"Shushanna" was the spelling of Chisana before the "powers that be" decided to map the area, and for some unknown reason (that couldn't possibly make sense!) change the spelling of our home.

Copper mining inspired some of the early prospectors to travel to the land that is now Wrangell - St. Elias National Park and Preserve, but it was the discovery of gold in Chisana (pronounced Shooshana) that began the last great gold rush in Alaska.

In 1913, thousands of stampeders made the treacherous journey through rugged country by whatever means possible to reach the new found mining district. Chisana soon became known as "the largest log cabin town in the world." This was was a short boom, only lasting a few years, but an important part of the history of this area.

Nestled in a remote valley between the Nutzotin and Wrangell Mountains, the Chisana mining district provides visitors with a unique glimpse of Alaska's gold rush era. Unlike many better known and more accessible regions, this area retains extensive evidence of its early mining use, including the deteriorating remains of two towns; numerous tent camps, various water diversion and delivery systems; a full range of hand, hydraulic, and mechanical mining operations; and a well-developed transportation network.

The Wrangell St. Elias National Park & Preserve hosts thousands of tourists and visitors each year, who come to see this magnificently beautiful National Park. The Wrangell St. Elias is our Nation’s largest National Park.  In 1978, it was designated a National Monument, in 1979, it was designated a World Heritage Site and in 1980 it was designated National Park and Preserve.

The Wrangell St. Elias is over 20,000 square miles, over 9,000 acres of which are pure undisturbed wilderness. Snow capped peaks climbing over 18,000 feet, rich, lush, green valley’s alive with over 1000 different flora and fauna types with the many colors of wild flowers to add dimension and depth to the overall beauty of the vast arctic tundra, 48 mammals ranging in size from the tiny shrew to the giant Alaska- Yukon moose, 239 different birds and so much more.  The greatest concentration of glaciers in North America, 25% of this vast Wrangell St. Elias National Park and Preserve is covered by glacial ice.  In addition, it has 60% of Alaska's glacial ice. Incredible glaciers that you can explore as you walk across.

However, the vast majority of all the visitors and adventurers see only the south-west side of this tremendously vast Park. The many tourist facilities that are available as well as the road system in much of that area make access so easy.  Very few tourists or adventurers ever get to see or experience the north-east side of the glacial divide that separates the south-west Wrangell’s from the north-east Wrangell’s and the incredible Nutzotin Mountains that extend all the way to the Canadian border. This is Pioneer Outfitters’ country.