Browse Through the Traveler Content

The Seventymile Kid: The Lost Legacy Of Harry Karstens And The First Ascent Of Mount McKinley

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on April 1, 2013 - 1:50am

Turn-of-the-century Alaska was a harsh, demanding, and yet exhilarating place, a landscape that didn't suffer greenhorns. Nineteen-year-old Harry Karstens thrust himself into this setting in 1897 to join the Gold Rush, and went on to cast a long shadow in the state's history, and not just because of his role in summiting Mount McKinley.

Registration For Field Courses In Denali National Park Opens January 9

Submitted by NPT Staff on December 28, 2012 - 2:58am

Winter months are planning months (unless you can escape to a warm, sandy location). And beginning January 9, you'll be able to start planning a summer journey to Denali National Park and Preserve for a field seminar hosted by Alaska Geographic.

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By NPT Staff

Reader Participation Day: Should The National Park Service Ban Solo Hikers In Grizzly Bear Territory?

Submitted by NPT Staff on August 29, 2012 - 1:44am

Does the National Park Service have to rethink its rules when it comes to backcountry travel in known grizzly bear habitat? That question grows in importance in the wake of last week's fatal mauling of a backpacker in Denali National Park.

Politicians, Staff Heading To National Parks During Congressional Recess

Submitted by NPT Staff on August 7, 2012 - 1:44am

Denali National Park and Preserve seems to be quite popular this August with congressional staffers, though a number of other parks also are destinations for politicians and their staff during the August recess.

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By NPT Staff

Annual Road Lottery Opens June 1 At Denali National Park And Preserve

Submitted by NPT Staff on June 1, 2012 - 1:05am

For the next 30 days you'll be able to enter for a chance to drive along the Denali Park Road this fall.

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By NPT Staff

Investigation Shows Denali Climbing Team Doomed By Lack Of Equipment, Poor Decision-Making

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on May 17, 2012 - 1:09am

With biting temperatures no higher than 20 degrees below zero, and winds that would gust to near 80 mph, the four-man climbing team on Mount McKinley had precious little margin for error. And when they tumbled 300-500 feet down "Pig Hill," suffering broken bones and contusions, that margin quickly began to unravel.

App Review: Field Guide, Tips For Photographing The American Wilderness

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on March 26, 2012 - 1:17am

In his first app for the iPad, national parks photographer Ian Shive explores how he captures the best expressions of the American wilderness and leaves you with some helpful tips that can help you hone your photographic skills.

Updated: Climbing Fees Rising At Denali National Park and Preserve

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on September 7, 2011 - 10:49am

It will cost more to climb Mount McKinley and Mount Foraker in Denali National Park and Preserve, as park officials are moving to offset the cost of protecting and rescuing climbers.

Trains Of Discovery: Railroads and the Legacy of Our National Parks

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on August 21, 2011 - 1:34am

For years I've been searching for railroad memorabilia tied to the national parks: Posters, luggage stickers, calendars, even timetables from the Northern Pacific, Great Northern Railway, Southern Pacific, Union Pacific.

Permanent Vacation: Twenty Writers on Work and Life in Our National Parks

Submitted by Danny Bernstein on June 26, 2011 - 1:01am

Millions of people visit our national parks each year, and some never leave. See iconic landscapes through the eyes of bed makers, bridge builders, rangers, and wranglers. Rip through rapids, disappear inside canyons, and witness personal transformations from petrified forest to permafrost. Learn what it's like to ditch the mainstream and make a life in our nation's best idea.

Backpacker Magazine's National Parks Collector's Edition

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on June 6, 2011 - 1:08am

Backpacker magazine has devoted its June issue to the national parks, and the 112-page mag packs quite a lot of information -- including some great features on park destinations and a discussion-spurring list of parks the editor-in-chief would do away with in favor of new units -- between the covers.

Two Climbers Killed While Working New Route on Mount Frances in Denali National Park

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on May 25, 2011 - 3:30pm

An apparent avalanche has killed two climbers attempting a new route on the west face of Mount Frances, a 10,450-foot peak just north of the Kahiltna Basecamp on Mount McKinley in Denali National Park and Preserve.

