MOUNT McKINLEY (renamed Denali) Circular of General Information 1936

FISHING

The grayling, a very hardy species of the trout family, is found in park waters. They are sporty fish and of an average weight of 1 to 2 pounds. Large schools of these fish may be seen swimming in the waters of Savage River, at the north entrance to Savage Canyon. The angler may also try his luck in Riley Creek, about a half mile from the railroad station, where grayling abound. There are also trout in the park streams which are classified locally as Dolly Varden. Their weight is in the neighborhood of 1 pound.

At Wonder Lake, about 35 miles due north of Mount McKinley, there is a variety of trout.

Practically all the park streams have their sources in the snow-capped mountain ranges. None of them is more than 4 feet in depth; consequently during the winter they are frozen almost solid, with only a small trickle of water flowing underneath the ice above the gravel bed. The grayling manages to pass the winter by returning to deeper rivers outside the park and coming back when the ice has disappeared, about the middle of April.

CLIMATE

The climate of Mount McKinley National Park differs on the two sides of the Alaska Range. On the inland side of the mountains there are short, comparatively warm, summers and long, cold winters, with low precipitation. The area draining into the Pacific enjoys a more equable climate, the summers being longer and cooler and the winters warmer than in the interior, with much greater precipitation.

The average snowfall in winter varies from 30 to 45 inches during the whole of the season, while in the summer the total precipitation never amounts to more than 15 inches. Temperatures range from 60° to 80° in the summer, and in the winter, although at times the thermometer runs down to 45° and 50° below zero, it usually averages about 5° to 10° below.

The sunshine during the summer months is gorgeous and lasts for more than 18 hours a day. On June 21, the longest day in the year, the sun is visible at midnight from the top of mountains approximately 4,000 feet in height, and photographs may be taken at that time. In Fairbanks this occasion is usually celebrated by a midnight sun festival, of which a baseball game is one of the many athletic events. The mere fact of the unusual hour of play creates a novelty which draws many visitors. The rays of the sun, as they shine over this part of Alaska, make a picture of riotous color which it would be difficult for any artist to reproduce. It is a wonderful sight to behold this sheen of glory covering the entire sky, transforming the snowy peaks of the mountains into domes of fire, from which one can almost feel the heat emanating.

Winter in this park has a charm all its own, which appeals to the hardy adventurer. It is first announced by the flaming riot of color made by the frost-touched alder, cottonwood, willow, and quaking aspen. In contrast to these are the great masses of dark green spruce and the sphagnum mosses above timberline. Access to practically all portions of the park can be had by dog team during the long Arctic winter, when an indescribable hush hovers over everything.

ROADS AND TRAILS

There are now 74 miles of graveled automobile roads within the park. This stretch of highway, beginning at McKinley Park Station, has an altitude of 1,732 feet above sea level. It is located on a small plateau, surrounded on the north, east, and west sides by mountains in close proximity, and on the south side by the more distant Alaska Range. Park headquarters is located at Mile 2 on the highway, elevation 2,092 feet. At Mile 12 the Savage River Camp of the Mount McKinley Tourist & Transportation Co.

At Mile 66, or Camp Denali, a fine saddle-horse trail continues into the park to the regions about the base of Mount McKinley. From Mount Eielson the trail crosses Muldrow Glacier to the head of Clearwater Creek. Another trail from Mount Eielson follows down the McKinley River, in the north central part of the park about 20 miles north of Mount McKinley. From here may be obtained excellent views of McKinley's massive bulk from base to peak. Wonder Lake may be reached from this point, and a few miles farther in the same direction is the Kantishna district. In this section may be seen modern hydraulic mining or the old prospector sluicing out gold in the "97" method; also the driving of tunnels into gold quartz leads which these prospectors hope to develop into dividend-paying mines.

From Savage River camp an interesting saddle-horse trip can be made over the divide and on to the Sanctuary River, at Mile 22. From here the trail leads past Double Mountain, a cross the Teklanika River, and on to Igloo Creek, at Mile 33.

Through Sable Pass the trail leads over the East Fork of the Toklat River, and then through Polychrome Pass, over the Main Toklat River, on through Highway Pass and Thorofare Pass to the lower rim of Muldrow Glacier. Along the way one passes the north side of Mount Eielson, which has been the scene of much prospecting for silver, lead, copper, and other metalliferous formations.

Near the Savage River Camp a trail has been constructed down the Savage River Canyon, beginning at the Savage River bridge and continuing down the canyon between steep mountains rising abruptly from the bed of the river. Grayling are plentiful in the lower end of the canyon.

MAP OF MT. McKINLEY NATIONAL PARK

ADMINISTRATION

Mount McKinley National Park is administered by the National Park Service of the Department of the Interior. The officer in immediate charge is Harry J. Liek, superintendent, with headquarters about 2 miles southwest of McKinley Park Station. All complaints and suggestions regarding service in the park should be addressed to him. The post-office address is McKinley Park, Alaska.

The official park season is from June 10 to September 15. During this time the public utilities are operated.

