NATIONAL PARK SERVICE • U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Foundation Document OverviewWrangell-St. Elias National Park and PreserveAlaska

Contact InformationFor more information about the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve Foundation Document, contact: wrst_tweet@nps.gov or (907)822-5234 or write to: Superintendent, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, P.O. Box 439, Copper Center, AK 99573

Purpose

The purpose of Wrangell-St. eliaS national Park and PreServe is to maintain the natural scenic beauty of the diverse geologic, glacial, and riparian dominated landscapes, and to

protect the attendant wildlife populations and their habitats; to ensure continued

access for a wide range of wilderness-based recreational opportunities; to provide

continued opportunities for subsistence use.

Significance and Fundamental Resources and Values

Significance statements express why Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve resources and values are important enough to merit national park unit designation. Statements of significance describe why an area is important within a global, national, regional, and systemwide context. These statements are linked to the purpose of the park unit, and are supported by data, research, and consensus. Significance statements describe the distinctive nature of the park and inform management decisions, focusing efforts on preserving and protecting the most important resources and values of the park unit.

Fundamental resources and values are those features, systems, processes, experiences, stories, scenes, sounds, smells, or other attributes determined to merit primary consideration during planning and management processes because they are essential to achieving the purpose of the park and maintaining its significance.

Superlative Scenic Beauty: Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve provides superlative scenic beauty.

• Expansive Vistas• Ecological Resources• Scenic Wildlands

Active Glacial Complex: Wrangell St. Elias National Park and Preserve encompasses the nation’s largest protected active glacial complex.

• Unique Glacial Landscapes• Glacial Outwash• Educational Opportunities

Fundamental Resources and Values

Highest Peaks: Encompassing portions of three major mountain ranges, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve contains vast areas of scenic high mountain terrain from sea level to 18,000 feet and includes nine of the sixteen highest peaks in North America.

• Mountains• Geological Research

Rivers: Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve contains major river systems with more miles (over 1,000) of scenic, free-flowing, glacial rivers in their natural state than are found in any other protected area in the United States.

• Glacial River Systems• Protected Salmon Habitat• Educational Opportunities

Ecological Diversity: The vast undeveloped expanse of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve contains diverse aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, ranging from alpine to marine, and providing natural habitat for populations of Alaskan flora and fauna.

• Wildlife• Unfragmented Habitat• Educational Opportunities• Native Species

Wilderness: The Wrangell-St. Elias Wilderness is the largest unit of the National Wilderness Preservation System, encompassing nearly 10 million acres of remote and geographically diverse mountainous landscapes.

• Massive Wilderness• Wilderness Experience• Accessibility

Cultural Heritage: Preserved within Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve is abundant evidence of more than 3000 years of cultural and technological development. This long history reveals a range of human adaptations to changing climates, environments, and economic circumstances.

• Pre and Post-Contact Archaeological Resources• Historic Resources • Kennecott Mines National Historic Landmark• Ethnographic Resources • Cultural Landscapes• Archive/Collections

Living Cultures: Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve is an inhabited area where local communities and traditional human activities remain integrated with the wilderness setting.

• Subsistence• Other Consumptive Uses• Ethnographic Resources• Accessibility

Description

Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve was established on December 2, 1980, under the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA), to maintain the natural scenic beauty of the diverse geologic, glacial, and riparian dominated landscapes; to protect the attendant wildlife populations and their habitats; to ensure continued access for a wide range of wilderness-based recreational opportunities; and to provide continued opportunities for subsistence use.

Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve encompasses 13.2 million acres of superlative scenery, abundant wildlife, and fascinating human history. It is the largest unit in the national park system. In conjunction with Kluane National Park in Canada, adjacent to the park/preserve, the two areas encompass the largest parkland in North America. The park/preserve is less than 200 miles east of Anchorage and bordered by two of Alaska’s major highways. Visitors may discover lofty snowcapped peaks, extensive glacial systems, active volcanos, large herds of Dall sheep and other wildlife, native history, and relics from many old mining operations.

Today, there is something for everyone in Wrangell-St. Elias. Local, rural residents engage in traditional subsistence hunting and fishing. Mountaineers come for backcountry where they find some of the tallest peaks and most challenging conditions in North America. Scientists come to monitor species of concern, such as Kittlitz’s murrelets or Chisana caribou. Sport hunters come to find the finest Dall sheep habitat in the world. Sightseers come to see the spectacular scenery, or to take a flight over the majestic mountains. History buffs come to experience the Kennecott Mill Town or to follow in the footsteps of early stampeders. There are places to take your tent and enjoy a few days away from it all. You can view the Hubbard Glacier on the coastline near Yakutat. Bird watching, hiking, and photography are also popular visitor activities.

