Here it is - the debut posting on the Nabesna Road blog. The purpose of this blog is to share an up-to-date road condition report and share tips for things to see and do on your visit to the northern district of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve. I plan to share wildlife sightings including birds but you have to get out there yourself to see them. I'm not going to tell you where they are. Part of the magic of living here and visiting this amazing place is making discoveries on your own. I want to provide insider information that will help your visit be safe and as rewarding as possible. Nothing puts a damper on a visit like having your heart set on hiking the Skookum Volcano Trail only to find that the road is washed out at Boyden Creek just two miles short of the trail head. The National Park Service has a road guide available at visitor centers and on-line.
Current Road Con
ditions as of March 25, 2009- Nabesna Road is in good condition.
- There is ice on the road at Rock Lake, Mile 21.8, and also near the Skookum Volcano Trail head at Mile 36.2.
- Icy patches are developing as temperatures warm up during the day but drop down to zero or below at night.
- Watch for caribou on the road.
Insider Information
We have an approximate snow base of 36" along the road depending on where the wind has shifted it around. Beautiful blue ice falls are visible from Mile 36 on in both the Mentasta Mountains to the north and the Skookum Volcano Formation to the south. With longer and warmer days, this is a great time of year to access backcountry locations. Both Tanada Lake and Copper Lake are popular snowmachine in spots for ice fishing for Lake Trout and Burbot.
Wildlife Sightings
Caribou daily
Lynx (3/24)
Posts
Thanks for starting this blog. My husband and I stayed in Nabesna last summer in hopes of driving the road. Unfortunately, the flooding cut us off about 2/3s of the way in, so we never got a chance to drive the road all the way. We hope to come back this summer/early fall to try again.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it wonderful to see Alaska wake from winter again?! We've taken several drives down the Rich, and the Donnelly Dome caribou have been quite active and visible. We can't wait to start road-tripping again.