Hey Folks,
As most of you folks know, we try to add something new to our of Alaska backpacking trips each year. This year, we have one we’re super stoked to announce.
I mean, .
Welcome to The Wrangell Ramble!
Ten Years in the Making. This little jaunt combines a few trips we’ve run over the years (and still do) with an Exploratory backpacking trip we crushed in 2022, and did not crush in 2021.
The Wrangell Ramble traverses a short section of the northern and north eastern Wrangell Mountain Range. And it holds something for everyone.
- Mountain Views? Maybe the best.
- High alpine tundra walking? Higher ASL as any trip we run.
- Solitude? Nobody goes here.
- Wilderness experience? One of the best.
If you’ve looked at our Jarvis Plateau Basecamp, you’re familiar with the first part of the hike. If you’ve looked at Heart of the Park, you’re familiar with the region we finish up.
The middle section? We call it “The Silent Fortress”. This high alpine pass is just too cool.
In 2021 we tried to run this trip from west of the Copper River, and set out to cross the upper Copper River near its headwaters. No go.
Thwarted, we instead created what has become Heart of the Park.
In 2022, Carl, with 3 bada** backpackers in tow, led a Guide’s Choice backpacking trip from near Jaeger Mesa over to the banks of the Copper River. We ran into a couple of challenges that we’ll try to avoid in the future. Primarily 3 dodgy river crossings. One of those crossings, we handled well and safely made our way through the water. 2 of them, we literally walked around.
Ever tried to walk “around” a river?
Thank goodness for glaciers, we say.
Our goal is always to make good decisions, and it was a much better decision, each time, to add a few miles to the trek and avoid what could’ve been a nasty swim, or worse. So trek we did.
Rather than deal with those crossings again, we changed our start location slightly, and shortened the route a little. 3 sketchy river crossings gone!
This makes the trek a really solid intermediate level walk. Not super far, nothing super hard to climb (up or down). No dodgy terrain challenges. Very little brush to slide through. Miles of great open tundra to walk, one awesomesauce gorge we traverse, and a nice little hike through the spruce forest near the Copper River.
Why do you wanna choose this backpacking trip?
Because Mt Jarvis is amazing. And you’ll never be closer to the face of a 13 000’ mountain that you might on this route. Stunning views.
Need more mountains? Weather permitting, we’ll have great views of Mt Wrangell 914 000’), Mt. Zanetti (13 000’) and Mt Sanford (16 000’) when we reach the camp at Copper River.
Honestly, this trip is just what I’ve been wanting to find for years now. A wild, little visited area with some spectacular scenery, not too long, not too short, and without the logistical expense that the arctic trips involve.
Cheers
Carl
