At 13.2 million acres in size, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, located in south-central Alaska, is the largest unit in the National Park system. Wrangell-St. Elias is a place of superlatives: Six times the area of Yellowstone, it contains the largest concentration of glaciers, the largest sub-polar ice cap, and nine of the 16 highest mountains in the United States, including Mt. St. Elias, the second highest at 18,008 feet. Because much of the park is covered by rock and ice, the biologically-rich lower elevations provide particularly critical habitat for a variety of species, including Dall sheep, brown and black bear, moose, mountain goat, caribou, bison, wolf, and nesting trumpeter swans.
What's at Stake
Wrangell-St. Elias was created "To maintain unimpaired the scenic beauty and quality of high mountain peaks, foothills, glacial systems, lakes and streams, valleys and coastal landscapes in their natural state; to protect habitat for, and populations of, fish and wildlife including but not limited to caribou, brown/grizzly bears, dall sheep, moose, wolves, trumpeter swans and other waterfowl, and marine mammals." Unfortunately, RS 2477 claims threaten this scenic beauty and biological diversity.
There are currently only 100 miles of road in the park. The State of Alaska has identified 94 possible routes totaling 1,612 miles of potential rights-of-way in Wrangell-St. Elias. These claims represent more than half the total number and half the total road mileage of all RS 2477 claims in Alaska's national parks. They crisscross the park in a spider web of potential new highways or motorized trails, which would bring motorized access into important wildlife habitat and wilderness. Wildlife populations, currently sheltered from humans by difficult access, could be impacted by increased hunting activity. These routes could also impact historical treasures including old gold mining sites and numerous prehistoric and historic Athabaskan Indian sites.
Developing these new routes would also facilitate access to private property currently beyond reach of existing roadways. Increased vehicle access could significantly boost the value of private lands and their attractiveness for subdivision and resale for recreational homes or lodges. Similarly, currently uneconomic mining and resource development opportunities could become more vulnerable to development if a vehicle road were to open up the country.
In Alaska, a coalition of groups is coordinating efforts to educate the public on this sneak attack on our public lands. The coalition is engaging diverse allies in the debate, including anglers, hunters, recreationists, scientists, private landowners, and the native community.
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