Prince William Sound Community College

The Copper Basin Region is 20,000 square mile region located in south-central Alaska nestled between the Chugach Mountains to the south, the Alaska Range to the north, and the Wrangell-St. Elias Mountains to the east, and the Talkeetna Range to the west, linked together by the Copper River drainage in the heart of it all. This region is made up of many small communities and villages scattered over this enormous area, home to about 2700 people, one-third of who are Athabascan Indians of the Ahtna Tribe. PWSCC’s Copper Basin Campus is located at the regional hub in Glennallen.

For eleven thousand years, Native Americans have inhabited the Copper Basin. The Ahtna Indians of the Interior pursued a subsistence life style. On the coast, the Chugach Eskimos and Eyak Indians skillfully explored the marine environment. Ancient trade routes over the Valdez Glacier and up the Copper River linked the two groups and set a pattern of commerce between the Sound and the Interior. Two hundred and fifty years ago the first European explorers entered the waters of Prince William Sound, as Russia, Spain, Britain, and later the United States competed for the resources of Alaska.

Today the Copper River Basin calls visitors from around the world to raft its rivers, climb its mountains and marvel at abundant wildlife. A strong Athabaskan heritage offers cultural diversity and traditional experiences from dog sledding to dipnetting on the famous Copper River. The Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve gives a sense of the past while nearby villages and towns provide modern services and educational opportunities. From whatever viewpoint, the Prince William Sound and the Copper Basin regions offer the excitement and challenge of living and working in an unparalleled Alaskan environment. Learn more about the Copper Basin region from these local links:

Alaska.com – Copper Center, Alaska
Alaska.com – Glennallen, Alaska
Alaska101.com – Copper Center, Kenny Lake & Chitna