MAPS: Mc Carthy B-6
DISTANCE: 1.5 miles + one-way
ACCESS: Mc Carthy road from Chitina
DIFFICULTY: Low to moderate
ROUTE: (Note: An interpretive guide is available for this hike.)
Follow the road toward Kennicott from the McCarthy museum until you come across a turnoff to your left, which may be marked with a sign saying "Hiking Trail to Kennicott." This original wagon road will fork after about 3/4 of a mile. Continue straight to hike to Kennicott, or turn left to travel down towards the gravelly face of the Kennicott Glacier. On a clear day find excellent views here of Mt. Blackburn, Mt. Rime and the Atna and Parka Peaks, the Kennicott and Gates Glaciers as well as the Stairway Icefall. The road ends, but the area is wide open and rocky. Explore the broad moraine area and enjoy a mosquito-free respite. The area is free of trees. One may hike around and along the glacier for a few miles. Dryas plants are plentiful here. Please avoid stepping on this delicate vegetation. These dandelion look-alike members of the rose family have a surface root system that is very easily destroyed when stepped on.
POTENTIAL HAZARDS: Travel with caution near and around glacial melt pools and river potholes. The fine glacier silt may look dry but it can be very slippery. The melt pools are also extremely cold. Travel on the glacier itself is very dangerous, and not recommended: Contrary to visual first impressions, there is only a thin layer of rocks covering the ice. Even with crampons it is very difficult to obtain traction on the slippery surface.
Where are you going?
What do you want to do?