1,000-Foot-Fall Kills Italian Climber on Mt. McKinley in Denali National Park

Submitted by Anonymous on May 16, 2011 - 6:42pm

A 67-year-old Italian climber became the second fatality in a week on Mt. McKinley in Denali National Park when he fell 1,000 feet Monday while making an unroped traverse of Denali Pass.

Climbers in Mt. McKinley Accident Identified by Denali National Park Officials

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on May 14, 2011 - 2:54pm

Two Americans, an Irishman, and a Swiss climber were identified by Denali National Park officials as the quartet involved in an accident near the roof of Mount McKinley that wound up killing one of the four.

Mt. McKinley Climbing Accident In Denali National Park Leaves One Dead, Another Rescued At 19,500 Feet

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on May 13, 2011 - 7:04am

A break in 70 mph winds Thursday evening allowed search-and-rescue personnel to rescue an injured climber at 19,500 feet on Mt. McKinley in Denali National Park, though another member of the climbing party was found dead on the mountain.

High-Elevation Rescue Under Way Thursday On Mt. McKinley in Denali National Park

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on May 12, 2011 - 7:09pm

Mountaineering rangers were working Thursday evening on a bid to rescue climbers scattered high on Mt. McKinley in Denali National Park following an accident in which a guide and three climbers tumbled down a section of the mountain near the summit.

Summer Special: Wildflowers in the National Parks

Submitted by Danny Bernstein on April 1, 2011 - 1:07am

Summer brings a wealth of flowers to those parks that have enjoyed spring flowers like Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It also brings flowers to Rocky Mountain National Park and the parks in Alaska where the snow is just melting.

Listen To The Interview: Andrew Skurka

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on March 20, 2011 - 1:25am

For six months in 2010 Andrew Skurka went on the adventure of a lifetime. By foot, ski, and raft the adventurer circumnavigated Alaska, a journey of 4,678.8 miles that tested him physically and mentally. Listen to this podcast as he shares insights to that trek.

A Walk Around Alaska, The Andrew Skurka Story

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on March 20, 2011 - 1:12am

What could possibly inspire someone to circumnavigate Alaska, traveling 4,678.8 miles by foot, ski, and inflatable raft? For Andrew Skurka, the challenge was both physical and mental and an underlying desire to "take advantage of the 70, 80 years that I've got on this planet."

National Park Service Linking Good Health With Park Visits During National Parks Week

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on March 17, 2011 - 1:43am

In promoting this year's National Park Week, which falls in mid-April, the National Park Service is highlighting what might seem obvious: Getting outside is good for your health.

Slight Boost In Climbing Fees Approved For Mount Rainier National Park

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on March 16, 2011 - 1:38am

A slight increase -- the cost of about four cups of coffee at Starbucks -- has been approved for the annual climbing passes sold at Mount Rainier National Park.

Plowing Of Denali Park Road To Begin Wednesday in Denali National Park

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on March 15, 2011 - 1:38am

A little more snow and ice-clogged culverts are awaiting crews at Denali National Park and Preserve who are scheduled to begin work Wednesday on opening the Denali Park Road for the summer.

Reader Participation Day: Should Costs Of Operating Special Programs In the Parks Be Shared By All?

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on March 9, 2011 - 2:01am

Should the National Park Service do away with special use fees and simply spread the costs of running special programs across all those who enter the parks?

Alaska's U.S. Senators Want To Run Natural Gas Pipeline Through Denali National Park

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on February 10, 2011 - 2:13am

Alaska's U.S. senators, with the backing of the National Parks Conservation Association and the National Park Service, have introduced legislation to allow a natural gas pipeline to be routed through Denali National Park and Preserve parallel to a short stretch of the main park road.

Looking Back On 2010 Across the National Park System

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on December 31, 2010 - 2:56am

What were the top stories across the National Park System in 2010? There were more than a few, ranging from the tragic loss of three Katmai National Park and Preserve employees to a small-plane crash to the ongoing controversy over whether birds, turtles and off-road vehicles can co-exist at Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Let's take a look back through the year at some of the stories.

Melting Ice Patch Near Yellowstone National Park Reveals Ancient Hunting Weapon

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on July 5, 2010 - 1:29am

National parks, long treasured as providing glimpses into our past, are proving to be better time capsules than we might have imagined just a decade ago. Proof lies in a 10,000-year-old hunting weapon found below a melting ice patch near Yellowstone National Park.