Russell-Fjord

View from Disenchantment Bay to the opening between Hubbard Glacier and the mainland to the Russell Fjord

Map of Yakutat Bay and Disenchantment Bay in the north-east and the south adjoining Russell Fjord

The Russell Fjord (English Russell Fiord ) is a fjord in the northwestern panhandle of Alaska.

The fjord opens into Disenchantment Bay in the northeast of Yakutat Bay. The opening to Disenchantment Bay is periodically closed by the Hubbard Glacier at the Gilbert Point. The took place on 14 August 2002 breach of the Hubbard Glacier, had cut off Russell Fjord for about one month of Disenchantment Bay, was the second largest previously documented by people glacier run.

The Congress of the United States had in 1980 the fjord and surrounding him area with a total area of ​​1411 km ² under the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act as a Wilderness Area, the strictest class of natural protected areas of the United States, where human intervention in nature minimally are made. The Russell Fjord Wilderness is bordered to the northwest by the Wrangell -Saint Elias National Park. It is managed by the United States Forest Service.

The fjord has a length of about 50 km and a width of about 3.5 km. The fjord is fed by the inflow Beasley Creek and the Hidden Glacier. Right hand fed by branches of the East Nunatak Glacier and West Glacier Nunatak Nunatak Fjord ( Nunatak Fiord ).