Backcountry Hiking

Backcountry hiking in Wrangell-St. Elias is nearly limitless

Plan Around Backcountry Hiking

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Backcountry Hiking Details

Almost the entire park is backcountry, leaving your backcountry trip nearly limitless. There are no maintained or marked routes and there are endless destinations for a multi-day hike. However, the dramatic terrain and dense vegetation make hiking the most enjoyable above treeline (about 3,000 feet). To get there, some visitors charter a plane. Others choose to go on foot, either following a route or a creek bed. Expect to be out of reach of any outside help in the case of an incident or emergency; the ability to self-rescue is a must out here. Be prepared to handle navigation, extreme weather, stream crossings, significant delays in your itinerary, avalanches, snowfields, flight delays (if applicable), and wildlife. This is not a park for beginner backpackers. For all backcountry trips, it is recommended to complete an itinerary at a park visitor center. You should also let someone at home know where you will be and when to expect you; a rescue will not be initiated without contact from a family member or friend reporting a missing party. If you are flying to a remote airstrip, make a plan with your pilot. Be sure to read the guidelines discussed in the Safety section of this app. For any backcountry trip, proper storage of food is mandatory and bear resistant food containers are available at visitor centers. Although the use of fires is allowed, it is not realistic as most of the backcountry is above treeline. If you do make a fire be sure it is completing extinguished before leaving it unattended.

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