The Carbon in PermafrostPermanently frozen ground. Experimental Heating Research Site is located off the Stampede Trail in Healy, AK. The Stampede Trail began as a mining trail to an antimony mining claim on Stampede Creek . In the early 1960’s the State of Alaska decided to build a road to access these claims. After the road building stopped a couple of years into the project the road quickly, due to permafrost and absence of maintenance, faded into a trail.
This trail would have continued to fade into obscurity being used primarily by locals, mushers and hunters to access the back country bordering the north side of Denali National Park save for the death of a young man. In the summer 1992 Christopher McCandless lived in the now infamous Bus 142. The bus located approximately 23 miles from Healy on the Stampede Trail had served as a shelter people who traveled the trail.
In 1996 Jon Krakaur author wrote a book Into the Wild describing the life of Chris McCandless. That book and the subsequent movie Into the Wild 2007 brought the Stampede Trail and Bus 142 to people’s attention. Chris’s story connected with people and Bus 142 has become a destination point for people of all ages and all walks of life.
http://vimeo.com/10979672
After reading the book and seeing part of the movie, for a reason I can’t describe, I was curious to see where Chris McCandless’s life ended. The opportunity came last Saturday on my day off from the research site. Elizabeth, John and I had originally planned to cross country ski the 46 miles roundtrip to bus 142 from our field cabin in Healy. Mike and Corine our next door neighbors who happen to mush dogs however offered to take us there via dogteam.
http://youtu.be/Ifj5vrX5Qq4
Mike and Corine hooking up two 10 dog teams at the field cabin near Healy, AK.
http://youtu.be/QB42b4vWLdM Driving a 10 dog team along the Stampede Trail (Mike is riding in the sled.).
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