wrangell st elias national park

Wild Alaska

The Alaskan arctic is probably one of the last unexplored frontiers for me. The rugged terrain, unpredictable weather, and a short season, coupled with mosquitoes swarming during the prime hiking season means that it is not on the top of my bucket list. The cost and difficulty in getting there compounds the inertia to visit it. But the last two National Parks on my list lie in the arctic, and that was needed incentive to overcome the inertia.

I expect the landscape to look a lot like the above, with rugged mountains rising above vast glaciated valleys that are filled with marsh, tussock and alder making it a challenge to walk through. Add in a few freezing river crossings too. It is going to be an interesting experience, and hopefully a rewarding one.

Wrangell St. Elias National Park
AK USA

Misty Mountains

Backpacking in Wrangell St. Elias late in the season has its risks: you are likely to be at the whim of the Pacific storms which can dump a lot of moisture. And the short summer here means that you are going to be cold, damp and miserable if you are not moving. And if you are really lucky, you are going to be frozen in the icy north too. My sojourn in the Park had all of these, and more. But it was still an amazing experience.

Waking up in the morning after a day of hiking in the cold miserable rain, I was treated to a landscape blanketed in snow, with the morning light slowly peering through. The warming sunlight led to fog forming and drifting over the rolling hills and snow-capped peaks all around. And for a while, the landscape glowed with alternating pastels of yellow and blue. This magical landscape was the only factor that helped me brave the freezing cold that morning.

Here I tried to capture one such scene from that delightful morning walk.

Wrangell St Elias National Park
AK USA

Scenes from Wrangell

After a week long backpack that traversed 27 miles of vertiginous terrain in Wrangell St Elias, I was stunned by the breathtaking scenery in just one small portion of this vast park. I have many more stories to share, but here is a quick preview of the beautiful landscape hidden in the largest National Park of the country.

Wrangell St. Elias National Park
AK USA