McCarthy, Alaska
Ghosts, Glaciers, and Grit at the End of the Road
Ninety miles of gravel and questionable suspension lead to a town tucked into the wild heart of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. McCarthy isn’t just off the grid; it’s a living legend— where mountaineers, artists, and old-timers settle arguments with a shared pickle. In this funny, big-hearted travel memoir, Dane D. Blaze takes the glacial plunge, tiptoes through the echoing bones of Kennecott Copper Mine, and flies the mail route in a tiny bush plane, only to be adopted by a community fueled by sourdough, sass, and beautiful, unscripted chaos.
Chapter 1: An Excerpt
The road to McCarthy is equal parts scenery and dental test. By the time the gravel gives up and the footbridge appears, you’ve shed a few expectations and at least one loose bolt. The Root Glacier hisses underfoot—alive, creaking, blue enough to make a painter swear—and somewhere above, the Kennecott mill stacks whistle a ghostly tune that isn’t entirely the wind.
Locals argue policy and hockey with the same tool: a pickle passed around the table until peace is declared. Bush pilots deliver mail and rumors in single-engine punctuation. And when the midnight sun finally blinks, the whole valley exhales like it’s been holding its breath all summer.
Tips? Bring layers, humility, and a camera that won’t cry when it gets cold. If a stranger offers you crampons, say yes. If a moose crashes a wedding, also say yes.