Part 31: Copper Rich Kennicott
Monday, 3 October 2011 11:48 am
Friday 30th September:
Leaving Valdez and over the Thompson Pass it begins to snow...winter is on its way!
Our off the main road destination is Kennicott, the once very rich copper mine that is the start of the disused 196 mile rail link to the Port of Cordova, where we have just come from.
The 1911 rail line follows the Copper River up from Cordova to the old town of Chitina, it is from here we drive the old rail line the 50 mile to McCarthy and Kennicott following the Chitina River.
The road signs warn of rail spikes and timbers puncturing tyres.
At the confluence of the Copper and Chitina River the locals can fish with these fish wheels to hall in the Salmon as they swim up river.
This process is called ‘Dip Netting’
The 525 foot long steel bridge over the Kuskulana River was built during the winter of 1910 in minus 30*F to minus 57*F Degree weather in the rush to complete the rail link whilst copper prices were at their highest.
Such was the push that the 17 Miles of rail from Chitina to this bridge was laid in less than a month.
Here we spotted our first porcupine that sat up and happily posed for us.
Camp 142: 1910 Kuskulana Rail Bridge Camp
Cost: Nil
N61* 29.241 W144* 01.288
Today : 331 Kms.
Trip Total : 59,279 Kms
Saturday 1st October:
Built in the depth of winter where temperatures reached minus 67*F this 880Ft long and 90Ft tall timber trestle bridge was completed in only eight days !
Later it was burnt down from a forest fire and rebuilt again in 10 days.
Imagine today asking workers to perform under such conditions...are we getting soft?
The scenery on the way was idyllic
The Kennicott River is the end of the road and from here we must walk to McCathy and Kennicott a distance of approximately 6 miles (10Kms). There is normally a shuttle service but we are late in the season and all this is closed, so a 20kms walk is what we have to do !!!
Was it worth it ....YES
The mine processing town of Kennicott is perched beside the Root and Kennicott Glacier and is a sprawling complex of red and white buildings.
From 1911 to 1938 the mines and processing plant worked around the clock producing an estimated $100M in NET profit for the owners.
When copper prices crashed in 1938 the investors walked away leaving everything in place.
The area is now in control of the National Parks who are slowly restoring the old mining town.
Camp 143: Quarry Camp
Cost: Nil
N61* 30.424 W144* 04.071
Today : 145 Kms.
and don’t forget the 20Km walk !
Trip Total : 59,424 Kms
Check here for more info on Kennicott Copper Mine from the Alaska Archives
Our next track, is back into Canada for the South and North Canol Road, but it will take a couple of days to get to the start, just south of Whitehorse.
“Too Long in the Bush”