trip begins in Anchorage, Alaska the evening of June 26 with an orientation dinner (included in the price of the trip). Each participant must make travel arrangements in order to be in Anchorage no later than June 26. We will have an early morning departure to McCarthy, Alaska on June 27. We plan to be shuttled back to Anchorage by July 3. Although our on-trip itinerary will mostly likely place us at our pick-up point at the assigned time, bad weather can cause light aircraft to be grounded for one or more days. To allow for this possibility, you should not book return reservations from Anchorage to your home until July 4 at the earliest. Please do not make non-refundable travel arrangements until notified to do so by the trip leader.

Accommodations and Food

Our three nights (June 27, 28 / July 2) of shared accommodations will be provided by the Kennicott River Lodge. The lodge has large decks and great views of the surrounding mountains and glaciers. There is also a sauna, shower, and fire pit.

All meals, beginning with the orientation dinner on June 26 and ending with lunch on July 3, are included in the trip price. As on all Sierra Club trips, all members help with cooking and clean-up, meaning that each person assists for a day or two. Vegetarians and various dietary restrictions can be accommodated.

Trip Difficulty

Since we will be base camping, relatively little will have to be carried on our day hikes.  Participants will need to carry less than 15 pounds in a small day pack that includes lunch, water, cameras, extra clothing, and rain gear.  Kennicott Wilderness Guides will be guiding us on loop trails that are chosen for their scenery and easy access.  We will use packrafts to cross the lake in order to access under-used scenic areas. 

Of course there is always a possibility of inclement weather.  There is also a strong likelihood that we will have several days of sun of warmth.  At worst, we can expect rain with temperatures near freezing.  Temperatures are normally in the 50s and 60s all day.  This time of year, it is light all day and night.  Expect mountain weather that is a mix of fair and foul, varied and unpredictable.

Equipment and Clothing

Trip participants are expected to furnish their own personal gear. The guide service (Kennicott Wilderness Guides) will furnish group equipment including stoves, cooking utensils, pots, and fuel.  Kennicott Wilderness Guides will provide all packrafting gear, including individual packrafts, dry suits, helmets, paddles, and gloves. Tents, sleeping pads, and sleeping bags are provided by the guide service. A satellite phone is provided by the guide service. The first-aid kit, bear fence, bear spray, and water purification tablets is provided by the Sierra Club.

The leader will provide a more complete equipment list to registered trip participants, the following minimum equipment is required:

• General gear:  Day pack, biodegradable soap, toothbrush, eating utensils, cup and bowl, pocketknife, sunglasses, sunscreen, lip salve, mosquito repellent, personal first-aid kit, prescriptions.
• Clothes:  Socks (at least two pairs), synthetic long underwear, long-sleeved shirt, pants, gloves, sun hat and wool hat, heavyweight synthetic shirt, down coat, camp shoes. NO COTTON. When cotton becomes wet, it takes a long time to dry and becomes useless to wear.  Wool and synthetics retain their heating power even when wet.
• Boots:  Sturdy, firm hiking boots, well broken in.  A pair of gaiters will keep rocks out of your boots.
• Rain gear:  Jacket with hood and pants.  No ponchos.  Be sure to reseal all seams before the trip and test all rain gear in the shower.
• Camp shoes:  Crocs, Tevas, tennis shoes, or equivalent footwear.
• Reading material and games:  These are handy in case we have to spend a day or two inside our tents waiting for bad weather to pass.
• Optional:  Binoculars (good quality), camera, and mosquito headnet.

References

• http://www.kennicottguides.com
• http://alaskaconservation.org/conservation-issues/
• http://alaskaconservationblog.com
• www.npca.org (search article "On The Right Path," 2011 issue)

Conservation

Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve was originally designated a World Heritage site in 1979.  It was established as a Park and Preserve on December 2, 1980 and at 13,175,799 acres in size it is the largest national park in the United States. This protected area is included in an International Biosphere Reserve and is part of the Kluane/Wrangell-St. Elias/Glacier Bay/Tatshenshini-Alsek UNESCO World Heritage site.  The park includes a large portion of the Saint Elias Mountains (including most of the highest peaks in the United States and Canada), which are within 10 miles of tidewater, one of the highest reliefs in the world. The main distinction between park and preserve lands is that sport hunting is prohibited in the park and permitted in the preserve. It seems that this type of management may be inconsistent with the nature of the Preserve, especially considering increased recreational use, invasions of non-native species, pollution, and adjacent mining operations. Furthermore, existing roads, airstrips, private in-holdings, and mining claims scattered across the Park and Preserve further impact the area. Ultimately, these concerns must be balanced with the need to preserve the ecosystem as well as the unique cultures and communities that surround the park.