On March 7th, 1988, Vernon Tejas, born Vernon Edward Hansel, became the first person to make a solo ascent of 20,320 foot Denali, North America’s highest peak. During the climb, Tejas encountered storms causing him to dig a snow cave to shelter in and survive the mountain. Tejas first came to Alaska and worked for […]
Two mountaineers who are also University of Alaska Fairbanks students were successful in their attempt to reach the top of North America’s highest peak in summer 2024. On June 7, while they were standing 20,310 feet above sea level, they pulled plastic bottles from their down jackets. They stuffed snow inside those bottles to sample […]
FAIRBANKS – A Utah doctor was sentenced by U.S. Magistrate Judge Scott A. Oravec to a five-year ban from climbing Denali and will pay $10,000 after pleading guilty to violating a lawful order during an accident investigation of the defendant’s climbing partner who fell more than 1,000 feet from the top of Denali Pass. In […]