HOW TO REACH THE PARK

The entrance to Mount McKinley National Park is at McKinley Park Station, a point on the Alaska Railroad, 348 miles from Seward, the seaport terminus, and 123 miles from Fairbanks, the metropolis of interior Alaska. Five trains a week arrive from these cities.

A gasoline motor car, commodious as a Pullman coach, operates between McKinley Park Station and other points along the Alaska Railroad. This car has a seating capacity of 40 passengers and also hauls a trailer with the same capacity.

Steamers of the Alaska Steamship, Pacific Steamship, Canadian Pacific, and Canadian National Railways Cos. sail weekly for Alaska. These steamers ply between Seattle and Cordova and Seward, and also between Seattle and Nome, with the exception of the Canadian boats, which go only as far as Skagway. Information relative to travel on these boats may be procured from the offices of these Steamship companies in Seattle, Wash.

The park may be reached by any of the following routes, along which many outstanding scenic attractions may be seen:

FROM CORDOVA

On arrival at Cordova the visitor may take the Copper River & Northwestern Railroad trains to Chitina, then travel over the Richardson Highway by automobile to Fairbanks. From this point to McKinley Park Station the trip is made on the Alaska Railroad. The Richardson Highway passes through a country of live glaciers, magnificent mountains, and swift-flowing rivers, affording views of Mount Drum, Mount Sanford, Mount Wrangell, Summit Lake, Isabella Pass, and Rainbow Mountain, as well as a panoramic view of the Alaska Range across the Big Delta River. During this trip, over a distance of 315 miles, the traveler may obtain good meals at the primitive road houses, built log-cabin fashion, that are interesting reminders of pioneer days in Alaska.

FROM SEWARD

The trip to the park from Seward is made over the Alaska Railroad. This route takes the traveler past beautiful Lake Kenai, Moose Pass, Spencer Glacier, and Turnagain Arm, which boasts the second highest tide in the world. It also offers the unique experience of crossing the continental divide at its lowest point in North America, where it reaches 2,337 feet elevation. The first view of Mount McKinley is had from Talkeetna, but the majestic peak is sighted from various other points along the railroad.

It is interesting to note that Seward was named for former Secretary of State William G. Seward, whose patriotic foresight and commercial ability were responsible for the purchase of Alaska from Russia in 1867.

FROM NOME

Travelers making the trip to Nome continue on to St. Michael and there make connections with the Alaska Railroad steamboats. These boats travel up the Yukon River, past crude native villages and primitive fish wheels, to Nenana. From here a ride of 63 miles by railroad takes one to the park.

The Alaska Road Commission has constructed a road from Fairbanks, on the Alaska Railroad about 150 miles north of the park, to Circle City, on the Yukon River, which is known as the "Steese Highway." This makes possible an interesting inside circle trip in connection with Dominion passage to Skagway. From here the traveler will be able to go down the Yukon River to Circle City, and motor from this point to Fairbanks, from where McKinley Park Station may be reached over the Alaska Railroad. After visiting the park the seaport of Seward may be reached over the Alaska Railroad, and the return to the States or Canada made over the inside route.

ACCOMMODATIONS AND EXPENSES

Visitors live in tent camps operated by the Mount McKinley Tourist & Transportation Co. under the supervision of the Department of the Interior. Savage Camp is the base unit, and there are field camps at the head of Savage River, at Toklat River, and at Mount Eielson. Guests are made as comfortable as possible in a country so far from the sources of supply. The costs average about $7.50 a day for two persons occupying a tent; single tents cost approximately a dollar more. If the guest remains a week, the expenses average $5.50 a day. Children from 5 to 12 years old are charged half rates, and unless using an individual bed, there is no charge for children under 5. Dances and other social gatherings are held in the community room at Savage Camp.

Practically all McKinley visitors come to the park by rail. The round trip bus fare from the station to Savage River Camp is $7.50. Motor trips from this camp to the head of Savage River, Polychrome Pass through Sable Pass, and other points of scenic interest range in cost from $7.50 to $42.50. Pack trips for a close-up view of Mount McKinley, to fish for trout and grayling, or to explore the glaciers and scenic beauty of the park may be arranged at the camp at prices varying from approximately $17.50 a day up, according to the number of persons in the party. Horses, food, bedding, tents, and all other necessary equipment are furnished by the company. Saddle horses for short trips may be hired for $2 an hour or $5 a day. Special guide service costs $10 a day.

Because of the ruggedness of the country and the absence of motor roads, airplanes are widely used in Alaska. A remarkable scenic flight from Savage Camp to Mount Eielson, Muldrow Glacier, and the base of Mount McKinley over Sable, Polychrome, Highway, and Thorofare Passes may be made at a cost of $35.

All the foregoing service is available from June 10 to September 15. The rates charged are based on the cost of furnishing such service and are approved by the Government. This booklet is issued once a year and the rates may have changed slightly since issuance, but the latest rates approved by the Secretary of the Interior are on file with the superintendent.

Although the service is under the supervision of the Secretary of the Interior, the employees of the Tourist & Transportation Co. are not Federal employees. If you have suggestions regarding the service, they should be discussed with the park superintendent.

Ranger on winter-patrol duty.

