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wildhawg 
Group: Members
Posts: 26
Joined: Dec. 2011
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Posted on: Apr. 03 2012, 6:18 pm |
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So I will be in Alaska this summer working in Naknek. I want to do some hiking since I am up there and have chosen to go to Wrangell.
I am looking for a hike that is about 6 or 7 days. I will hike prolly the last week in July.
So anyone got any suggestions?
Do I need to get from Naknek to Anchorage and then get a flight out of there? Who should I use?
I am in good shape and have some good experience hiking but just don't have much experience actually setting up the trips.
Any help would be appreciated.
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| Post Number: 2
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Walkinman
A rainbow
Group: Members
Posts: 6629
Joined: Nov. 2002
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Posted on: Apr. 04 2012, 2:34 pm |
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Wildhawg
Yes, you need to get from Naknek to Anchorage. Flying from Anchorage to Wrangell - St. Elias is expensive .. you'd have to charter a flight. There are a few shuttle services you can look at.
Wrangell - St. Elias NP is a big place. There's a wide array of choices. What works best for you depends on so many things.
The Sanford Plateau is a great option, and means you only have to travel Anchorage - Glennalllen, which is less travel time.
The Goat Trail means you have to travel Anchorage - McCarthy, which is longer and more involved. It's a good walk.
Iceberg lake - Bremner Mines is a good hike, a little harder.
Cheers
Carl
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Guided Alaska backpacking and hiking trips
"What good is a used up world and how can it be worth having?" -- Sting, All This Time.
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| Post Number: 3
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tRoLLin_mOtOr
Strategery
Group: Members
Posts: 946
Joined: Feb. 2007
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Posted on: Apr. 06 2012, 6:17 pm |
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You will probably need to fly from Naknek to King Salmon, and then to Anchorage. Look up Pen Air, they have regular service between King Salmon and Anchorage.
As far as getting to the park itself goes, Glenallen and McCarthy are two jumping off points for the park.
Here are two air services, one in McCarthy and one in Glenallen.
http://www.wrangellmountainair.com/
http://www.coppervalleyair.com/Bi-Week....thy.php
Copper Valley Air has a flight from Anchorage out to the area of the park and you could then coordinate a drop off/pick up with them.
Alternatively, you could get a ride with a shuttle like this one (which costs less than flying from ANC):
http://www.kennicottguides.com/gettinghere.htm#shttl
Without knowing whether you are hiking into the park, or getting dropped off somewhere, it is hard to give you any advice beyond that. Carl (Walkinman) guides trips in the park, he is a great resource.
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It is better to travel well than to arrive
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| Post Number: 4
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wildhawg
Group: Members
Posts: 26
Joined: Dec. 2011
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Posted on: Apr. 09 2012, 12:52 am |
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Hey guys thanks for the info. After researching everything I think I have decided to do the Goat Trail. I think I will really enjoy it. I really can't wait.
Walkingman or anyone else have any tips/heads up for the trail?
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| Post Number: 5
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Walkinman
A rainbow
Group: Members
Posts: 6629
Joined: Nov. 2002
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Posted on: Apr. 09 2012, 4:17 am |
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Hey Wildhawg
Are you hiking the route solo? Or with a group? On a guided trip?
Cheers
Carl
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Guided Alaska backpacking and hiking trips
"What good is a used up world and how can it be worth having?" -- Sting, All This Time.
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| Post Number: 6
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wildhawg
Group: Members
Posts: 26
Joined: Dec. 2011
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Posted on: Apr. 10 2012, 11:20 am |
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I will be going solo
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| Post Number: 7
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Walkinman
A rainbow
Group: Members
Posts: 6629
Joined: Nov. 2002
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Posted on: Apr. 10 2012, 12:51 pm |
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Cool.
My advice:
Allow at least 2 more days than you think you need to walk the route.
Are you heading from Skoai to the strip at Wolverine? Or down to Glacier Creek? I'd say stay high and go to Wolverine; you avoid crossing the Chitistone River that way. And Wolverine's an interesting area to hike.
The trickiest section is the actual ravine called 'The Goat Trail' - you'll know it when you see it. Without posting photos and tons of detail, all I can tell you is do NOT take the lower trail. The main one, that you THINK will be the right one, is the wrong one. Climb up the the ridge maybe 50 yards BEFORE entering the ravine ; the correct trail will traverse horizontally, not descend, across the scree slope, then after maybe 75 yards start to ascend, gradually. When you finally are on the other side of the ravine, you'll be a good few hundred feet HIGHER than you started. If you take a trail and find yourself heading LOWER than where you started into the gorge from, you're on the wrong one.
Do some side exploring .. definitely allow a day to hike over to the Russell Glacier and that area (south of Chitistone Pass). And spend a day up in Hole in the Wall.
When in August will you be there? I'll very likely be there Aug 6-11 or so.
PS: I'l post some comments on your other thread in the gear forum too.
Cheers
Carl
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Guided Alaska backpacking and hiking trips
"What good is a used up world and how can it be worth having?" -- Sting, All This Time.
