Flying High: Up in the Air With Copper Valley Air Service

This post is sponsored by Copper Valley Air Service but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

While we had a lot of things we were looking forward to on our Alaska road trip, one of the activities we were most excited about was flying over Wrangell-St. Elias National Park–the largest national park in the United States. I had seen pictures online of this beautiful spot, but I had also read the only way you could truly appreciate its size and glory was to see it from up above.

We reached out to Copper Valley Air Service, who offers a package meant specifically for those with our goal of seeing the best of the park from up above. In addition to flightseeing tours, they also offer backcountry opportunities for intrepid individuals who really want to get out into the wild and hike in some of the most remote areas of America.

After a day on the Skookum Volcano Trail and getting a small glimpse of how extensive the park was, we headed to the Copper Valley Air Service office north of Glennallen at the Gulkana Airport. We were greeted by a super friendly staff who made sure we had the light jacket we would need. We shook hands with Kevin, our pilot, who led us to the plane we would be taking up over the multiple mountain ranges and volcanoes that make up Wrangell-St. Elias.

It was the most perfect day for a flight. We had experienced a few rainy days since landing in Alaska, but this morning was clear and sunny–it couldn’t have been better weather to get up in the air. After running through a few safety points before we took off, Kevin smoothly sent the plane down the runway and we were on our way.

Kevin pointed out areas where there had been volcanic activity in the area, including some places where there had been mud pots like in Yellowstone National Park. You could still see the marks on the land and where it had affected the trees and where they chose to grow. Looming ahead was Mount Drum, a stratovolcano that had formed 650,000 to 240,000 years ago.

As we got closer, we could see how powerful glaciers were in forming the area and how they could manage to carve out the sublime landscape of Alaska. For a moment, you could completely forget about the other concerns going on in the world–it was a reminder of how inconsequential we are as humans and the power of these natural wonders.

Everywhere I looked, I was overwhelmed by how stunning the area was. After exploring much of the world and seeing some gorgeous landscapes on my travels (including the Himalayas), I was still blown away by the beauty of the multiple mountain ranges that make up the park. At some point, I assumed the views would end, but they never did. Daniel and I had been right in guessing that the only way you could truly appreciate the scale of the park was to see it from up in the air–it would be hard to get an idea of how impressive it was without a perspective from the cockpit of a plane.

Kevin landed us right in the park–the volcanic rock made the perfect landing strip for the plane to get back on the ground. Setting up some chairs and handing us some water, he shared some information on how the area was formed and how dedicated backpackers tend to explore the area. This immediately intrigued us since we’re always looking for our next adventure and it was clear that Wrangell-St. Elias had captured both of our hearts. It’s not uncommon to be dropped off by an air service like Copper Valley and to be picked up a few days or even weeks later, which sounded like the adventure I was craving.

We didn’t feel like leaving the park, but it was time to head back to the plane and return to the offices. The whole flight was two hours, but I felt like I could have spent weeks in this environment and exploring the area. Kevin had us look out to see if we could spot any wildlife. The park was so big that trumpeter swans floating in lakes looked like the heads of pins from the plane.

Wrangell-St. Elias was the highlight of our Alaska trip, and if you’re looking to really appreciate the area, then I highly recommend booking a flight. Our experience with Copper Valley was one of the coolest experiences I’ve had on my adventures, and for adventurous spirits, I can’t think of another activity that would be better for your Alaska trip.

Have you ever used a flightseeing service like Copper Valley Air? Let me know in the comments!

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