REFERENCES

BOOKS

ALBRIGHT, HORACE M., and TAYLOR, FRANK J. Oh Ranger! A book about the national parks. Stanford University Press. 1928. 178 pages, illustrated. Price, $2.50.

BALCH, EDWIN SWIFT. The Mount McKinley and Mountain Climbers' Proofs. Philadelphia: Capion & Co. 1914. pp. 142.

BROOKS, ALFRED H. The Mount McKinley Region, Alaska. United States Geological Survey, Professional Paper 70. Washington: Government Printing Office. 1911. pp. 234. Illustrations. Maps.

BROWNE, BELMORE. The Conquest of Mount McKinley. The story of Three Expeditions Through the Alaskan Wilderness to Mount McKinley, North America's Highest and Most Inaccessible Mountain. Appendix by Herchel C. Parker. With 100 illustrations from original drawings by the author and from photographs and maps. New York and London: G. P. Putnam's Sons. 1913. pp. xvii, 381. Illustrations. Map.

DAVIS, MARY LEE. Uncle Sam's Attic. 1930. 402 pp., illustrated. W. A. Wilde Co., Boston, publishers.

DUNN, ROBERT. The Shameless Diary of an Explorer. New York: The Outing Publishing Co. 1907. pp. viii, 297. Illustrations. Maps.

ROLFE, MARY A. Our National Parks. Book Two. pp. 157-197. Illustrated. Benj. H. Sanborn & Co. Chicago. 1928.

STUCK, HUDSON. The Ascent of Denali (Mount McKinley). A Narrative of the First Complete Ascent of the Highest Peak in North America. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. 1914. pp. xix, 188. Illustrations. Maps.

MAGAZINE ARTICLES

BECKWITH, EDWARD P. The Mount McKinley Cosmic Ray Expedition, 1932. In the American Alpine Journal 1933, pp. 45-68. Illustrations.

BROWNE, BELMORE. The Struggle up Mount McKinley. In The Outing Magazine, June 1907, vol. L, pp. 257-276. Illustrations.

______. The Conquering of Mount McKinley. In Hearst's Magazine, December 1912, pp. 38-50. Illustrations.

BROWNE, BELMORE. [A series of articles by Belmore Browne, in The Outing Magazine. Illustrated.] Conquering Mount McKinley: I. By Snowshoe and Dog Sledge through the Alaskan Lowlands (February 1913, pp. 515-530). II. Across an Unknown Pass with Alaskan Dog Teams (March 1913, pp. 643-666). Scaling America's Highest Peak (April 1913, pp. 3-23). An Alaskan Happy Hunting Ground (May 1913, pp. 194-209). Hitting the Home Trail from Mount McKinley (July 1913, pp. 387-404).

______. The Mount McKinley National Park. In Scribner's Magazine, October 1927, pp. 399-410. Illustrations.

CAIRNS, RALPH H. Hazards of Climbing Mount McKinley. In Overland Monthly, February 1913, vol. LXI, no. 2, pp. 107-123. Illustrations.

CAPPS, STEPHEN R. A Game Country Without Rival in America. The proposed Mount McKinley National Park. In National Geographic Magazine, January 1917, pp. 69-84. Illustrations.

______. The Kantishna Region, Alaska. U. S. Geological Survey Bulletin, 687. 1919.

DUNN, ROBERT. [A series of five articles in The Outing Magazine. Illustrated.] Across the Forbidden Tundra (January 1904, pp. 459-471). Into the Mists of Mount McKinley (February 1904, pp. 535-545). Storm-wrapped on Mount McKinley (March 1904, pp. 697-706.) Highest on Mount McKinley (April 1904, pp. 27-35). Home by Ice and by Swimming from Mount McKinley (May 1904, pp. 214-219).

LIEK, HARRY J. The Second Ascent of Mount McKinley. In the Sierra Club Bulletin, February 1933, pp. 81-87. Illustrations.

LINDLEY, A. D. The Ascent of Mount McKinley. In the Canadian Alpine Journal 1932, pp. 111-121. Illustrations.

______. Mount McKinley, South and North Peaks, 1932. In the American Alpine Journal 1933, pp. 36-44. Illustrations.

MAZAMA. The Conquest of Mount McKinley. In Mazama, 1907, vol. III, no. 1, pp. 55-60.

PARKER, H. C. The Exploration of Mount McKinley: Is it the "Crest of the Continent"? In Review of Reviews, January 1907, pp. 49-58. Illustrations.

______. Conquering Mount McKinley. In Appalachia, June 1913, vol. XIII, no. 1, pp. 32-39. Illustrations.

SPADAVECCHIA, NICHOLAS W. With the Cosmic Ray Expedition to Mount McKinley. In the Appalachian Mountain Club Bulletin, June 1933. pp. 432-448. Illustrations.

HUDSON. The Ascent of Denali (Mount McKinley). In Scribner's Magazine, November 1913, vol. LIV, no. 5, pp. 531-552. Illustrations.

WICKERSHAM, JAMES. The Creation of Denali (Mount McKinley), by Yako, the Athabascan Adam. A Legend of the Yukon Tena Indians. In Alaska Magazine, vol. I, no. 1, January 1927.

Mount McKinley from Sable Pass.