Allie’s Valley to Bremner mine: A Hidden Gem in Wrangell-St. Elias national park
We all know about the Goat Trail, but the route from Allie’s Valley to Bremner is the real hidden gem in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. Spanning roughly 20 miles, this trip offers stunning alpine landscapes, wildflower meadows, and the rich history of a remote mining camp—all without grueling river crossings or endless bushwhacking that many Alaskan hikes demand (that being said, you'‘ll still be getting your feet wet and fighting a bush or two).
Allie’s Valley
Allie’s Valley is the perfect place to start or end your adventure. It’s a cub-only airstrip, meaning each member of your group gets a private 45-minute flight through some of the most beautiful backcountry Alaska has to offer. While this makes the trip more expensive, it’s also a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Remote and idyllic, Allie’s Valley is a lush green paradise surrounded by hanging glaciers, wildflowers, and abundant wildlife. It’s the kind of place where time slows down and solitude is guaranteed. If you’re looking to avoid other hikers and truly disconnect, this is the spot! With only a handful of groups getting dropped off here each summer, your chances of running into someone else are slim to none. Many choose to take some time here to relax and soak in the beauty before beginning their journey or to unwind after completing the trek.
Terrain and Elevation
This route gives you the freedom to stay above the brush line for almost its entirety. While this choice spares you from battling thick vegetation, it does come at a cost: elevation gain. Sort of like nature’s stairmaster, except the higher you climb, the more expansive the views become—and the more rewarding those moments of stillness at alpine lakes will feel.
The trail also features a few talus slopes and boulder fields, which require steady footing and a bit of patience. Thankfully, there are no glacier crossings on this route, so you can leave the ice gear at home. Depending on the month and snowpack, you can encounter snow and have to deal with a little post-holing. We did this trip in mid-August after a very heavy snow year, and we encountered just a few lingering snowy areas that were all easily avoidable.
Wild Swimming and Wildflowers
For those brave enough to take a dip in icy alpine lakes, Allie’s to Bremner is a dream. There are enough glacier-fed lakes along the way that you could camp near one every night! Whether you’re swimming or just rinsing off the day’s grime, these lakes provide a refreshing break amid the rugged terrain.
The wildflowers are another highlight. During peak season, lupines, arctic shooting stars, and more blanket the landscape, turning the route into a painter’s palette of purples, pinks, and yellows. In August, the wildflowers have already past their peak, so I was delighted to still see so many!
Bremner Mine
The journey ends at Bremner Mine, a remote mining camp steeped in history. The rusting relics of Alaska’s gold-mining past sit against the stark beauty of the surrounding wilderness, offering a poignant contrast between human ambition and nature’s vastness. You’ll find old winches, sheds, a powerhouse, cables, and one very well maintained house. There is even an antique Ford still parked in one of the buildings. Local legend says that someone once tried to steal this car via a helicopter and a sling, but NPS did not appreciate this. So there you have it, treasure still is out at Bremner Mine!
If you plan your trip right, you can spend the night in the intermittently staffed NPS cabin near the mine. In peak summer months (July-August), the cabin should not be relied on for shelter, since there most likely will be a ranger living there, but sometimes, if you’re lucky, the ranger might bake you cookies and share their fire with you! Definitely drop in to say hi! Just note that the cabin is almost a mile from the airstrip. It’s best to head to the airstrip at least 40 minutes before your flight, so that way you’ll be sure to get there before your pilot.
Wildlife Encounters
Like any trip in Wrangell-St. Elias, bear sightings are a possibility, so proper bear safety is essential. It is not required to travel with bear spray, but it is highly recommended. Bear spray is given to our pilots and strapped to the wing of the plane to ensure it doesn’t go off inside during flight. Bear safe food storage is also a necessity. Bear cans, either blue or black, work very well, and ursacks are also allowed. Please note, there are no trees to do bear hangs in this area, so ursacks would be laying on the ground and food could be crushed or carried away more easily than a can, although reports of that happening are rare.
Over the years, hikers have reported a wolverine at Bremner—an incredibly rare and awe-inspiring sighting for those lucky enough to witness it! Although it’s much more likely you would see marmots, ptarmigan, and maybe a pika!
Weather: A Wild Card
When I hiked this route, we were blessed with sunshine every day, making sunscreen and swims a daily ritual. But Alaska’s weather is notoriously unpredictable. A rough weather window could obscure views and dampen spirits, so be prepared for anything. Flexibility and good gear are your best friends. Bad weather can slow you down and decrease your mileage, so I think it’s always a good idea to plan for buffer days.
My Trip in review: A Sunny dream
I lucked out! As I said, my 5 days on this route were nothing short of perfect—blue skies, no rain, and more need for a sunshirt than rain gear. That isn’t always the case in Alaska, but I took full advantage!
I saw four bears, swam in three different lakes, and spent an entire afternoon stretched out on the tundra, reading by the water. The fields of lupine seemed endless, rolling in waves of purple and white. I had two wet boot river crossings, one unexpected somersault through a patch of brush, and one too many slips on the talus—both my friend and I ended up with bruised butts from the rock fields.
The hardest part? That 2,000-foot climb on loose talus. Every step up felt like half a step back. But standing on top, with glaciers hanging in the distance and valleys sprawled below, it was worth every misstep.
This wasn’t the hardest trip I’ve done in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, but that doesn’t mean it was easy. Lower mileage, minimal bushwhacking, and manageable rivers make it approachable, but the park is never predictable. Weather can turn, terrain can surprise you, and when things get tough, you have to be ready. My trip was a bluebird trip, but that isn’t always the case. Be prepared, be flexible, and when the good moments come—soak them in.
So, if Allie’s to Bremner sounds like your kind of adventure, give us a call! We’ll make sure you’re equipped for the journey of a lifetime.
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