"Chitina" Chitina by worldtrekker

Chitina Travel Guide: 16 reviews and 53 photos

Chitina (pronounced CHIT-na) was established around 1908 as a railroad stop on the Copper River & Northwestern Railway, and as a supply town for the Kennecott Copper Mines near McCarthy. The mine and railroad were abandoned in 1938. Today, Chitina is a gateway to the Wrangell St. Elias National Park. It's also a good place to get fuel and a bite to eat, before tackling the McCarthy road. I'd suggest fueling up here as I don't remember there being any fuel after this point. You'll need enough to drive 120 miles at 20 miles per hour. There are also some historic buildings and abandoned cars here. This pond and the truck in the photo are located behind the It'll Do Cafe.
A big attraction is the seasonal salmon run (reds, kings, or silvers) which brings hundreds of dip-netters and spectators to the Copper River. The season runs from June through September and it's worth a look to see the fish wheels and dip nets in action. To get to Chitina, turn off the Richardson Highway onto the Edgerton Highway (between Valdez and Glenallen) and drive 33 miles (53km).

Last visit to Chitina: Jul 2001
Intro Written Oct 15, 2002
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Reviews (4)

The road to McCarthy is a... Warnings and Dangers (2)

The road to McCarthy is a 58.3-mile/93.8-km gravel road through virtually untouched Alaskan wilderness. (Although keep... more travel advice

It'll Do Cafe - It sure did! ... - Chitina

It'll Do Cafe - It sure did! ... Restaurants (1)

This was the best place in this little town to grab a bite to eat - at least it was so in 1996. By little I mean that... more travel advice

Go iceclimbing or glacier... Off The Beaten Path (1)

Go iceclimbing or glacier walking near McCarthy in the Wrangell St. Elias National Park. Photo: That's me climbing on... more travel advice

This is really embarrassing... Warnings and Dangers (2)

This is really embarrassing but I'm not the only one this has happened to. I was near Chitina in the Wrangell St Elias... more travel advice

Travelogues (2)

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Comments (5)

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RitchiS1 Jan 26, 2004 at 9:06 PM

great adventure , great trav.
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utttz Jan 20, 2003 at 11:42 AM

great page
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littlesam1 Jan 13, 2003 at 10:44 AM

Fascinating page. The travelogues are almost novel like they are so thorough.
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craic Dec 27, 2002 at 11:24 PM

Smashing page. Lovely stuff.
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zentrinko Nov 26, 2002 at 4:35 PM

Great tips for those who venture here plus really excellent t'logs that are just great to read and enjoy