Knowledge (XXG)

Stampede Trail

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372: 267: 238:. For many years, the mine was accessed through the use of a winter trail. Antimony ore was shipped east to the railroad through the use of “Cat Trains,” sleds loaded with ore and towed by Caterpillar Bulldozers. Fuel and supplies for the mine were backhauled in the same way. The overland cat trains could take 3 or more days of travel time and February was generally the best month for such winter trail travel. 801: 380:
Belarus also drowned while trying to cross the river while tied to a rope. Subsequently, hikers were strongly urged to avoid tying themselves to ropes as a method of crossing Alaskan rivers. After Nikanava’s death, her husband is attempting to raise awareness and funds for a cable crossing or bridge at this location.
321:, as the engine had been removed. It contained a couple of beds and a wood-burning stove. When the Stampede Mine ceased operations in the 1970s, the buses were removed, but Bus 142 was left behind due to a broken rear axle, and subsequently served as a shelter for hunters, trappers, and other visitors. 162:
6x6 personnel carriers. This tour is called the Denali Backcountry Safari. While they pick up passengers from all Denali area hotels, the 6x6 tours actually begin at their Eight Mile Lake Base Camp at mile 7.5 of the Stampede Road. Their pavilion and other associated buildings are the last permanent
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In 1960, Yutan Construction won a contract from the new state of Alaska to upgrade the trail as part of Alaska's Pioneer Road Program, building a road for trucks to haul ore from the mine year-round for transshipment to the railroad at Lignite (near the present day town of Healy.) Construction was
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Two additional hikers died attempting to reach Bus 142. In 2010, Claire Ackermann of Switzerland drowned trying to cross the Teklanika River. She had tied herself to a rope spanning the fast-moving river, but lost her footing and drowned before she could be cut free. In 2019, Veranika Nikanava of
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during the summer months when the river swells with snowmelt. The Alaska State Troopers report that several rescues were necessary every year at the river crossing. In August 2010, high water resulted in the drowning death of Claire Ackermann, a hiker from Switzerland and in July 2019 Veranika
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The trail is located near the northern boundary of Denali National Park in a small finger of State of Alaska public land that extends into the national park. The valley, known as the Stampede Valley or the Stampede Corridor, is mostly low-lying tundra and watersheds.
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The trail currently receives limited tour traffic. In 2015, Alaska Travel Adventures stopped operating Jeep tours along the trail due to deteriorating trail conditions and frequent mechanical problems. Denali Tundra Tours ceased operations of an
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discontinued in 1961 after only 47.5 miles (76.4 km) of road were built. No bridges were constructed over the several rivers it crossed. In 1963 maintenance was halted and the route promptly became impassable for road vehicles by the soft
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to access hunting camps. Moose hunting in this area generally yields high success rates. Winter travel by snowmobile, dog sled, or tracked vehicle, after the boggy tundra, beaver ponds, and rivers freeze, is much easier than summer travel.
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in 2007 followed. This made the trail popular among hikers, some unprepared for the rugged conditions, resulting in several rescue operations and even some deaths. In 2020, citing safety reasons, the bus was removed and shipped to the
317:. It was originally one of three buses used by the Yutan Construction Company to provide site accommodations for the construction crew from Fairbanks that worked on road upgrades in 1960–1961. It was towed on location by a 744: 498: 558: 427: 49:. Apart from a paved or maintained gravel road for 8 miles (13 km) between Eight Mile Lake and the trail's eastern end, the route consists of a primitive and at times dangerous hiking or ATV ( 611: 468: 107:. Though this intersection marks the present-day eastern terminus of the Stampede Road, Lignite Road continues a few miles east from this intersection to the railroad tracks and the 714: 387:
to remove the bus, deemed a public safety hazard after the deaths of Ackermann and Nikanava and numerous visitor rescue incidents. It was flown out of the wilderness by a
887: 490: 122:, whose remains were found in an abandoned bus deep inside the wilderness about 28 miles down the trail. The bus was first brought to the public's attention by writer 548: 435: 664: 343:
who lived in the bus during the summer of 1992 while attempting to survive off the Alaskan wilderness, only to die of starvation after three and a half months.
