Page 32 - aruba-today-20200229

A32 FEATURE
Saturday 29 February 2020
'Into the Wild' lures the unprepared to Alaska wilderness

By RACHEL D'ORO rified" by the deaths of
Associated Press people trying to cross the
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) Teklanika. He's also skep-
— For nearly a quarter- tical building a bridge or
century, the old bus aban- moving the bus will solve
doned in Alaska's punishing the problem.
wilderness has drawn ad- "I really don't know what
venturers seeking to retrace can be done or should be
the steps of a young ideal- done about the unpre-
ist who met a tragic death pared 'pilgrims' who get
in the derelict vehicle. into trouble and perish or
For many, Christopher Mc- need to be rescued," he
Candless' legend was ce- said in an email to The As-
mented in the 1996 "Into sociated Press. "I have no
the Wild" book and later objection to removing the
in the movie. But scores of bus, or building a bridge to
travelers following his jour- it, if a persuasive argument
ney along the Stampede can be made that doing
Trail just outside Denali Na- either of these things would
tional Park have been res- solve the problem. I am
cued and others have died skeptical about the wisdom
in the harsh reality of back- of either of these proposed
country terrain. This March 21, 2006, file photo, shows the abandoned bus where Christopher McCandless starved measures, however."
The area is marked by no to death in 1992 on Stampede Road near Healy, Alaska. McCandless' sister agrees.
cell phone service, un- Associated Press Carine McCandless be-
predictable weather and lieves people will keep
the raging Teklanika River, It was left in the wilderness trying to reach the site,
whose swollen banks pre- as a backcountry shelter regardless of what locals
vented the 24-year-old Vir- for hunters and trappers decide. She said people
ginian from seeking help after it was used to house send her messages ev-
before his 1992 starvation construction crews working ery day from all over the
death. to improve the trail so trucks world, identifying with her
Now families of some of could haul ore from a mine, brother's story, and she un-
those who died are pro- according to the book. It's derstands why people con-
posing looking at building a outfitted with a barrel stove tinue to make the trek.
footbridge over the Teklan- and bunks. "It is not Chris's story they
ika. The effort is led by the The bus was abandoned are following, it is their own,
husband of a 24-year-old when McCandless en- even if they don't realize it
newlywed woman from Be- countered it and wrote at the time," she said. "And
larus who died last year try- in his journal about living as far as the lure of the bus
ing to reach the bus. there for 114 days, right up — it's not about the bus,
"People keep going there In this June 20, 2008, file photo, the road sign for Stampede Road until his death. either. If the bus is moved,
despite multiple accidents is seen in Healy, Alaska. Author Jon Krakauer, who people will simply erect a
reported," said Piotr Mar- Associated Press wrote "Into the Wild," said memorial in its place and
kielau, who was with his he is "saddened and hor- continue to go there."q
wife Veramika Maikamava er wants to see the bus
when she was swept away relocated to a safer loca-
by the river. "Making the tion on the other side of
crossing safer is a social re- the Teklanika with the help
sponsibility. It is also a con- of federal and state agen-
structive and humane way cies.
to learn from people who "This bus has meaning to a
died there." lot of people, and the chal-
But some local officials in lenge will be to put togeth-
Denali Borough in Healy, er a plan that works for all,"
about 25 miles (40 kilome- Walker said.
ters) away, fear a foot- A bridge would not have
bridge could give people made a difference in the
a false impression of safety latest rescue. It involved
that doesn't exist. There are five Italian tourists — one
other hazards, including with frostbitten feet — who
harsh weather and danger- were rescued Saturday af-
ous terrain. Some attempt- ter visiting the dilapidated
ing the trip are ill-prepared. bus.
"It'll only encourage more The long-discarded bus sits
people to go," says De- in a clearing on state land
nali Assembly member Jeff roughly half a mile (0.8 kilo-
Stenger, who rejects the meters) from the boundary
bridge idea and would of the Denali National Park
prefer to see warning signs and Preserve. In this June 20, 2008, file photo, the Stampede Road becomes a narrow, rutted four-wheel drive
posted in the area. Travelers often traverse trail after eight miles from its intersection with the George Parks Highway in Healy, Alaska.
Borough Mayor Clay Walk- park land to get to the bus. Associated Press