Winter is gone, taxes are filed and it's time to make summer plans! This is the time of year when I urge anyone who is wanting to do an Alaska trip to nail down an itinerary and make bookings soon to avoid disappointment. Summer is only weeks away and that trip you've been considering may already be filled up.

This Month's Newsletter:

• Getting to McCarthy: The Drive from Anchorage
• Group Trips: A Summary of 2007 Group Trips and What's Still Available

Getting to McCarthy

	The Matanuska Glacier

Sometimes folks are a bit surprised to find out it takes a good 7 hours to drive out to Wrangell-St. Elias, so I thought I would talk a bit about that this edition.

First of all I should say up front, that if you've only got a week in Alaska and insist on "seeing it all" then don't even try to come out to the Wrangell's. Better just head up the highway with the RV caravan to Denali and "Glitter Gulch" so you can say you saw Denali.

But if you would like to see some of the most magnificent wilderness in the state of Alaska in a remote and unspoiled setting - well it does take a little longer to reach some place remote. That's a big part of what a place like Wrangell-St. Elias has to offer and why people come here rather than the tourist magnets.

It does mean that you have to allow the time in your schedule to get out here. But don't make the mistake of thinking of the drive out to McCarthy as transit time - this is a great part of your trip. This isn't like driving through Nebraska all day to get to the Rocky Mountains. The road to McCarthy is a truly stunning scenic drive. I've included a few photos of what you'll see along the way. Not exactly a tedious stretch of Interstate monotony.

The drive begins in Anchorage for most visitors. And you don't have to even leave town to start seeing mountains. The Chugach range begins at the edge of town so you have great mountain views right from the start.

Take the Glenn Highway all the way from Anchorage to just outside Glennallen, which will take about four hours. Just beyond Palmer you drop into the Matanuska Valley and the scenery goes from stunning to jaw dropping. You will definitely want to stop for photos often on this stretch, especially at the Matanuska Glacier which sprawls down the valley to within a mile or two of the highway.

	Mt Drum Looms over Glennallen

As you approach Glennallen ( a good place to stop for lunch and fuel) the Wrangells will pop out, with Mt. Drum, Mt. Wrangell and other ice covered peaks dominating the view. Just outside Glennallen you'll come to a T intersection. Turn right onto the Richardson Highway towards Valdez. You'll notice that most Alaskans refer to highways by name rather than number.

About 30 minutes out of Glenallen you will see the sign for the cutoff to Wrangell-St. Elias National Parkheadquarters at Copper Center. Plan to stop there and take advantage of the wonderful bookstore, displays, films and other programs. Stretch your legs on the short interpretive trail that starts just outside the visitor center.

Continue a bit farther down the Richardson and keep eye open for the Edgerton Cutoff to Chitina. Kenny Lake is a nice stop for a cup of coffee and is about ten minutes after the cutoff. It takes about an hour to get from Glennallen to Chitina and about 5 hours from Anchorage to Chitina.

Once in Chitina you have a couple of options. You can drive the remaining 60 miles (2 hours) to McCarthy or you can take a 20 minute flights with Wrangell Mountain Air on one of there three daily flights. Some people don't want to drive on the 60 mile gravel McCarthy Road and would rather fly over it. That option has the added bonus of flightsee tour on the way in.

But the McCarthy Road is pretty well maintained these days and as long as you don't try to go to fast it's a nice drive. Just out of Chitina you cross the might Copper River where you can see fish wheels in action as well as dip netters out for Salmon. Take a little side trip down to the Copper River to see the fish wheels. The 60 mile McCarthy Road is a scenic delight in its own right. My personal favorite spot is the Kuskulana River gorge where you cross on a bridge with the Kuskulana raging 238 feet below the planks.

	A Fishwheel on the Copper River

At mile 60 of the road, the Kennicott River and McCarthy spring into view followed by the Kennicott Glacier, Bonanza Ridge, the Stairway Icefall and much much more. Parking is available at the end of the road by the Kennicott River. Then cross the foot bridge over the river and catch one of the shuttle vans that operate every 30 minutes for the 1 mile drive into McCarthy.

All in all a truly fabulous journey that will be a memorable part of your Alaskan vacation.

2007 Trips Summary: Scheduled Group Trips Calendar

The following is the current status of our scheduled group trips. These trips are ideal for solo travelers or couples who don't want to pay the high cost of a small, custom trip for one or two people. Some of these trips are already full, so don't wait to make your plans. Other times may be available if you have a group of three or more. If you don't see the trip you want or the time slot you need, give me a call and let's see what we can work out.

A ? in the spots remaining column indicates that there may or may not be a space left as one or more people are planning to book in the next few days.

Click here for the Calendar page on the web site.

That's it for this month. There might not be a May edition it just depends on now busy I am at the time.

I look forward to hearing from you!

Regards,

Greg Fensterman

info@trekalaska.com    -     www.TrekAlaska.com