In a class by Itself

Words have never touched the depths of this land. It is impossible to capture the essence of Wrangell/St. Elias National Park. It must be explored. 24 million acres (9.6 million ha) of contiguous wilderness have been set aside here in a Natural World Heritage Site, making this the largest protected expanse of land on earth. It cannot be compared to anywhere else. It is too powerful, too dynamic, and too undisturbed by humans. It is sacred, in a class by itself.

According to the official park service brochure, "You have to see Wrangell/St. Elias National Park and Preserve to believe it and even then you are not too sure. The number and scale of everything is so enourmous. Peaks upon peaks. Glacier after glacier. If you follow any of the many braided rivers and streams to their source, you will find either a receding glacier, an advancing glacier or a tidewater glacier." Four mountain ranges converge here boasting the highest concentration of peaks over 14,500 feet in North America.

The Chugach Mountains flow hundreds of miles from the east to flank the southern coast. The St. Elias Mountains rise from the Gulf of Alaska to the summit of Mount St. Elias at 18,008 feet and continue to roll north past the Chugach to meet the volcanic Wrangells in the Chitina Valley. The Nutsotin and Mentasta Mountains protect the northern end of the park where the more rugged mountains mellow into the rolling hills and tundra covered lands on the great Copper River Basin.

Climate varies greatly within the park. Coastal maritime weather with its tremendous rainfall and mild temperatures hit the coastal mountains to form a rain shadow to its north, thus we at Ultima Thule receive very little precipitation. Expreme temperatures ranfing from -50 in the winter to 90 in the summer mark our seasons.

The high country remains snow and ice covered year around. A short flight south from Ultima Thule, the Bagley Icefield stretches hundreds of miles to become the longest non-polar ice field on earth. Hundreds of glaciers pour off of it, including the Tana, Miles, Hubbard and Guyot. The Malaspina Glacier, larger than the state of Rhode Island, ends in the Gulf of Alaska, dumping tis load of ice and dirt into the sea. Glaciers grind the mountains, taking tremendous amounts of silt with them, causing the glacier fed rivers to be raging, brown water all summer. This raw dirt is nutrient laden, making superb soil which supports lush green foilage, profuse wildflowers, berries and wild animals in the zones around the ice.

Seasons are diverse, spring arrives when the days lengthen. Winter loosens its grip in March, days are long, skies are clear, as life rebounds from the cold. Summer comes in May, bringing endless daylight. Everything green grows around the clock resulting in luxurious foliage. Bt the middle of September the leaves have changed colrs and winter is around the corner. November through February the land is locked in extreme cold. Darkness and snow blanket the landscape awaiting the thaws of March. The sun will come back to replace the Northern Lights, summer will come again. Each season is magnificent, all hold something profound for the visitor in this raw land.

Three generations of our family live here, alone, among the mountains, glaciers, and rivers. Our home, "the Lodge" nestles in the heart of this vast area 100 miles from the end of the road. The nearest neighbors are over the mountains, accessible only by airplane. The life we live is far away from the demands of civilization, removed from the stress of modern life. It is simple here, no crowds, no artificial boundaries to existence, nothing to be faked.

Join us and experience Ultima Thule.

 

Contact the Ultima Thule Lodge
Email us at the lodge:

donnaclaus@mac.com or uto@starband.net   
PO Box 109 Chitina, AK 99566

Anchorage Office:
(907) 688-1200
PO Box 770361 Eagle River, AK 99577