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Day 71-73: Kluane National Park

August 23-25

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Day 71 & 72. After short visit at Haines Junction (Kluane NP) Visitor Information Centre, with supplies loaded, we drove short distance and settled quickly at Kathleen Lake CG (for two nights). With weather improved, mix of sun and clouds, we were ready for a hike. We decided summiting King’s Throne Peak was probably too much for that day, but hiked up to King’s Throne “seat”- bottom of the bowl below it. Trail starts easy at Kathleen Lake (near campground). It then turns into good workout on steep rocky slope, almost scramble with fading trail in places. Joanna again could not resist and hiked higher to see what’s on the other side of the mountain. Piotr just guessed – more mountains. Upon return, we relaxed on lake’s shore. Enjoyed long day with sunny weather to cook dinner. Piotr refreshed his skills chopping wood logs. It was good, well organized NP campground.

Next day weather was mixed and hard to predict. We used the day for two short hikes. On Rock Glacier – a pile of frozen rocks, rather than a big chunk of ice like the other glaciers we visited. Interesting feature to explore, even in light rain. Then very easy, almost flat trail (old forest road) to St Elias Lake, enjoyable in better weather.

We left the final decision whether to go to Haines for the following morning.

Day 73. With rain in the forecast on the coast and car ferry sold-out, we decided to skip Haines, turn inland and drive around to Skagway. It was all day of slow driving watching mountains and valleys, rivers and lakes passing by – car tourism. We passed Whitehorse again (without stopping this time), but spent some time in Carcross. Important station on White Pass & Yukon Railway during gold rush. We liked the small town, now just tourist destination, visitor center, good coffee and pastries. We walked a bit on Carcross Desert (large dune, not true desert) – what a change after walking on glaciers. Plus short evening walk on Lake Bennett.

We settled for the night further along Klondike Hwy at almost empty Conrad CG on shore of Windy Arm of Tagish Lake. It is located on the grounds of long closed and dismantled copper mining operation.

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Day 66-70: Wrangell-St Elias NP-Nabesna Rd-Skookum Volcano-Alaska Hwy-Haines Junction

August 18-22

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Day 66. After short, morning hike to Crystalline Hills we were heading back to Chitina to the end of McCarthy Rd and then to Glennallen – we came that way. Just driving around Wrangell Mountains without much stopping. Weather was mixed, but we could see the high peaks: Blackburn (we saw its other side from airplane), Wrangell and Sanford, although their tops were in clouds. In Glennallen we ignored low fuel warning and continued to Gakona only to discover that gas stations there were closed. So we had to go back. Joanna was making phone calls from the road to find a place to stay in Gakona. Nothing worked, but one place (Snowshoe Haven Cabins in Gakona) called back with an offer: no cabins available, but we could rent an old house under renovation for the night. Very nice hosts. Bedrooms upstairs and kitchen/living room were already done, bathroom was still old. We had entire house for ourselves, good opportunity to regroup. Another case on this trip when interesting opportunity came along on the go.

Day 67. Another day of driving – interesting, scenic Tok Cut-Off Highway to Nabesna Road to enter Wrangell Mountains, this time from north – spontaneous decision, as we liked this NP a lot. We talked to rangers at Slana Station, filled-up water containers, we had enough food. Nabesna Rd is first paved and then good gravel. Not much traffic and many camping options. We chose to stay at excellent Kendesnii Campground (NP). Like camping on the edge of taiga. Small lakes and mountain views everywhere. We had only a couple of neighbors – one was also Subaru camper. Enough time left for afternoon hike to Caribou Creek. To cook dinner we had to dress like winter time – temps dropped a few degrees below freezing at night and local mountaintops were dusted with snow in the morning. Not even the end of August and winter made its first move.

Days 68. We drove, after same hesitation, further up Nabesna Rd to Skookum Volcano trailhead and spent several hours going up and down the mountain. Steep trail to Skookum Volcano Pass with great colorful rock formations and view of Alaska Range. Good, mostly sunny weather, nice experience. We then drove to the end of drivable road (Subaru) to the site where Nabesca Mine used to be for evening view of Alaska Range. Our Forester got tested on not so good stretches of road and crossing streams. Back to Kendesnii Campground for another wintery night. Joanna tried to rent one of the backcountry cabins, but everything was booked (?). We were glad we came this way: nice scenery, interesting volcano hike with Dall sheep sightings and we liked relaxing camping in taiga despite freezing weather.

