Chitina and Copper River
Once a bustling railroad station on the line to the Kennecott Copper Mines, Chitina has come full circle in its path from mining boomtown to ghost town and back again. Today, it is the prime jumping-off point to Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, the largest national park in the country, and hub for salmon fishing on the Copper River.
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Chitina’s main attraction is the nearby Copper River. During the summer, subsistence dip netting for salmon on the river brings a large number of Alaskans from around the state to stock their freezers with one of the most prized of all salmon – Copper River red salmon. As you leave town and head east towards McCarthy you will cross a bridge over the mighty Copper River. During fishing season you will likely see a row of local dipnetters and Alaska Native subsistence fishwheels upstream from the bridge.
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https://www.travelalaska.com/Destinations/Cities-Towns/Chitina
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**Daily Shuttle Service**
Golden Spruce Cabins to McCarthy/Kennicott:
McCarthy and Kennicott
Located deep in the heart of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Kennicott and McCarthy offer visitors a taste of Alaska’s historic mining era and outstanding recreational opportunities...
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Museum:​https://mccarthykennicotthistoricalmuseum.com/​​​​
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Landmark:​​https://www.nps.gov/wrst/learn/historyculture/kennecott-mines-national-historic-landmark.htm
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​Hiking and Glacier Trekking
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Flight Seeing
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Rafting
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Mountain Biking
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In recent years, the National Park Service has restored most of the mine buildings, and tours of the huge mill building, bunkhouses, a train depot, worker's cottages, and the power plant are available. The white-trimmed red buildings stand out against the dramatic mountain-and-glacier backdrop at the mine site. The entire area is a photographer’s dream and is a must-see destination for anyone visiting McCarthy. A lodge and restaurant are located in this historic area, featuring breathtaking views of the Root Glacier and mountains.
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https://www.travelalaska.com/Destinations/Cities-Towns/Kennicott-McCarthy
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Wrangell St. Elias National Park and Preserve
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve is the largest unit of the U.S. National Park System at 13 million acres, and with its high peaks and massive glaciers, it is also one of the most spectacular. Wrangell-St. Elias stretches from one of the tallest peaks in North America, Mount St. Elias at 18,008 feet, out to the ocean on the Gulf of Alaska.
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Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve is often called “the mountain kingdom of North America,” as the Chugach, Wrangell, and St. Elias Mountain Ranges converge in an area the size of six Yellowstone National Parks. The St. Elias Range merges with the Wrangells in the heart of the park and then arcs eastward past the Canadian border, where it forms the highest coastal range in the world.
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https://www.travelalaska.com/Destinations/Parks-Public-Lands/Wrangell-St-Elias-National-Park
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Kennicott, Alaska
Wrangell-St. Elias
Carl Donohue
McCarthy, Alaska
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Copper River/Chitina
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