Wrangell-St. Elias National Park contains some 5,000 square miles of glacial ice. Of its many glaciers, the Root Glacier is the most accessible. A 2 mile moderate hike from the Kennecott National Historical Landmark mill town along the Root Glacier Trail leads you onto the glacier.
Root Glacier merges with the much larger Kennicott Glacier. At the point the glaciers merge the Root Glacier consists of fairly clean ice while the Kennicott Glacier is strewn with rock debris.
We didn’t have time to make it onto the Root Glacier or we would have missed the last shuttle from the mine to the townsite of McCarthy. But we did hike part of the trail and enjoyed some nice views. If you look closely you’ll see that those small ant-like creatures on the ice are just tourists making their way across the Root Glacier.
Glaciers can be dangerous places so be very cautious when traveling on one. Crampons make walking on the ice much easier and safer. Guided trips are available and are encouraged.
