Synopsis on Kluane / Wrangell-St. Elias / Glacier Bay / Tatshenshini-Alsek

Kluane / Wrangell–St. Elias / Glacier Bay / Tatshenshini Alsek is a beautiful and fascinating international park system in two great countries: the US and Canada. It touches the three administrative borders of Yukon, British Columbia, and Alaska.

These stunning glaciers and icefield landscapes made Kluane, Wrangell St Elias, Glacier Bay, and Tatshenshini-Alsek a UNESCO world heritage site in 1994.

Kluane/ Wrangell-St.Elias/ Glacier Bay/ Tatshenshini Alsek is controlled and looked over by three bodies: Parks Canada, British Columbia Parks, and the US National Parks.

Area & Location

The total region of this wonderful international park system is spread over 98391.21 km.

This international park system is divided into four different land and water areas. 

Kluane is located in Yukon in Canada, and Wrangell St Elias, Glacier Bay, Tatshenshini, and Alsek rivers are located in Alaska, US.

Natural Habitat for Plants, Animals, Peaks, and Rivers

Kluane / Wrangell–St. Elias / Glacier Bay / Tatshenshini Alsek is the natural habitat and home for various beneficial plants. It is also home to high mountains and peaks, both volcanic and non-volcanic.

It is the land for many animals, including marine, coastal, wild, Mountainair, icefield animals, sub-alpines, and Alpine tundras. Grizzly bears, caribou, Dall’s sheep, and icefield deers are popular animals in this landscape. Glacier Bay has a large population of black, brown, and blue glacier bears.

Tatshenshini and Alsek are two amazing rivers in this icefield landscape that take birth from the cap of the non-polar icefield glaciers. The Alsek River is called “one of the last truly wild river systems on Earth”.

Historical Landmark & Mining

Wrangell St Elias National Park, located in the US, is the largest national park covering around 13.2 million acres of land. 

The national park of Wrangell St Elias has two historical towns named Chitina and Kennecott, where the mining activity of copper ore was done in the early 20th century. This landmark shows the historical evidence of copper ore extraction and the process of obtaining copper.

It indicates that the foundation for Kennecott Copper Corporation was laid in the early 20th century, which later turned into “The Kennecott Minerals Company”. According to the sources, the copper worth $500 million was processed between 1911 and 1938.

Tourist Attraction

Kluane / Wrangell–St. Elias / Glacier Bay / Tatshenshini Alsek is a great place for tourists. The wide range of beautiful and high mountains and peaks, diverse animals, breath-taking glaciers, and icefield landscapes that recall the ice age era are fascinating attractions for tourists.

Tourists can come to these parks by air or water; people usually travel through water cruisers to take in the feel of natural icefield landscapes. Hotels and lodges are available for tourists. Bartlett Cove Area, and Glacier Bay Lodge are famous accommodations where people prefer to be.

• Park Visitor Center, Visitor Information Station, Exhibits and Park Headquarters help the visitors
• There are also hiking, rafting and climbing activities arranged for visitors for their entertainment

Kluane Park

Kluane Park is part of Kluane / Wrangell–St. Elias / Glacier Bay / Tatshenshini Alsek. It’s located in the south Western part of Yukon, Canada.

It has the largest peak in Canada called Mount Logan, which is 5,959 metres high. Mountains and glaciers cover 83% of the area. The rest of the area is a forest and tundra region in the east of the highest mountains and glaciers. The climate in the forest and tundra region is cold and drier than the climate in the mountains and glaciers region.

• Kluane Park’s lowest elevation is full of a wide variety and diverse trees.
• More than 120 species of birds are present in the Kluane Park, including the golden & bald eagles and rock ptarmigan.
• Mammals that live here are Yukon wolf, bears, caribou, mountain goats, marmot, red fox, snowshoe hare, moose, and arctic ground squirrel.

Wrangell-St.Elias National Park

Wrangell St Elias National Park is part of Kluane / Wrangell–St. Elias / Glacier Bay / Tatshenshini Alsek and the International Biosphere Reserves. It was established in 1980 by “Alaska National Interest Lands Conversation Act”. Now it is managed and controlled by the National Park Services of the US.

• This national park alone is larger than the 47 smallest national parks in the US and covers 15% of the national parkland of the US of America
• It has four mountain ranges: the Volcanic Wrangells, Alaska, Chugach, and St.Elias. These are the tallest coastal mountains in the world
• St.Elias mountain peak is the second highest peak in the US, 18008 feet high
• Wrangell St Elias National Park has more than 150 beautiful glaciers

Glacier Bay

Glacier Bay is an American National Park established in 1925. Later in 1978, the area of the National Park was expanded by President Jimmy Carter under “Alaska National Interest Lands Conversation Act ”.

Glacier Bay is located near Juneau in Alaska and is part of Kluane/ Wrangell-St.Elias/ Glacier Bay/ Tatshenshini Alsek.

Tatshenshini Alsek Park & Rivers

Alsek river runs in the Pacific ocean. It’s part of the Kluane/ Wrangell-St.Elias/ Glacier Bay/ Tatshenshini Alsek and Canadian Heritage River System. Alsek River is the main river, with Tatshenshini being its tributary.

In Kluane Park and Preserve, the Alsek River originates near the junction of the Dezadeash and Kaskawulsh rivers. In British Columbia’s northernmost point, the Tatshenshini River meets the Alsek Lake before flowing into the Pacific Ocean via the glacier-fed lake of the same name in Tatshenshini Alsek Park.

Conclusion

Kluane / Wrangell–St. Elias / Glacier Bay / Tatshenshini Alsek is a world heritage site with large, diverse, and beautiful ecosystems. These ecosystems contain the highest peaks of the mountains, glaciers in the open Pacific Ocean, and river systems of the Alsek rivers. This international park system is maintained and preserved to provide a natural habitat for a wide variety of flora and fauna and offer the tourists a strong feeling of the wilderness ecosystem.