Wrangell St. Elias Air Panorama

Description

Be sure to read the Special Notes further down this page for important requirements and restriction.

Your flight away from the crowds and among the clouds begins at the Gulkana Airport. From there, your highly trained and professional pilot will fly you to remote regions that are only accessible by air. Flying into the Alaskan wilderness provides dazzling views of the Chugach, Wrangell and St. Elias mountain ranges. This area includes numerous mountain peaks from 14,000 to 19,550 feet, uncounted glaciers and the largest ice field in North America. As you continue to soar, your bird's eye view includes the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve; at over 13 millions acres, the Park is the largest in the United States.

The Wrangell Mountains form the volcanic heart of the park. Covering over 2,000 square miles, the Wrangell Volcanic Field is made up of thousands of lava flows and some of the highest peaks in North America, and includes Mt. Wrangell, one of the largest (by volume) active volcanoes in the world. On clear, cold, and calm days, steam plumes are often visible.

Dominating the landscape is Mt. Sanford; towering at 16, 327 feet, it's the second highest peak in the Wrangell Mountains. Mt. Drum at 12,000 feet is the westernmost of the Wrangell volcanoes. Your flight then takes you over the Nadina and Sanford Glaciers for panoramic views of massive changing ice formations, beautiful valleys, green forests, plus rare and unusual mud volcanoes, which are not volcanoes at all but small volcano-shaped cones of mud and clay, that pour gently from a vent in the ground like lava. Look out below for the wildlife that call this area home: dall sheep may be spotted along the rocky ridges and mountainsides; moose are often seen near willow bogs and lakes; herd of caribou; moose, grizzlies, black bears, bison and smaller mammals live in the Park as well.

Special Notes:

Minimum age is 5. Due to changing weather patterns, it may be necessary to alter the flight path. This tour is operated in a fix-winged aircraft. Bring your sunglasses, camera and bottled water. Flight time is approximately 1 hour.