Picture special: A photographer's journey through abandoned Alaska

Alaska's copper and gold mines flourished in the early 1900s, with the completion of the Copper River North Western railway line.

In 1938, though, following the sudden closure of the Kennecott mine, many of the townships that dotted the wild landscape were abandoned. Miners and prospectors took only what they could carry, leaving plates on tables and pictures on walls.

Photographer Paul Scannell has spent years photographing the region wherethanks to Alaska's freezing temperatures and the mine's remoteness, much remains intact. A selection of his pictures and footage follows here.

Abandoned Alaska, is available for pre-order on Amazon.