Day 69 and 70. Now it was time to go to Kluane NP. Two days of easy, but somewhat monotonous driving despite interesting scenery starting with short opening in clouds to view (base of massive) Mt Wrangell. First back on Nabesna Rd to Tok Cut-Off Hwy and then Alaska Hwy to nice Deadman Lake CG. We stopped in Tok for lunch at Fast Eddy’s Restaurant and to pick-up groceries (plus Denali Beer Variety Pack and Jagermeister) at Three Bears. Some small businesses already started shutting down for winter. We stopped in Tok earlier on the way to Alaska. We were lucky to get camping spot and had only little time to walk to Deadman Lake and on short nature trail. The following day, we crossed the border and continued on Alaska Hwy to Haines Junction where we rented (Airbnb) room in newly renovated small house with two bedrooms, modern shared living room and kitchen. Rainy and cold weather was a factor in deciding to stay there. Despite end of season hotels were full as everybody (campers) tried to stay indoors. Piotr showed his skills quickly starting fire in wood stove to warm the house (our host came later to start gas furnace). We spent the evening cooking, drinking beer and talking to French couple from Martinique, travelers (bikers) staying in the other bedroom.

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Day 62-65: Root Glacier-Wrangell St.Elias NP

August 14-17

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Day 62. Finished packing our backpacks after breakfast and drove to Kennicott pedestrian bridge. We then left our car on nearby parking lot. Crossed the bridge, took shuttle to McCarthy Convenience Store and another one to Kennecott Visitor Center (as we did before). After conferring with rangers and lunch at Meatza Wagon we started easy walk up Root Glacier Trail. Considered a few camp sites and settled at a somewhat secluded/hidden between trees spot off Erie Mine Trail (on short connector between the two trails in Jumbo Creek camping area). We were close to trails, food lockers and pit toilet, and on top of lateral moraine with views down on the glaciers. We wasted no time and walked down to the ice’s edge to check access point before planned longer ice walking following day. The trail goes down steeply into the “ditch” which 100 years ago was filled with ice. We watched for a moment few people still on glacier. No problem.

The mostly “white” (exposed faster flowing ice) Root Glacier closer to us merges with and disappears underneath larger “dirty” (ice covered with layer of small rocks and dirt) Kennicott Glacier coming from behind small mountain ridge. Kennicott Glacier is 500-1000 m thick (estimate ?). Both glaciers are part of the same system coming down from ice field at the base of Mt Blackburn (4966 masl) and nearby peaks. Cracking sound (ice) can be heard frequently, sometimes quite loud.

Day 63. Micro-spikes on and walking sticks in hands, we explored the glacier for several hours, both the “white” and “dirty” parts. We adjusted to walking on ice quite quickly, meandered around bigger dips and cracks in ice, pools of standing water and small streams. We crossed the first “white” arm, climbed-up on “dirty” part in the middle and walked a bit on the other arm. Joanna walked further, but didn’t cross the ice all the way. Walking on the ice in warm sun is relaxing and does not feel overwhelming, but one never forgets how big the glacier is. Small rocks may look like frozen in a clear puddle, but ice underneath can be hundreds meters deep. Glacier is not silent: ice is cracking and small water streams rush somewhere, wind is sweeping down the mountains (rather quiet when we were there).

When we approached our camp, we saw black bear walking down a small hill 50-100 m away. We made some noise, but it stoically walked away towards other campsites. Shortly we heard horns sounding there. No danger to us, even though it for sure knew about food in lockers. Plenty of sweet berries to eat. Food lockers (worked also as tables) were good place to cook meals and meet other hikers. Open view on glacier. Quite far from tents. Joanna cooked, Piotr watched and listened to surrounding bushes.

Day 64. Short, lazy walk on the lateral moraine to see Root Glacier from higher above. Looking down one realizes how much ice is gone. The trail runs on old Erie Mine Rd (used to bring ore down), but we were too relaxed to hike up high to the mine itself. Many signs on the trail of bears feasting on berries. It was foggy weather with occasional drizzle. We walked to the big wash-out (Piotr refused to search for possible by-pass) and returned to camp. Joanna collected wild mushrooms for dinner. With no enticing camping options in McCarthy, we decided to stay another night and walk down next morning.

Day 65. On the way out we took to the air to get a good look of Wrangell Mountains and glaciers. Plenty to see on just 70 min loop around Mt Blackburn area. After walking down from Root Glacier we had barely had enough time for lunch at Meatza Wagon and shuttle ride to McCarthy airport. We flew with Wrangell Mountain Air arranged by St. Elias Alpine Guides. Pilot/guide, us and two other tourists in a 6-seater. We were lucky again to make the arrangement at last moment. Perfect weather. From airplane we could see where glaciers start on high peaks and ice fields, and then icefalls, glacier valleys, lakes and rivers. Hard to believe we walked on one of those glacier tongues.

The original plan was to now go back to Canada and visit Kluane NP, but we decided to spend a few more days exploring Wrangell Mts, this time from Nabesna Road. Two days to get there. We had enough time to drive back on McCarthy Rd to Gilahina Trestle. Camping spots at the bottom were occupied and/or not too interesting, but we noticed a little earlier small path going into the woods – railway tracks leading to the trestle used to run there. Great, quiet camping spot and history in sight.

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