Wrangell Mountains Center

Name

Wrangell Mountains Center

Legal name

Wrangell Mountains Center

Website

https://wrangells.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wilderness Experiential Education

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Mountain & Wilderness Lodges (THAAAHAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Mountain, Glacier & Alpine Nature Tours (THAJAIAF), Adventure/Outdoor Base Hostels (Ski/Surf/Trek) (THAGAGAG)

Keywords

• Wilderness education programs
• Experiential learning
• Artist residency programs
• Environmental field studies
• Community education workshops

Headquarters

HQ city

Anchorage

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: Community-supported nonprofit relying on individual donors, monthly sustaining donors, and one-time donations. Donations are tax-deductible. The organization also manages an endowment fund through the Alaska Community Foundation.
2. Guest Housing Rentals: Rental income from three guest cabins: The Bungalow ($95/night) and Kennicott/Root Glacier Cabins ($135/night). Minimum 2-night stays required. Discounted parking available for $5/day.
3. Educational Programs: Revenue from college Field Studies program (in collaboration with University of Maine), youth programs, workshops, and artist residencies. Includes scholarship fund for financially challenged students.
4. Group Hosting: Fees for hosting educational groups, college courses, research teams, retreats, and workshops at the McCarthy campus. Includes lodging for up to 20 people and meals for groups up to 40.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Wrangell Mountains Center is a community-supported nonprofit that delivers place-based experiential education in McCarthy, Alaska, within Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. Its core offerings include an accredited college Field Studies program run in collaboration with the University of Maine, artist residencies (Meg Hunt Artist Residency), creative workshops (Art Outside, Writing in the Wrangells), youth programs (Saghani Ggaay, geology camps), an annual Storytelling Festival, and guest cabin accommodations and group hosting services for researchers, retreat groups, and educational institutions.

Product overview

The Wrangell Mountains Center offers a portfolio of educational programs centered on connecting people with wildlands through art, science, and education in Alaska. Core offerings include the accredited college Field Studies program (in collaboration with University of Maine), artist residencies, and creative workshops. The organization runs a podcast series called 'The End of The Road,' an annual Storytelling Festival, and provides guest housing and group hosting services. The campus includes the historic Old Hardware Store and Porphyry Place facilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Field Studies: The flagship accredited college program run in collaboration with the University of Maine, focusing on earth sciences and place-based learning.
• Meg Hunt Artist Residency
• The End of The Road Podcast
• Art Outside
• Writing in the Wrangells
• Saghani Ggaay Young Raven

Products and services

• Wrangell Mountain Field Studies An accredited 7-week intensive college summer program conducted in collaboration with the University of Maine, offering interdisciplinary study in glaciology, geomorphology, and alpine plant ecology within Wrangell-St. Elias National Park for students from across the U.S. and abroad.
• Meg Hunt Artist Residency An artist-in-residence program hosting visual artists, authors, poets, and sound artists to create work inspired by the Wrangell Mountains landscape, providing dedicated studio space and wilderness immersion.
• Art Outside Workshop A mixed-media weekend art workshop held August 22–23, 2026, taught by three instructors and open to all skill levels, designed to engage participants creatively outdoors in the Wrangell setting.
• Writing in the Wrangells Workshop An immersive three-day multi-genre writing workshop (August 29–31, 2026) led by former Alaska State Writer Laureate Nancy Lord and local authors, focused on place-based writing and inspiration.
• Youth Programs Educational programs for young people including the Saghani Ggaay Young Raven cultural empowerment program for Alaska Native youth (delivered in partnership with Raven Moonlight nonprofit) and the WISE Youth Geology Camp (ages 12–16).
• Wrangell Mountain Storytelling Festival An annual storytelling festival featuring local and visiting storytellers, conducted at venues including the Old Hardware Store and Glacier View Campground, drawing on community stories and poems.
• Guest Housing / Cabins Rustic off-grid cabin accommodations including The Bungalow ($95/night, twin bed, small desk, skylight, front porch) and Kennicott/Root Glacier Cabins ($135/night, double bed, simple furniture, heating source), located near downtown McCarthy and the Kennicott Glacier. Minimum 2-night stay required.
• Group Hosting Services Custom hosting services for college courses, field courses, research groups, retreats, workshops, and youth programs, offering lodging for up to 20 people and meals for groups of up to 40 at the McCarthy campus.