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| Post Number: 8
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wildhawg
Group: Members
Posts: 26
Joined: Dec. 2011
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Posted on: Apr. 12 2012, 11:39 am |
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Hey Carl
Thanks so much for your help.
Can you give me the names of a couple of companies that shuttle into McCarthy from Anchorage and also who will fly me into the park to hike the Goat Trail for a pretty good price?
I really want to do this and have a blast but I also need to not just go overboard spending money so I need to figure out the cheapest way to make the trip but still have a blast.
Thanks
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| Post Number: 9
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Walkinman
A rainbow
Group: Members
Posts: 6629
Joined: Nov. 2002
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Posted on: Apr. 14 2012, 3:24 am |
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wildhawg
I'd look at the services trollinmotor mentioned above. For flying in to the goat trail area, go with either Wrangell Mountain Air or McCarthy Air (from McCarthy).
A shuttle service from Anchorage to Glennallen, then another to McCarthy can sometimes be configured.
The cheapest way, is to hitch. You can usually get a ride. Or hitch part way, say from Glennallen to McCarthy.
Jen's the cheapest and best option to go direct from Anchorage - McCarthy, imo.
Cheers
Carl
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Guided Alaska backpacking and hiking trips
"What good is a used up world and how can it be worth having?" -- Sting, All This Time.
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| Post Number: 10
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nilsy
Group: Members
Posts: 253
Joined: Jan. 2006
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Posted on: Apr. 18 2012, 2:37 pm |
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As usual, Carl has given some great advice. Follow it! Definitely allow a couple of extra days. 20+ years ago I was heading towards the Gorge when the NPS had a pilot drop us a message indicating we should not try to cross the Chitistone. There was record heat that summer and 2 groups ahead of us suffered serious injuries trying to cross the swollen river. We were on a tight schedule so we ended up going back to Skolai Pass area and getting picked up there a couple of days later. That was the last time I ever planned an Alaskan trip based on things going anything close to perfectly! Of course it could have been worse - like all the folks who got stuck in the backcountry in the aftermath of 9/11 when all flights were banned!
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| Post Number: 11
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doonerak
Group: Members
Posts: 29
Joined: Apr. 2007
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Posted on: Apr. 18 2012, 3:07 pm |
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I'd also highly recommend the hike ending on Wolverine Mountain. I did it 12 years ago. A photographic virtual tour of my hike is here recounting many of the trip's trials and tribulations and will give you a great idea of what's in store.
Wrangell St. Elias
We rented an SUV and drove it from Anchorage to McCarthy. Then we used Wrangell Mountain air. Our photos may still be on their web site.
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| Post Number: 12
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Brandon
Group: Members
Posts: 20
Joined: Feb. 2002
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Posted on: May 17 2012, 11:08 am |
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hey, i'm also looking at visiting that area for this summer and have a really important question i'd like to tag on to this thread. how difficult is it to cross over a glacier (root glacier exactly to donoho peak area) when you have NO experience with chunks of ice? 'ya read about all the risks of glacier travel, but i don't want to end up paying a lot of money for a guide when i just need to get across it. crossing over to the hidden lake and hiking up hidden creek a little bit would be nice also, but another glacier.
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| Post Number: 13
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Walkinman
A rainbow
Group: Members
Posts: 6629
Joined: Nov. 2002
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Posted on: May 19 2012, 5:06 pm |
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Brandon
When will you be there. The root glacier is typically snow free by late June, sometimes earlier. You should have crampons; and experience with crampons. It's p-o-s-s-i-b-l-e to hike it without crampons, but that's super contextual, and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone without knowing their experience level, etc.
The crossing over the Kennicott Glacier to Hidden Creek is definitely more involved; you don't need to rope up or anything, but route finding is an issue, and it's easy to waste a day running into oblique walls, etc.
If you're just going over to Donoho basin and then backpacking there, before coming back, my suggestion (without knowing anything about your experience, etc) would be to hire a guide to just walk you over the Root. That would be a minimal cost, then you're on your own for the rest of your trip. Call Jared at Kennicott Wilderness Guides, and talk to him; they could easy hire a guide out for a half day to help you cross the glacier.
cheers
Carl
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Guided Alaska backpacking and hiking trips
"What good is a used up world and how can it be worth having?" -- Sting, All This Time.
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| Post Number: 14
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Brandon
Group: Members
Posts: 20
Joined: Feb. 2002
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Posted on: May 20 2012, 3:50 am |
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i've posted this similiar topic elsewhere and got five replies telling me to get a guide (and one guy there for comic relief--don't ask, i'm confused too).
we've actually been talking to jared for about two months now and he's been extremely helpful and patient in planning other parts of our vacation. and we do like the idea of having someonen there to answer our touristy questions. guess we'll stick with him 
main reason we started wondering if a guide is worth it is because the initial plan consisted of thee days of hiking we could do on our own (since it didn't touch the glacier) and one day were we'd really need him since it was exploring the glacier. but i've sent him a email asking for a more involved trip (basically, crossing the root to donoho and base camping there)
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