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The Stampede Trail is a road and trail located in the Denali Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska. A paved or maintained gravel road for 8 miles (13 km) on its eastern end as far west as Eight Mile Lake, the remainder of the route consists of a primitive, remote, and, at times, dangerous hiking or ATV (All-terrain vehicle) trail following a path where the original road has deteriorated over the years. The route ends along Stampede Creek near a rustic airstrip Stampede Airport.
Historically, access to the east end of the trail was gained from the Alaska Railroad. Today, the primary access to the trail is from the George Parks Highway (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 Healy. 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 Nenana River.
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.
The Stampede Trail has been the subject of international attention since the 1992 death of Christopher McCandless, whose body was found in an abandoned bus deep inside the wilderness about 28 miles down the trail. First brought to the public's attention by Jon Krakauer in an Outside magazine article, a book in 1996, and film in 2007, followed. The landmark's infamy led to an increase in hikers along the trail as well as complaints of a corresponding increase in unprepared hikers who require assistance in the backcountry. Many rescues and deaths still occur annually along the trail. The Alaska State Troopers and the Tri-Valley Fire Department (Healy) are primarily responsible for these rescues and assistance. Because of these incidents, the State of Alaska arranged for the Alaska National Guard to extract the bus (known as 'Bus 142') from the trail. An Alaska Army National Guard CH-47 airlifted the bus and removed it entirely from the area in June of 2020 as part of a training mission.
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 Argo tour in 2016. As of 2019, Stampede Excursions continues to operate three daily tours along the trail in Pinzgauer 6x6 military grade trucks as well as Volvo C306 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 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 Teklanika River are major obstacles preventing most vehicles from continuing more than 5 miles or so down the trail.
During the fall, hunting traffic along the trail is heavy as the area is prime habitat for moose. Many hunters use ATV's or Argos to access hunting camps. Moose hunting in this area generally yields high success rates. Winter travel by snowmobile, d** sled, or tracked vehicle is much easier than summer travel after the boggy tundra, beaver ponds, and rivers freeze.
In September 2017, Circle the Globe Productions filmed a pilot episode for a possible new TV series along the trail and at the bus. Logistics and equipment were provided by Stampede Excursions and Alaska Mountaineering School. The series is hosted by J.J. Kelley, titled "Off the Map,” and was set to premiere on the Travel Channel on July 18, 2018. The full episode is also available online on Vimeo.Since the death of Christopher McCandless in 1992, two additional people have lost their lives attempting to reach the infamous Bus 142 (which was removed entirely, from the area, in June of 2020). In 2010, Claire Ackermann of Switzerland drowned in the Teklanika River while attempting to cross. She had tied herself off to a preexisting rope that spanned a fast moving stretch of river. When the water became too deep, she lost footing and drowned before she could be cut free. In 2019, a similar incident occurred in the same location. Veranika Nikanava of Belarus perished in the same way, attempting to cross the river while tied off to a rope. Any future hikers are 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 funds and awareness for a potential cable crossing or bridge at this location.
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Historically, access to the east end of the trail was gained from the Alaska Railroad. Today, the primary access to the trail is from the George Parks Highway (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 Healy. 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 Nenana River.
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.
The Stampede Trail has been the subject of international attention since the 1992 death of Christopher McCandless, whose body was found in an abandoned bus deep inside the wilderness about 28 miles down the trail. First brought to the public's attention by Jon Krakauer in an Outside magazine article, a book in 1996, and film in 2007, followed. The landmark's infamy led to an increase in hikers along the trail as well as complaints of a corresponding increase in unprepared hikers who require assistance in the backcountry. Many rescues and deaths still occur annually along the trail. The Alaska State Troopers and the Tri-Valley Fire Department (Healy) are primarily responsible for these rescues and assistance. Because of these incidents, the State of Alaska arranged for the Alaska National Guard to extract the bus (known as 'Bus 142') from the trail. An Alaska Army National Guard CH-47 airlifted the bus and removed it entirely from the area in June of 2020 as part of a training mission.
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 Argo tour in 2016. As of 2019, Stampede Excursions continues to operate three daily tours along the trail in Pinzgauer 6x6 military grade trucks as well as Volvo C306 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 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 Teklanika River are major obstacles preventing most vehicles from continuing more than 5 miles or so down the trail.
During the fall, hunting traffic along the trail is heavy as the area is prime habitat for moose. Many hunters use ATV's or Argos to access hunting camps. Moose hunting in this area generally yields high success rates. Winter travel by snowmobile, d** sled, or tracked vehicle is much easier than summer travel after the boggy tundra, beaver ponds, and rivers freeze.
In September 2017, Circle the Globe Productions filmed a pilot episode for a possible new TV series along the trail and at the bus. Logistics and equipment were provided by Stampede Excursions and Alaska Mountaineering School. The series is hosted by J.J. Kelley, titled "Off the Map,” and was set to premiere on the Travel Channel on July 18, 2018. The full episode is also available online on Vimeo.Since the death of Christopher McCandless in 1992, two additional people have lost their lives attempting to reach the infamous Bus 142 (which was removed entirely, from the area, in June of 2020). In 2010, Claire Ackermann of Switzerland drowned in the Teklanika River while attempting to cross. She had tied herself off to a preexisting rope that spanned a fast moving stretch of river. When the water became too deep, she lost footing and drowned before she could be cut free. In 2019, a similar incident occurred in the same location. Veranika Nikanava of Belarus perished in the same way, attempting to cross the river while tied off to a rope. Any future hikers are 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 funds and awareness for a potential cable crossing or bridge at this location.
View More On Wikipedia.org