BREMNER MINE
BASECAMP HIKING
Multi Day
- Hiking
- Moderate
- Advanced
A journey back in time in the wilderness!
Visit the Bremner Historic District, an abandoned gold mine from the turn of the century, nestled high up in an alpine valley. Get a unique glimpse into what it was like to be part of the great “gold rush” to Alaska a century ago – very much a backcountry experience, even back then!
Buildings, artifacts, and relics of the little bush mine remain deep in the wilderness and help history come to life, blowing you away with how the early prospectors navigated the rugged wilderness!
The lush green brush gives way to sweeping tundra-covered slopes and rocky passes. Gurgling creeks cascade into beautiful waterfalls in each side valley. Day hike opportunities here range from comfortable tundra walking to alpine lakes and meadows to more challenging excursions that can include scaling several of the local, rocky summits!
- Fascinating exploration of the historical connection to Kennecott, frontier Alaska and the Gold Rush
- Multiple hiking options available based on ability
- Scrambling opportunities for peak-bagging
- Stunning alpine scenery of tarns and wildflowers
- Rarely visited, remote backcountry location
Trip Details
Trip Length
3.5 days
Total Mileage
10-13mi
Total Elevation Gain/Loss
1,700-4,000’’
Rates
Private Solo
$5,815
Private 2 Participant
$3,625/person
Private 3-6 Participants
$2,875/person
Private 7-8 Participants
$2,700/person
This trip is only offered on a Private Trip basis. Book the dates that look best to you or schedule a call with our Expedition Coordinator to plan your trip today!
The “Alaska Factor”
There is a reason Alaska has such a rugged allure for the lower 48 and beyond: it is still wild! This raw and untamed landscape offers our clients the opportunity to authentically pioneer new territory and have real adventures. Part of embracing the “Alaska Factor” is understanding that things may not always go as planned and expecting the unexpected. Water levels might rise, snow might fall, glaciers may shift and move – the landscape is dynamic and unpredictable is what makes Alaska, Alaska!
All of our trips are customized as they unfold and your guide will fluidly make decisions based on weather, logistics, and group dynamics to maximize each day’s experience. There can be quite a bit of variation, but on each trip we promise a big slice of the real Alaska and authentic adventure!
DAY 0
DAY 1
Make sure to have your camera ready for the 40-minute flight over the vast Chitina River Valley and into the Chugach Mountains. Flying over the Bremner Valley, you’ll spot traces of an old road and a couple of the small buildings still standing. You’ll land and watch the plane take off, disappearing into the rocky peaks. Breathe in the fresh alpine air and feel the palpable stillness of this remote mountain valley.
Move your gear a little way from the strip and set up your camp. This will be a staging ground for the next few days of beautiful hiking. Enjoy an easy exploration of one of the old mining sites above camp and get a better view of your home base. Scout the route you want to take tomorrow before descending back to camp and enjoying your first delicious backcountry dinner.
DAY 2
Sleep in till the smell of coffee and the bright summer sun beckon you out of the tent. An alpine paradise welcomes you, complete with wildflowers, the occasional marmot whistle, and an invigorating mountain breeze. Today is the day to take advantage of the good weather and go on a hike!
You may choose a casual walk to a nearby alpine lake for some swimming, reading, or journaling. Perhaps a high pass with great views is calling your name, or a nearby summit to connect with an exciting ridge walk – whatever your mode of adventure, the backcountry is your oyster! The evening concludes with a fabulous dinner with even better conversation!
DAY 3
The pitter-patter of raindrops means you can go ahead and put on your rain pants first thing – good thing you packed everything on the Equipment List! A little rain isn’t going to stop us from exploring this incredible place – today, we’ll go check out the buildings and artifacts of the abandoned gold mine! The sites take a hike to get to so we’ll still get our steps in, but this can be a less rigerous day, exploring this outdoor museum.
Explore the old machinery and see if you can connect the systems, some of them only 50-60 years old! Discover clues from the past and put yourself in the shoes of the brave men and women who called this wilderness home 100 years ago. Would you have braved this gold mining venture?
Your guide will provide even more historical context, and you’ll be even happier to be dining on their modern backcountry cooking after everything you’ve learned today! Your final night in the backcountry is full of appreciation for this beautiful alpine valley and its rich historical secrets.
DAY 4
A delicious backcountry breakfast starts the day before you pack up your camp and hike back to the airstrip. Having learned the language of the ground squirrels and ptarmigan, you whoop, whistle, and squeak out a goodbye. Take in your final views as you hear the buzz of the bushplane overhead.
The winds at this airstrip are best in the mornings, so this means an earlier departure from the time-machine valley of the Chugach. Flying out, you trace the steps of your hikes out the window and the birds-eye-view of this massive terrain really sinks in. Wow! We were really out there!
