Bremner River

Bremner River
Country United States
State Alaska
Census Area Valdez–Cordova
Source confluence of its north and middle forks
 - location Chugach Mountains, Wrangell–St. Elias National Park and Preserve
 - elevation 651 ft (198 m) [1]
 - coordinates 60°58′41″N 143°53′36″W / 60.97806°N 143.89333°W [2]
Mouth Copper River
 - location 45 miles (72 km) north of Katalla
 - elevation 174 ft (53 m) [2]
 - coordinates 60°50′42″N 144°31′00″W / 60.84500°N 144.51667°WCoordinates: 60°50′42″N 144°31′00″W / 60.84500°N 144.51667°W [2]
Length 40 mi (64 km) [2]
Location of the mouth of the Bremner River in Alaska

The Bremner River is a 40-mile (64 km) tributary of the Copper River in the Valdez–Cordova Census Area of the U.S. state of Alaska.[2] It was named for John Bremner,[3] a prospector who sought gold along the river and was the first non-native person to go there.[4]

Flowing generally southwest from the Chugach Mountains, the Bremner River enters the Copper River 45 miles (72 km) north of Katalla.[3] The North Fork of the Bremner has its headwaters at the Bremner Glacier, which is 8 miles (13 km) long.[3] The entire course of the river lies within Wrangell–St. Elias National Park and Preserve.[5]

Boating

The main stem of the Bremner River below the confluence of its north and middle forks is runnable by boaters who are "seasoned Alaska wilderness travelers with advanced to expert boating skills."[6] Rated Class II (medium) to IV (very difficult) on the International Scale of River Difficulty, the river passes through mountainous terrain and dense forests that make for difficult access and troublesome hiking.[6] Other hazards include cold, swift, silty water; isolation; narrow canyons; brown bears, and strong winds near the mouth.[6]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Derived by entering source coordinates in Google Earth.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 "Bremner River". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. March 31, 1981. Retrieved December 17, 2013.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Orth, Donald J.; United States Geological Survey (1971) [1967]. Dictionary of Alaska Place Names: Geological Survey Professional Paper 567 (PDF). United States Government Printing Office. pp. 159–60, 698. Retrieved December 18, 2013.
  4. ↑ Heller, Herbert: Sourdough Sagas, Ballantine Books, 1973
  5. ↑ Alaska Atlas & Gazetteer (7th ed.). Yarmouth, Maine: DeLorme. 2010. pp. 75, 87. ISBN 978-0-89933-289-5.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Jettmar, Karen (2008) [1993]. The Alaska River Guide: Canoeing, Kayaking, and Rafting in the Last Frontier (3rd ed.). Birmingham, Alabama: Menasha Ridge Press. pp. 200–02. ISBN 978-0-89732-957-6.