McCarthy attractions

Kennecott, Alaska is a ghost town frozen in time. When the Kennecott Copper Corporation abandoned the site in 1938, equipment, buildings and personal belongings were left behind. With St. Elias Alpine Guides holding the exclusive concession with the National Park Service, access to the 14‑storey Concentration Mill is available only through this tour, giving you a rare chance to step inside one of the site’s most dramatic buildings. You will tour the town site with a knowledgeable guide and get a sense of what life was like in this remote wilderness. Along the way, you will hear stories of discovery, perseverance and ingenuity, as well as accounts of lucky fortunes, tenacious frontiersmen and tragic endings. The experience includes exclusive access to explore the interior of the 14‑storey mill building and several other historic structures left on site. As you move through the buildings and grounds, you will see original equipment and personal artefacts that help bring Kennecott’s past to life.

You’ll spend time on the Kennicott River and the glacial lake beneath a 25-mile glacier, floating along the ice face and exploring the lake’s ecology. Along the way you may jump from an iceberg into the glacial waters and experience the cool, close-up view of ice formations and melt patterns. Expert paddle instruction will help you handle the water and enjoy the best rapids on the Kennicott River, including Class III whitewater. You’ll wear a drysuit for comfort and warmth so you can relish every splash while rafting. Guides will share local knowledge of the natural and human history of the Kennicott Valley, pointing out ecological features and stories that explain how the landscape and communities have been shaped by the glacier and river. The experience combines hands-on paddling, guided interpretation and time to observe glacial and lake ecology, giving you both active moments in the rapids and quieter chances to learn about this remote glacial environment.

You will take an interpretive walking tour through the historic Kennicott mining town, moving among preserved buildings and learning about the site’s past as you go. Along the way, the route opens onto soaring glacial and mountain vistas that frame the landscape and put the area’s scale into perspective. After Kennicott, you will hike onto the white ice of the Root Glacier to explore its surface features. The walk includes close-up views of blue pools, moulins and crevasses, and you may stop to drink from a glacial stream. The route also offers views of the Stairway Icefall, giving a clear sense of the glacier’s structure and movement as you explore.