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The bus – referred to by McCandless in his journal as the "Magic Bus" – became a pilgrimage site for visitors seeking the location where he perished. The 2007
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structures along the Stampede Road. All tours turn around a few miles east of the Savage River. Traversing the beaver ponds, "mud flats,” and crossing the
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Nikanava of Belarus was also swept downstream and drowned. Hundreds of hikers attempted to reach Bus 142 every year, until its removal in June 2020.
396: 143: 103:(Alaska Route 3) which opened in the early 1970s. The Parks Highway intersects the trail at milepost 251.1, two miles north of the center of 460: 835: 523: 710: 877: 572: 638: 289: 206: 60: 53:) trail following the path of the original road, which has deteriorated over the years. The route ends at an abandoned 656: 170:
During the fall, hunting traffic along the trail is heavy as the area is prime habitat for moose. Many hunters use
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tour in 2016. As of 2019, Stampede Excursions continues to operate three daily tours along the trail in
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are major obstacles preventing most vehicles from continuing more than 5 miles or so down the trail.
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became the new home of Bus 142, where it would be restored and an outdoor exhibit created.
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The Stampede Trail has been the subject of international attention since the 1992 death of
519: 254: 164: 96: 371: 365: 318: 42: 847:– Complete Guide to Stampede Trail and Finding the Magic Bus including GPS Coordinates 266: 866: 806: 576: 392: 249:
The trail has since been used by backcountry travelers on foot, bicycle, dog sleds,
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In June 2020, various government agencies coordinated a training mission with the
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From the 1970s until 2020, an abandoned bus sat on the Stampede Trail near
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Alaska National Guard airlifts the bus from Stampede Trail (June 2020)
253:, and all-terrain vehicles. The trail's main obstacle is crossing the 95:
Historically, access to the east end of the trail was gained from the
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gold. In the 1930s miner Earl Pilgrim used the trail to access his
859:– Into The Wild Bus removal report, Alaska Public Media, June 2020. 853:– Hiking The Stampede Trail to the Into The Wild Bus, July 2013. 461:"Famous McCandless 'Bus 142' moved to UAF's Museum of the North" 270:
Hikers take a break at Bus 142 on the Stampede Trail in 2009.
639:"Hiking The Stampede Trail to The Magic Bus – Into The Wild" 834: 822: 817: 187:
The Stampede Trail began as the "Lignite to Kantishna"
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titled "Death of an Innocent" describing the death of
