Emily's Research Home

Research

CLIMBING MT. MCKINLEY

SECTION Ia

What I already know about climbing Mount McKinley:

Having visited Alaska a few years ago, I know some basic information about Mount McKinley. Mount McKinley, referred to as Denali by locals, is the highest mountain peak in North America. The peak is located in Denali National Park, which is located towards the center of Alaska. In addition, the small town of Talkeetna serves as the base camp for Mount McKinley climbers.

My knowledge of mountain climbing and specifically climbing Mount McKinley is limited. I have years of experience hiking and rafting, but neither of these skills comes close to the experience and knowledge needed to climb one of the highest peaks in the world. I have viewed Mount McKinley from a distance, however, so I do have an idea of its height. Also, I have read the book Minus 148 (1), which is a narrative of the first winter ascent of Mount McKinley. From reading Minus 148, I gained some insight into planning that goes into a climb. It takes months of preparation: getting the equipment, charting the course and recruiting climbers to join the expedition. I also gained insight into the dangers of climbing Mount McKinley. For example, it is essential that climbers in an expedition trust one another. Climbers depend on each other for survival: fixing food, setting up shelter, operating radio equipment and charting the best course up the mountain. If one person does not perform his/her task, then the other climbers' lives are in jeopardy.

I also know that the biggest threat faced by climbers on Mount McKinley is a snow-covered crevasse. Crevasses, which are deep gorges in a mountain, are often covered by snow on Mount McKinley. Some crevasses are located on maps of the mountain and climbers can avoid them, but others are unmapped and impossible to spot. Snow that looks packed and firm could actually cover a crevasse hundreds of feet deep. If a climber steps on a crevasse, the snow cannot hold up his/her weight. Often, the climber's fall will be fatal.

Questions I want to answer through research about climbing Mount McKinley:

First of all, I want to know general information about Mount McKinley. For example, exactly how high is the mountain? What is the history of its exploration? What is the most traveled route up the mountain? How long it takes to climb the mountain? How many people climb the mountain every year? How many people have died while climbing Mount McKinley?

In addition, I want to know some basic facts about the weather conditions on Mount McKinley. When is the climbing season? Which month has the best weather for climbing? What is the temperature like? Knowledge of the weather conditions is essential when planning for an ascent. The temperature, wind speed and precipitation can determine what kinds of equipment, such as clothing, are needed.

On the same note, I want to know what sort of preparation is necessary. For instance, what kind of climbing equipment is necessary? How much food is necessary? Do all climbers have years of experience or are there beginners who climb Mount McKinley, too? What kind of physical training is recommended before climbing? What kinds of mountaineering skills should climbers have?

(1) Davidson, Art. Minus 148. Seattle: The Mountaineers, 1999.

SECTION Ib: KEYWORDS

UNC Library Catalog

Advanced Searches:
Subject Keyword (SU) McKinley, Mount AND travel
SU Alaska AND mountaineering
Title Keyword (TI) Denali AND travel

Broad Searches:
TI McKinley, Mount
Keyword Anywhere McKinley, Mount
Keyword Anywhere mountaineering

Academic Universe Lexis-Nexis

Guided News Source:
Mt. McKinley (in headline and lead paragraph) AND climb (in headline and lead paragraph); I searched in the "General News" category and "Magazines and Journals" news source

Mt. McKinley (in headline and lead paragraph) w/5 climb!; I searched "General News" and "Magazines and Journals"

Alaska (in headline and lead paragraph; also in full text) w/5 mountain! AND NOT cruise; I searched "General News" and "Major Papers"

Search Engine on the Web <http://www.google.com>

Advanced Search:
All of the words "Mt. McKinley" with exact phrase "tourism" without words "cruise"
All of the words "Denali" with exact phrase "description" with at least one of the words "climb OR mountaineer"