‘Into the Wild’ lures the unprepared to Alaska
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – For nearly a quarter-century, the old bus abandoned in Alaska’s punishing wilderness has drawn adventurers seeking to retrace the steps of a young idealist who met a tragic death in the derelict vehicle.
For many, Christopher McCandless’ legend was cemented in the 1996 “Into the Wild” book and later in the movie. But scores of travelers following his journey along the Stampede Trail just outside Denali National Park have been rescued and others have died in the harsh reality of back-country terrain.
The area is marked by no cellphone service, unpredictable weather and the raging Teklanika River, whose swollen banks prevented the 24-year-old Virginian from seeking help before his 1992 starvation death.
Now families of some of those who died are proposing looking at building a footbridge over the Teklanika. The effort is led by the husband of a 24year-old newlywed woman from Belarus who died last year trying to reach the bus.
“People keep going there despite multiple accidents reported,” said Piotr Markielau, who was with his wife, Veramika Maikamava, when she was swept away by the river. “Making the crossing safer is a social responsibility.”
But some local officials in Denali Borough in Healy, about 25 miles away, fear a footbridge could give people a false impression of safety. There are other hazards, including harsh weather and dangerous terrain. Some attempting the trip are ill-prepared.
Borough Mayor Clay Walker wants to see the bus relocated to a safer location on the other side of the Teklanika with the help of federal and state agencies.
“This bus has meaning to a lot of people, and the challenge will be to put together a plan that works for all,” Walker said.