Fall Hike to the Root Glacier

After a beautiful flight to McCarthy full of fall colors, I was excited to spend some time exploring the area from the ground.

While Woodsen and I spent time exploring the area when we were first married, our trips since having kids have focused on seeing friends and using McCarthy as a base for day trips by plane.

On our last trip to McCarthy, we were visiting friends who mentioned they were heading to Kennicott to explore the mines. Atlee was standing nearby and replied, “What mines?”. I couldn’t believe she had grown up taking two or more trips to McCarthy every summer, and we hadn’t gone to the mines since she was old enough to remember. After explaining to her about the Copper mines and showing her photos of us there when she was young, I made a mental note to make exploring the Kennicott area a priority.

It had been over seven years since we had hiked to the Root Glacier, and with the three kids happy to hike, and Eska content in the backpack or being carried, we headed towards the two-mile round-trip hike.

McCarthy after Labor Day is a much different experience than McCarthy at the peak of tourist season. The parking lot at the base of the footbridge was empty, and the theme continued as we rode four-wheelers through McCarthy and up the five-mile road to Kennicott.

Last year, we had finally invested in a six-wheeler to keep in McCarthy. Along with the six-wheeler, Woodsen found an inexpensive and very basic four-wheeler that Atlee claimed as the kid wheeler. Driving it around has become the highlight of her time in McCarthy.

The trailhead to the Root Glacier starts at the end of the road, which meant that on our way to the hike we enjoyed passing by all the historic buildings with a view of the glacier below.

At the end of the road, we parked the wheelers and headed out on foot.

We winded through the wooded trail, crossed over Jumbo creek, then broke out into panoramic views and alpine terrain

The girls ran ahead on the trail while Yukla stayed nearby. I’m thrilled that I don’t have to keep Atlee and Melozi motivated to hike, now the struggle is keeping them from running too far ahead

We neared the Root Glacier and began descending the rocky slopes.

The change in landscape was dramatic as we moved closer to the moraine. The high alpine terrain shifted to what felt like a moonscape as we descended.

We stepped off the rocky slopes, and on to the glacier, which was covered in gravel. As we climbed the gravel slowly disappered and the kids walked and slid on the glacial ice.

Yukla had fun exploring the deep holes in the ice.

Eska wasn’t sure what to think of the glacier.

Once we had enough of slipping and sliding on the ice, we turned back to head up towards the wheelers where a snack awaited hungry kids. While half the kids are self-motivated, the younger two still needed a bit of encouragement to make it back up the trail.

Everyone was happy once we were back at the six wheeler and enjoying water and snacks.

With bellies filled, we enjoyed our fall ride back through Kennicott, across the bridge and eventually home to the cabin.