News Release

Adapting Operations in Response to Local Health Guidance - Limited Services and Closures

Date: April 24, 2020
Contact: Jan Maslen, 9078227206

Copper Center, AK. In response to guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the State of Alaska and in support of federal, state, and local efforts to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve is adapting park operations to limited and strategic locations where visitors typically congregate or frequent in close spaces or high numbers. Within the Kennecott Mines National Historic Landmark (KNHL) as described below, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve is committed to working with the local community as well as businesses that have a current commercial use authorization permit or concession contract, to develop safe and socially-distanced recreation opportunities for visitors.

As of April 24, 2020, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve offers limited visitor services, primarily those that support visitor or resource protection and federal subsistence permits. The following park areas and facilities are closed to public use, effective immediately, until further notice:

• All buildings administered by the National Park Service (NPS) in the Mill Site of the Kennecott Mines National Historic Landmark (KNHL). Download the Kennecott Site Map. The Mill Site is defined in 36 CFR 13.l 904(d) as the area bunded by Bonanza Creek to the north, the Kennicott Glacier to the west, the 2,200-foot contour line to the east, and Sweet Creek to the south.
• Kendesnii Campground; Kendesnii Campground is defined as the designated land beginning at approximately mile 28.3 on the Nabesna Road, following an eastern direction on the Nabesna Road to mile 28.5 (at private property boundary), then south approximately 1000 feet (along private property boundary), then west 600 feet to Twin Lake and following north along the shoreline of lake, extending north from the peninsula of the lake at the edge of the campground, north to Nabesna Road at mile 28.3.
• The following public use cabins (under authority: 36CFR 13.1904(a),36 CFR 13.1910, 36CFR 13.50):
• Esker Stream; Caribou Creek; Viking Lodge; and Nugget Creek.

Restrictions and Public Use Limits: Under the authority provided to the Superintendent in 36 CFR 13.1910, the following activities are prohibited, effective immediately, until further notice:

• Camping within the KNHL;
• Use of the Erie Mine Trail within the KNHL;
• Use of the Root Glacier Trail within the KNHL;
• Use of the Bonanza Mine Trail within the KNHL; and
• Use of the Jumbo Mine Trail within the KNHL.

This administrative order applies to all individuals subject to the regulatory authority of the NPS within the boundaries of Wrangell-St Elias National Park and Preserve, except as follows:

• Federal and State of Alaska employees while performing essential government duties;
• Businesses performing any work necessary to the operations and maintenance of essential infrastructure (as defined in Attachment A to State of Alaska Health Mandate 010) are exempt from the closure of NPS-administered buildings in the Mill Site;
• Qualified Federal subsistence users are exempt from the closure of camping within the KNHL, the Kendesnii Campground and the four specified public use cabins if use is authorized by the Superintendent through issuance of a permit. Qualified Federal subsistence users are also exempt from the closure of the four specified trails while engaging in subsistence uses. ANILCA Section 802(1)
• Owners of lots in the Kennicott Subdivision and their guests are exempt from this administrative order when within rights-of-way reserved to those individuals. The rights-of-way are noted on the plat of the Mill Site, Plat No. 77-12 and available from NPS upon request. Outside of these rights-of-way, this administrative order applies to lot owners and their guests.

The health and safety of our visitors, employees, volunteers, communities and partners is our priority. Visitors come from diverse and distant locations to the rural and remote locations in and around Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve. These closures and restrictions are strategic and limited in scope to those areas where visitors typically congregate or frequent in close spaces or high numbers. The NPS is working service-wide with federal, state, and local authorities to closely monitor the COVID-19 pandemic and to create ways to provide services safely. We will notify the public when we resume full operations and provide updates on our website https://www.nps.gov/wrst/index.htm and social media channels.

More than 13 million acres of outdoor spaces at Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve remain accessible to the public where visitors can disperse and adhere to the latest health guidelines. 

The NPS encourages people to take advantage of the many digital tools already available to explore Wrangell-St. Elias, including:

• The Wrangell-St. Elias website at https://www.nps.gov/wrst/index.htm.
• On-line Junior Ranger program at https://www.nps.gov/wrst/learn/kidsyouth/be-a-junior- ranger.htm
• Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/WrangellSt.EliasNPP/

Visitors can also call 907-822-5234, Monday through Friday between the hours of 8:00 am and 4:30 pm to obtain information about the park.

Updates about NPS operations will be posted on www.nps.gov/coronavirus. Please check with individual parks for specific details about park operations.