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Information
The
Copper River Valley
is a 3.5 million-acre
ancient lakebed located
in the eastern portion
of Southcentral Alaska.
Traversed by the Copper
River and surrounded
by mountain ranges
on all sides, the area
provides countless
opportunities for outdoor
recreation activities,
wildlife viewing and
cultural/historical
education. The main
communities within
the Copper River Valley
include Mentasta, Chistochina,
Gulkana, Gakona, Glennallen,
Tazlina, Copper Center,
McCarthy, Kenny Lake
and Chitina. |
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The
abundance of varied geography
throughout the valley offers
visitors and residents
numerous options for outdoor
recreation including hiking,
biking, river rafting,
backcountry skiing, fishing,
and hunting. The valley's
largest town, Glennallen,
is home to the Copper Basin
300 Sled Dog Race, one
of Alaska's premier sled
dog races and also a qualifying
race for the Iditarod.
The area is rich in copper
mining history, as the
Copper River was once used
to transport copper ore
downriver to the port facilities
in Cordova. The abandoned
Kennecott Copper Mine,
located within the Wrangell-St.
Elias National Park, is
considered an outstanding
industrial archeological
site and has been designated
a National Historical Landmark.
The Copper River Valley
is also home to the Ahtna
Heritage Foundation, an
organization under the
Alaska Native Claims Settlement
Act which aims to enhance
the socio-economic status
of the Ahtna people while
also protecting and preserving
the culture. Construction
of the Ahtna Historical
Village, a living history,
open-air museum and interpretive
center, is underway and
will serve as a major cultural
tourism destination in
the Copper Valley.
One
of the most popular and
well-known attractions
of the Copper Basin region
is the Wrangell-Saint Elias
National Park and Preserve.
The largest unit within
the U.S. National Park
System, Wrangell-St. Elias
covers over thirteen million
acres of land containing
mountain ranges, glaciers,
rivers and protected wildlife.
Many of the Copper Basin's
towns are considered gateways
to the park, offering lodging,
touring services and amenities
for the park's visitors.
Major recreational activities
within Wrangell-St. Elias
include fishing, hunting,
wildlife viewing, mountain
biking, hiking, flightseeing
and mountaineering. Location
The
Copper River Valley is
located in the center of
many of Alaska's prime
destinations: 189 miles
northwest of Anchorage,
250 miles south of Fairbanks,
and 115 miles north of
Valdez. One of the Copper
Basin's major strengths
is its accessibility; the
Glenn, Edgarton and Richardson
Highways all cross the
valley and connect most
of the communities with
each other and to the rest
of the state. Additional
Resources
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