737:"Alaska Airlifts 'Into the Wild' Bus Out of the Wild" 99:. Today, the primary access to the trail is from the 191:trail blazed in 1903 by prospectors drawn to the 491:"Explore Denali National Park via air or land" 324:The bus gained notoriety in January 1993 when 687:"Woman drowns trying to ford Teklanika River" 8: 851:A British Documentary visits the Magic Bus 88:along Stampede Creek, a couple miles past 41:is a remote road and trail located in the 27:Remote trail in Denali Borough, Alaska, US 839: 278:, and became a destination for visitors. 888:Transportation in Denali Borough, Alaska 370: 265: 144:University of Alaska Museum of the North 633: 631: 561:from the original on November 30, 2020. 416: 282:City Transit System Bus 142 was a 1946 776:from the original on November 30, 2020 542: 540: 422: 420: 454: 452: 158:6x6 military grade trucks as well as 7: 836:Template:Attached KML/Stampede Trail 685:Kaylin Bettinger (August 16, 2010). 883:Historic trails and roads in Alaska 873:Geography of Denali Borough, Alaska 234:, above the Clearwater Fork of the 368:– along the trail and at the bus. 25: 641:. Vague Direction. Archived from 799: 547:Madeline McGee (July 26, 2019). 331:published an article written by 766:"Bus 142 | Museum of The North" 747:from the original on 2023-01-12 717:from the original on 2020-06-20 667:from the original on 2018-07-12 617:from the original on 2020-11-14 526:from the original on 2015-01-31 501:from the original on 2023-01-12 471:from the original on 2020-09-25 434:. June 18, 2020. Archived from 354:'s 1996 book about McCandless, 735:Holland, Eva (June 18, 2020). 286:K-5 bus left in a clearing at 1: 657:"The Chris McCandless Story" 203:claims on Stampede Creek at 573:"Hiking The Stampede Trail" 364:– a proposed series on the 195:region by the discovery of 904: 495:Fairbanks Daily News-Miner 489:Capps, Kris (2018-05-11). 385:Alaska Army National Guard 305:63.8683222°N 149.7689972°W 32:Path of the Stampede Trail 857:Into The Wild Bus Removal 840:KML is not from Wikidata 319:Caterpillar D8 bulldozer 310:63.8683222; -149.7689972 222:63.740739°N 150.379229°W 76:63.740739°N 150.379229°W 878:Hiking trails in Alaska 284:International Harvester 246:and seasonal flooding. 772:. September 24, 2020. 376: 337:Christopher McCandless 271: 227:63.740739; -150.379229 120:Christopher McCandless 81:63.740739; -150.379229 645:on February 19, 2020. 374: 269: 45:in the U.S. state of 770:University of Alaska 699:on October 30, 2013. 692:Anchorage Daily News 554:Anchorage Daily News 465:Alaska's News Source 401:University of Alaska 276:Denali National Park 101:George Parks Highway 397:Museum of The North 301: /  218: /  92:'s grass airstrip. 72: /  51:all-terrain vehicle 377: 272: 16:(Redirected from 895: 830: 809: 804: 803: 802: 786: 785: 783: 781: 762: 756: 755: 753: 752: 732: 726: 725: 723: 722: 707: 701: 700: 695:. Archived from 682: 676: 675: 673: 672: 653: 647: 646: 635: 626: 625: 623: 622: 616: 603: 594: 588: 587: 585: 584: 575:. Archived from 569: 563: 562: 544: 535: 534: 532: 531: 516: 510: 509: 507: 506: 486: 480: 479: 477: 476: 456: 447: 446: 444: 443: 438:on June 21, 2020 424: 316: 315: 313: 312: 311: 306: 302: 299: 298: 297: 294: 233: 232: 230: 229: 228: 223: 219: 216: 215: 214: 211: 90:Stampede Airport 87: 86: 84: 83: 82: 77: 73: 70: 69: 68: 65: 21: 903: 902: 898: 897: 896: 894: 893: 892: 863: 862: 841: 838: 833: 832: 831: 815: 805: 800: 798: 795: 790: 789: 779: 777: 764: 763: 759: 750: 748: 734: 733: 729: 720: 718: 709: 708: 704: 684: 683: 679: 670: 668: 655: 654: 650: 637: 636: 629: 620: 618: 614: 601: 596: 595: 591: 582: 580: 571: 570: 566: 546: 545: 538: 529: 527: 518: 517: 513: 504: 502: 488: 487: 483: 474: 472: 459:Osborne, Ryan. 458: 457: 450: 441: 439: 426: 425: 418: 413: 309: 307: 303: 300: 295: 292: 290: 288: 287: 264: 255:Teklanika River 226: 224: 220: 217: 212: 209: 207: 205: 204: 185: 165:Teklanika River 97:Alaska Railroad 80: 78: 74: 71: 66: 63: 61: 59: 58: 35: 34: 33: 28: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 901: 899: 891: 890: 885: 880: 875: 865: 864: 861: 860: 854: 848: 814: 813: 812: 811: 810: 794: 793:External links 791: 788: 787: 757: 741:Outside Online 727: 702: 677: 661:Travel Channel 648: 627: 607:Outside Online 597:Jon Krakauer. 