Back in Kennecott, you’ll be connecting endless historic dots from the rich narrative of early prospectors you gained out at Bremner Mine! Enjoy the rest of the day with your guide exploring the old towns or enjoying a hike out to the Root Glacier!
What’s included?
- Customized trip planning
- Logistics consultation*
- Your professional guide(s) – 4:1 ratio
- Orientation and a Gear Shakedown
- Stunning 25min bush flights in and out of the backcountry
- All the food on the trip
- Group gear (bear canisters, cookware, fuel, tents**)
*Upgrade to a Trip Package and have logistics included with your trip!
**We recommend that you bring your own tent if possible
What’s not included?
- Gratuities
- Personal camping and hiking gear
- Logistics
You’ll need to be in McCarthy the day before your trip begins for an Orientation and Gear Shakedown. You’ll meet your guide, grab group gear and make sure you are fully prepared to go into the backcountry.
Please account for a full day for travel both to and from McCarthy and the next Alaskan destination. We don’t recommend leaving McCarthy the last day of your trip as this cuts significantly into your last backcountry day and usually makes for a very hectic drive.
Check out our Transportation Page to learn how to get to and from McCarthy. Check out our Lodging Page for lodging recommendations in the area.
Trip Package
If you are planning your trip +2 months before your trip start date, upgrade to a Trip Package! A Trip Package will include transportation to/from McCarthy, local lodging, and any other local activities you’re interested in. We charge a non-refundable $50 Trip Package fee per person for this service.
This is a Moderate-Advanced Basecamp Hiking Trip with a flexible route plan that can be customized to a Moderate or Advanced Level. Please keep in mind that there is no truly “easy” hiking terrain in the Wrangells and often the coolest places require a little extra effort to get to. On this trip, you will be off-trail trail the whole time, traversing some combination of rocky slopes and spongy tundra – all of it uneven and most of it hilly. On this trip, you will cover 3-8mi/day with 500-3,000’ of elevation gain/loss while carrying your own gear. The day hikes are customized to your interests and abilities and range from casual strolls to peak bagging and scrambling. You will be camping in the rugged wilderness with no toilets (no, we don’t camp in the old cabins, they are less comfortable than tents). We recommend physical training in preparation for all of our trips.
GALLERY
FAQ
All the pictures and descriptions sound amazing! How do I know what’s right for me? Please see our blog post dedicated to the subject of choosing the best multi-day trip for you.
We pride ourselves on cooking healthy and delicious meals even under the most adverse conditions! Your guide will create a custom menu based on the length and logistics of your trip, and the dietary preferences/restrictions you list in your Trip Application. All our guides are well-trained backcountry chefs and use time-tested recipes from our proprietary cookbook for their trips. We carry a plentiful and varied stock of ingredients and most meals are prepared from scratch (allowing for easy substitutions, additions or subtractions of ingredients). We only use pre-packed freeze-dried meals on summit pushes on our mountaineering expeditions.
On our backpacking and base camp trips, you can expect 3 meals a day, plus snacks of your choice. Breakfasts and dinners are usually hot meals and lunches are served cold. On mountaineering trips lunches consist of a variety of snacks as it can be hard to organize group meals while on a rope team.
We use a combination of fresh, dehydrated, and freeze-dried ingredients to make our delicious meals, however on longer backpacking and mountaineering trips your guides will use more freeze-dried foods than fresh foods to keep pack weights as low as possible.
On our rafting trips, we cook full multi-course meals with fresh ingredients and enjoy hot and cold breakfasts, cold lunches and hot dinners.
Meals for most trips start with Lunch on the first day and end with Lunch on the last day. *
*If you are signed up for a Custom Trip Package with us, it may include more meals. Check with us if you’re not sure. Mountaineering trips also include meals in McCarthy before and after the backcountry expedition.
This is one of the most commonly asked questions!
We practice Leave No Trace principles and make sure to minimize our impact on the natural landscape as much as possible.
On Backpacking and Base Camp Trips in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, we dig small individual holes to use as a personal latrine per-use (your guide will carry a small trowel to share). In some areas, your guide may choose a place near camp but with some privacy and dig a trench for use as a group latrine. You will carry out all your used toilet paper and all other sanitary products and trash.
On Rafting Trips, we carry a plastic toilet box with a seat ("groover") that is set up near camp and your guides will carry out all waste on the boats.
On Mountaineering and Ski Expeditions, the latrine is commonly a crevasse or snow-pit protected from camp by a wall of snow. You will carry out all your used toilet paper and all other sanitary products and trash.
Your guides will instruct you on the particulars of the situation per camp to set you up for success and all possible comfort. Please don’t be shy to ask them questions on this matter. It’s a necessity that has been given lots of thought your guides are experts in ALL things outdoors!
