Stairway Icefall
A massive icefall on the upper Root Glacier with a drop of about 2,000 m, said to be one of the highest icefalls in North America, visible from the end of the glacier trail or from a small plane.
Stairway Icefall forms where the Root Glacier pours down from high in the Wrangell Mountains, dropping about 2,000 m. Its layers of blue and white ice towers are considered among the highest icefalls in North America. Walking the Root Glacier Trail all the way to its end lets you see it face-on from a distance. Fit hikers can combine the Root Glacier and the icefall viewpoint into one day, a round trip of about 13 km. Small sightseeing planes departing from McCarthy also fly over the icefall, offering an even more dramatic view.
Opening hours
All day in summer
Nearby sights
- Root Glacier
- Bonanza Mine Trail
- Kennecott Mill Town
- Kennicott Glacier
- McCarthy
- Kennicott River Footbridge
- McCarthy Road
- Gilahina Trestle