Quantifiable outcome

• Field Studies program described as 'transformative and empowering' by participants
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• University of MainecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership for the accredited college Field Studies program. The University of Maine provides academic accreditation while WMC provides the field site and experiential learning environment in the Wrangell Mountains.
• Raven Moonlight nonprofit organizationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWMC supports the Raven Moonlight nonprofit led by Hereditary Clan Leader Wilson Justin in hosting Saghani Ggaay, a week-long program empowering Alaska Native youth through cultural connection.
• WISE (Wrangell Institute for Science and Environment)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWMC hosts WISE's annual Youth Geology Camp (ages 12-16) on its campus, providing an immersive experience for local youth.
• McCarthy-Kennicott Historical MuseumsupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCollaboration on the annual Interdependence Day Pancake Fundraiser and other community events.
• Kennicott-McCarthy Recreation AlliancesupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCo-hosts the annual half-marathon and five-mile race event.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• IslandWood: IslandWood is a nonprofit environmental learning center on Bainbridge Island, Washington, offering place-based programs for youth, families, and educators. Comparable as a nonprofit operating outdoor education programming with on-site lodging, though in a more accessible, non-wilderness setting.
• Ucross Foundation: Ucross Foundation runs a renowned artist residency program on a ranch in rural Wyoming. Comparable as a remote, place-based residency program that supports writers and visual artists in a distinctive Western landscape.
• Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center: Eagle Bluff is a nonprofit environmental learning center in southeastern Minnesota serving K-12 schools and families with residential outdoor education. Comparable as a place-based environmental education nonprofit with on-site lodging, though in a lower-elevation, non-wilderness setting.
• Hedgebrook: Hedgebrook is a nonprofit women writers' retreat and residency on Whidbey Island, Washington. Comparable as a place-based writing residency nonprofit offering on-site lodging and workshops, though without the science/field studies component.
• Sitka Center for Art and Ecology: Sitka Center for Art and Ecology on the Oregon coast blends place-based art and environmental education with artist residencies and workshops in a natural setting—the closest direct analog to WMC's art + science + ecology mission, though on a less remote and less glaciated site.

Broad incumbents

• Yellowstone Forever: Yellowstone Forever is the official nonprofit partner of Yellowstone National Park, providing education, outreach, and lodging/retail. Comparable as a National-Park-anchored nonprofit combining education, lodging, and donor-driven programming at much greater scale than WMC.
• Sundance Mountain Resort: Sundance (founded by Robert Redford) combines a mountain resort, artist residencies, workshops, and creative programming in a remote natural setting in Utah. Comparable to WMC because it merges mountain lodging with arts/creative programming and educational events, though operated as a commercial resort rather than nonprofit.
• Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity: Banff Centre is a much larger mountain-based arts, education, and research institution in the Canadian Rockies. Comparable because of the combination of wilderness setting, artist residencies, educational programming, and on-site lodging, though at a far larger scale.
• National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS): NOLS is the dominant US wilderness education nonprofit, offering expedition-based courses in remote environments. It is a much larger, multi-region incumbent but shares WMC's core mission of place-based, experiential wilderness learning.

Emerging players

• Aldo Leopold Foundation: The Aldo Leopold Foundation operates the Leopold-Pine Island Important Bird Area and runs place-based environmental education and residencies in Wisconsin. Comparable as a mission-driven, place-based conservation education nonprofit with on-site programming, though focused more on land stewardship than arts.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• XTwitter.com/Wrangells
• YouTubeyoutube.com/WrangellMtnsC
• Facebookfacebook.com/wrangells
• Instagraminstagram.com/wrangellmountainscenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wrangell-mountains-center

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Wrangell Mountains Center