Journey to the Erie Mine - Kennecott Alaska

Our journey began in 1994 as a backpacking trip to the famous Kennecott Copper Corporation's abandoned mining camp in Kennecott Alaska, which is nestled in the Wrangell - St. Elias National Park and Preserve.  The mining camp is adjacent to the Kennicott Glacier, which gives it a very scenic background, along with the mountainous peaks that surround the landscape.  Several mines fed the mill town at Kennecott, one of which was the Erie.

Our attempt to climb to the Erie was unsuccessful in 1994, largely due to our direct approach to the climb.  The mine entrance (adit) sits atop a sheer cliff, which is why the direct approach is essentially impossible without rock climbing gear.  In 2008, we made the trip back and used an indirect approach to climb to the bunkhouse and mine entrance. 

The climb in 2008 was also well documented, with the following information:

	A detailed CADD drawing of the bunkhouse structure
	GPS coordinates of the climb at critical points
	A detailed audit of the interior of the bunkhouse
	A video walkthrough of the main level in the bunkhouse
	A research report that documents the history, climb, flora and fauna of the area (see documentation).