Kennicott: Kennicott Glacier Lodge (August 2008)

The only place to stay in Kennicott-McCarthy, in my opinion. And the new South Wing with the private baths is the only place to stay at the Lodge. The South rooms were large, with two double beds but still lots of space. Furnishings were sparse but not uncomfortable. No hairdryers in the rooms, but they have some at the front desk to borrow. Also no TV, A/C, clock, or radio; or telephone, for that matter. While I don’t need all of those, at least a phone or clock would be nice. There was NO way to get a wake up call. (I’ve stayed at other remote places without any of the above, but there has always been a wake-up coffee service/personal wake-up call instead.) We did not eat at the Lodge. We only spent one night here, and we brought some sandwiches with us because we’re not fans of the communal table dining experience. We ate lunch in McCarthy at the Glacier View Grill, which is really just a campground but has a great outdoor cafe: great for McCarthy; anywhere else, you’d pass right by, but the food was grilled in front of our eyes (on a gas grill just like you’d use at home), and the view was fabulous on a gorgeous day. One of the best $15 hamburgers ever (and it wasn’t because the food was that good; but the view was unbeatable and the weather perfect. (Plus, they took Visa--completely surprising if you’ve seen the place.) We took the St. Elias Guides $25 mill tour, which is the only way to get inside the 14-story building (which you don’t want to miss). The mining town restoration is really lovely. I debated about making the trek (I mean the flight--we flew with Wrangell Air instead of driving): would it be worth the time, effort, and money? And it was in the end. McCarthy is really cute (even smaller than Talkeetna), but has a nice museum, general store, Potato restaurant, Ma Johnson Hotel, and a bar/restaurant across the street. And the glacier’s not bad, either!