2026 SUMMER PROGRAMS
2026 Programming Calendar
updated frequently, be sure to check back!
Academic Programming
The Wrangell Mountains Field Studies Program
Partnered with the University of Maine School of Earth Sciences, our Field Studies Program offers a 7 week, 6 credit course to students from all over the world. During this interdisciplinary field program, students will spend a total of 3 weeks on our campus and 4 weeks in the backcountry, led by instructors Joey Boots-Ebenfield, Kristin Link, Aaron Chesler, Ben Shaine, Keeya Beausoleil, and Fellow George Wening. The program will offer a public symposium on our campus at the end of the course in August.
The program runs from June 22 - August 10, 2026. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, click here to apply today.
UAF International Summer School in Glaciology
We are excited to be hosting the University of Alaska Fairbanks International Summer School of Glaciology from June 6 - June 16, 2026.
Click here to learn more about the program : International Summer School in Glaciology
youth programming
Our youth programming has it’s own page! Click here to learn more about our offerings designed for young people.
Workshops
Art Outside — August 22, 23
Tired of looking at a screen? Come make creative work with your hands, divert your attention to the natural world, and enjoy being in the company of others doing the same! Art Outside is designed to get you outside, creative juices flowing, and give you tools to play, create, and connect regardless of skill level. Our attention is constantly being pulled in so many directions, and making art outside is an amazing way to slow down, look around, and simply be. This workshop is open to all skill levels, from seasoned artists interested in a new setting, to complete beginners wanting to simply observe, connect and create, all are welcome!
Writing in the Wrangells — August 29, 30, 31
An immersive three-day workshop focused on multi-genre writing and creative storytelling. Through prompts and readings within the dynamic McCarthy-Kennicott landscape, instructor Nancy Lord will guide us to better observe and communicate climate change and other natural phenomena. Joined by friends and local authors Jeremy Pataky, Michelle Latvala, and Tom Kizzia, we’ll reflect on and share how our human lives and stories intertwine with natural history and ongoing environmental changes.
Residency
Meg Hunt Artist in Residence: This is one of our most beloved art programs, a two-week artist residency program, a truly immersive creative experience in North America’s largest National Park. The Meg Hunt Artist in Residence Program aims to support artists and writers of all genres and mediums. We invite applicants with creative and inquisitive minds who will both add to and benefit from the interdisciplinary efforts at our community hub in McCarthy, Alaska and the surrounding Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve.
In 2026 we will host two artists from June 28th - July 12th. Stay tuned for more details on this year’s Artists-in-Residence and their community engagement offerings.
Summer ARts and Lecture Series
“Rocks and Ice” Geology Presentation with Mike Loso - June @ 7 PM, Kennecott Recreation Hall.
Join Mike Loso, Wrangell St-Elias National Park Service Geologist, for an overview of the geologic history of the Kennicott Valley and an update on latest findings about the Kennicott Glacier. His talk is open to the public, and is aimed towards guides, interpreters, pilots, NPS staff, and others interested in learning more about local area geology and sharing it with friends and visitors.
Red Planet, Blue Ice: Studying Mars Glaciers Here on Earth - June 10 @ 8:30 PM, Great Room, Old Hardware Store. Downtown McCarthy
Come hear a public talk by Dr. Alicia Rutledge from Northern Arizona University, visiting for UAF’s International Summer School in Glaciology. Dr. Rutledge studies glaciers on Mars and will share how scientists research Martian glaciers here on Earth.
Living at the Boundaries - July 28th @ 7 PM, Porphyry Place. WMC Campus, Downtown McCarthy
Drawing from their poetry, essays, and lived experiences, local authors Jeremy Pataky and Michelle Latvala plus author Erica Watson, visiting from Denali National Park, will reflect on how they understand and communicate place in their work while living in close proximity to National Park Service public lands. How does the environment, seasonal rhythms and changing climate, and human history and policy interact to create both belonging and tension in our communities? Join us for an evening of short readings followed by conversation. A reception and signing will follow the program, and books will be available for sale.
Community events
Workday Party – May 30
Kick off your summer with your WMC friends and show the Old Hardware Store some love. All skill levels and ages welcome! Bring gloves (if you have ’em), a water bottle, and a smile; we’ll provide lunch and plenty of fun.
Spring Bird Walk with Mark Vail – May 31st
We continue the annual tradition of walking with Mark Vail as he brings to life the fascinating world of the summer birds who live in the Wrangell Mountains. Meet in front of the Old Hardware Store. The walk will leave promptly at 8am. Coffee, tea and snacks will be served.
Word Jams – May 31, June 21, July 12, July 26, August 9
Join us in the Great Room at the Old Hardware Store for a night of open mic - WMC style - storytelling, poetry, song, comedy, skits, and any creative venture involving words. Come share your creative musings in a friendly, nonjudgemental space.
Community Potluck Dinners – June 17, June 24, July 1, July 29, August 6, August 19, September 6
Come on down to the WMC for a delicious community potluck. A chance to connect and listen to the stories that bring us together. Both longtime locals and newer faces will be invited to share how they found their way to McCarthy, and what makes this place so special to them.
Bring a dish, bring a friend, and come be part of the conversation. We’d love to see you there!
Interdependence Day Pancake Fundraiser - July 4, 8am - 11am. Old Hardware Store, WMC Campus, Downtown McCarthy.
Get your breakfast on with all-you-can-eat pancakes (plus 2 sausage links, coffee, and tang)! All proceeds benefit the Wrangell Mountains Center and the McCarthy-Kennicott Historical Museum.
$14 for adults. $7 for kids under 12
Storytelling Festival – August 1st
This charmed, grassroots event is held at The Old Hardware Store, where local storytellers congregate to spin yarns, share lies and half-truths as well as tell honest-to-god true and incredible stories leaving the audience never quite clear on whether they have heard a true story or a tall tale. This event is the talk of the town every summer.
Run the Wrangells Half Marathon and 5-Mile Race — September 6
A race unlike any other through the largest National Park in America. In collaboration with the Kennicott McCarthy Recreation Alliance (KMRA). Online registration details coming soon. Race starts at noon; registration opens at 11 am. Register online or in-person at the starting line.
Check out past programs:
For more information, please email admin@wrangells.org.
Photo by Paul Scannell