Far from the hustle and bustle of other Alaskan destinations, the magnificent scenery and untamed nature of this park allow you to

experience genuine “Wild Alaska” on its own terms. Your possibilities here are endless. Whether immersing yourself in the colorful history of Kennecott, floating a raging river, crossing a glacier, driving one of the park’s primitive roads, overwhelming your senses on a scenic flight, or charting your own backcountry trek, the park is ready for those willing and prepared to enter it. Access and services here may seem very limited when compared to traditional National Parks you may have visited in the lower 48. What the area may lack in services, it more than makes up for in friendly people and un-crowded wilderness.

There are two roads that lead into the park: the Nabesna Road and the McCarthy Road. Both roads are dirt roads that are maintained by the State of Alaska. The Wrangell-St. Elias Visitor Center is the main park visitor center. It is located along the Richardson Highway (Hwy 4), which is a paved road that runs through Copper Center, AK. This visitor center is located 10 miles south of Glennallen, Alaska, and approximately 200 miles east of Anchorage, AK and 250 miles south of Fairbanks, AK.

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Caution. Privateproperty interspersed

with public lands.

Caution. Privateproperty interspersedwith public lands.

Caution. Privateproperty interspersedwith public lands.

Caution. Privateproperty interspersedwith public lands.

Please respect private property rights and obtain permission before entering the one million acres of nonfederal lands within the park/preserve. Most private

land is along frequently used roads. Stick to these roads and/or trails so you do not trespass. If you have ques- tions, check with a park ranger.

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Sourdough Peak6201 ft1890 m

DonohoPeak

6696 ft2041 m

Mt Blackburn16390 ft4996 m

Regal Mountain13845 ft4220 m

13860 ft4225 m

13600 ft4145 m

Atna Peaks

Nelson Mountain5457 ft1663 m

Spirit Mountain7287 ft2221 m

2771ft 845m Thompson Pass

Hanagita Peak8504 ft2592 m

Mt Tom White11210 ft3417 m

Mt Hawkins10395 ft3168 m

Mt Steller10617 ft3236 m Mt Miller

8875 ft2705 m

Haydon Peak11945 ft3641 m

Mt St. Elias18008 ft5489 m

Mt Augusta14070 ft4289 m

Pt Glorious5000 ft1524 m Mt Cook

13760 ft4194 m

Mt Vancouver15700 ft4785 m

Mt Alverstone14565 ft4439 m

Mt Kennedy13093 ft3991 m

Mt Hubbard15015 ft4577 m

Mt Seattle10070 ft3069 m

Mt Jette8460 ft2579 m

King Peak16971 ft5173 m

McArthur Peak14400 ft4389 m

Mt Logan19850 ft6050 m

Baldy Mountain7230 ft2204 m

Mt Walsh14780 ft4505 m

Mt Macauly15405 ft4695 m

Mt Lucania17147 ft5226 m

Mt Steele16644 ft5073 m

Mt Slaggard15575 ft4747 m

Mt Wood15885 ft4842 m

Mt Bear14831 ft4521 m

Mt Churchill15638 ft4767 m

University Peak14470 ft4411 m

Mt Bona16421 ft5005 m

Mt Natazhat13435 ft4095 m

Mt Sulzer10926 ft3330 m

Solo Mountain5875 ft1791 m

Wiki Peak7655 ft2333 m

WellesleyMountain4960 ft1512 m

Mt Allen9480 ft2883 m

Mt Wrangell14163 ft4317 m

Mt Zanetti13009 ft3965 m

Mt Jarvis13421 ft4091 m

Mt Gordon9040 ft2755 m

Tanada Peak9358 ft2852 mMt Sanford

16237 ft4949 m

Mt Drum12010 ft3661 m

Capital Mountain7731 ft2356 m

Dixie Pass Skolai Pass

Cooper Pass

Chisana Pass

CastleMountain

Chitistone Peak

Noyes Mountain8147 ft2483 m

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Wrangell-St. EliasNational Park

Native corporationlands

Wrangell-St. EliasNational Preserve

Unpaved road

North

Main ParkVisitor Center

KennecottVisitor Center

District Ranger Station

Ranger Station(summer only)

District Ranger Station