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Despite the concerns, the
four-hour trip was beautiful, with crystal clear lakes, marshy bogs
and ever-changing views of the mountains. Parts of the historical
railroad were visible as well. The Copper River & Northwestern Railway
was built between 1908 and 1911 for $23 million. The CR & NR was
jokingly called the "Can't Run & Never Will," but it ran for 27
years and some of the excellent workmanship still stands. At one
point the road crosses the Gilahina River, next to the old railroad
trestle. An impressive, graceful, arcing bridge, it is on the National
Historic Register. It was built in an astonishing ten days in mid-winter,
with temperatures dropping to -40 degrees. This is a feat that even
modern engineers claim is impossible. Another breathtaking crossing
is on the Kuskulana River bridge (upgraded in 1988). This 525 foot
single land span allows you to gaze over into a dizzying 283 foot
gorge.
You know you've reached the end of the road
when you hit the Kennicott River. There isn't much there, except
a parking area and a small private campground (the park service
does not maintain any campgrounds in the park). Deb and I decided
to set up camp there before heading into the town of McCarthy, on
the other side of the river. The only way across the river is by
a hand tram. Built by the locals in 1983, it swings you across the
Kennicott River suspended by a steel cable. It's an exciting ride,
with the raging torrent of the icy glacial water rushing beneath
you. It is a "neighborly" mode of transportation. While it is possible
to pull yourself across as you're sitting in the steel cage, it
is easier for someone on shore to do the work. When you finish your
crossing, you help the next person.
Walking into the town of McCarthy was like
walking back in time. Many of the buildings from the mining days
still stand. The old hardware store, built in 1911, now houses an
Alaska Wildlands Studies Program. The old tailor shop is now a pizza
parlor. The old photo shop is now the McCarthy Lodge. And many of
the 35 year-round residents live as simply as they have for years,
drawing water from the mountain streams and hauling out whatever
garbage can't be composted or burned. (There is no public trash
disposal in the park - all visitors must pack out their garbage.)
While there are some newer buildings in
town, they have been built to reflect the character of the area.
Deb and I walked into one such building, the office of McCarthy
Air, to see about a flightseeing trip among the mountains and glaciers.
A sign outside said, "Come see the most spectacular icefalls in
the world," and that's what Gary Green, our pilot, convinced us
we would see. A McCarthy resident and pilot for 25 years, Gary took
us in his old van to the airstrip where his Cherokee Six airplane
was ready and waiting. We asked Gary whether he had seen a marked
increase in tourism, and he said the numbers were growing exponentially.
He said as much as the tourist dollars were welcome, the townspeople
were worried about the boom in tourism and how it would affect their
lives and environment. Compared to other parks we'd visited, the
number of tourists here were minimal, but to a town with a population
of 35, the numbers must seem worrisome.
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