589: 564: 536: 520:"Earl Pilgrim" 511: 481: 448: 415: 414: 412: 409: 391:helicopter to 366:Travel Channel 339:, an American 263: 260: 184: 181: 137:in 1996 and a 43:Denali Borough 39:Stampede Trail 31: 30: 29: 26: 24: 14: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 900: 889: 886: 884: 881: 879: 876: 874: 871: 870: 868: 858: 855: 852: 849: 846: 845:FreeWheelings 843: 842: 837: 828: 824: 820: 819: 808: 807:Alaska portal 797: 792: 775: 771: 767: 761: 758: 746: 742: 738: 731: 728: 716: 712: 706: 703: 698: 694: 693: 688: 681: 678: 666: 662: 658: 652: 649: 644: 640: 634: 632: 628: 613: 609: 608: 600: 593: 590: 579:on 2011-11-29 578: 574: 568: 565: 560: 556: 555: 550: 543: 541: 537: 525: 521: 515: 512: 500: 496: 492: 485: 482: 470: 466: 462: 455: 453: 449: 437: 433: 429: 423: 421: 417: 410: 408: 406: 402: 398: 394: 390: 389:CH-47 Chinook 386: 381: 373: 369: 367: 363: 359: 358: 357:Into the Wild 353: 349: 344: 342: 338: 334: 330: 328: 322: 320: 314: 296:149°46′8.39″W 285: 281: 277: 268: 261: 259: 256: 252: 247: 245: 239: 237: 231: 202: 198: 194: 190: 182: 180: 177: 173: 168: 166: 161: 157: 153: 147: 145: 140: 136: 132: 130: 125: 121: 116: 112: 110: 106: 102: 98: 93: 91: 85: 56: 52: 48: 44: 40: 19: 816: 780:November 30, 778:. 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Retrieved 436:the original 431: 382: 378: 361: 355: 352:Jon Krakauer 348:film version 345: 333:Jon Krakauer 326: 323: 293:63°52′5.96″N 273: 251:snowmachines 248: 240: 236:Toklat River 186: 169: 148: 128: 124:Jon Krakauer 117: 113: 109:Nenana River 94: 38: 36: 362:Off the Map 308: / 225: / 213:150°22′45″W 133:article; a 79: / 67:150°22′45″W 867:Categories 751:2020-06-19 721:2020-06-19 671:2018-07-11 621:2021-07-01 583:2011-07-15 530:2015-01-30 505:2018-05-18 475:2020-09-25 442:2020-06-19 411:References 341:hitchhiker 244:permafrost 210:63°44′27″N 160:Volvo C306 64:63°44′27″N 405:Fairbanks 280:Fairbanks 193:Kantishna 156:Pinzgauer 818:KML file 774:Archived 745:Archived 715:Archived 665:Archived 612:Archived 559:Archived 524:Archived 499:Archived 469:Archived 329:magazine 201:antimony 131:magazine 57:mine at 55:antimony 399:at the 327:Outside 262:Bus 142 183:History 129:Outside 18:Bus 142 395:. The 197:placer 189:mining 126:in an 47:Alaska 615:(PDF) 602:(PDF) 393:Healy 176:Argos 105:Healy 827:help 823:edit 782:2020 432:KTVA 172:ATVs 152:Argo 139:film 135:book 37:The 403:in 350:of 174:or 869:: 825:• 768:. 743:. 739:. 713:. 689:. 663:. 659:. 630:^ 610:. 604:. 557:. 551:. 539:^ 522:. 497:. 493:. 467:. 463:. 451:^ 430:. 419:^ 146:. 111:. 829:) 821:( 784:. 754:. 724:. 674:. 624:. 586:. 533:. 508:. 478:. 445:. 20:)

Index

Bus 142
Denali Borough
Alaska
all-terrain vehicle
antimony
63°44′27″N 150°22′45″W / 63.740739°N 150.379229°W / 63.740739; -150.379229
Stampede Airport
Alaska Railroad
George Parks Highway
Healy
Nenana River
Christopher McCandless
Jon Krakauer
Outside magazine
book
film
University of Alaska Museum of the North
Argo
Pinzgauer
Volvo C306
Teklanika River
ATVs
Argos
mining
Kantishna
placer
antimony
63°44′27″N 150°22′45″W / 63.740739°N 150.379229°W / 63.740739; -150.379229
Toklat River
permafrost

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