Emily's Research Section IV

Research

SECTION IV

1. Title of Web page: Denali National Park and Preserve

Web Address: www.nps.gov/dena/home/mountaineering/home.html

Brief Description: Designed by the National Park Service, this Web page is specifically for Mount McKinley climbers. This is the most helpful, reliable and credible Web page I found. It is also well organized and easy to navigate. There are links to pre-registration information; an online booklet that covers climbing prerequisites; potential physical and emotional dangers of climbing Mount McKinley; rescue information; current weather conditions; summaries on all climbs made in the last 20 years; the history of the exploration of Mount McKinley and contact information. The Web page answered a lot of my questions concerning general information about Mount McKinley: the exact height; the number of climbers who climb every year; the months of the climbing season; weather conditions; and a description of the most popular route up the mountain. This Web page is absolutely essential for a potential McKinley climber.

Source of Web: National Park Service

2. Title of Web page: DenaliGuide.Com

Web address: http://members.rogers.com/kbayne7757/denali.html

Brief Description: This Web page has general information about Mount McKinley, such as a brief history of the exploration, the height of the mountain, total number of climbers who have died on the mountain and a rough percentage of successful climbs. There are also tips on when to climb the mountain and what route to take. What is more useful, however, are the numerous links to other Web pages. There are links to the National Park Service ( to the Web page I described earlier) and contact information to the ranger station in Talkeetna. There are also links to print and video information about Mount McKinley, weather information, transportation contacts and climbing gear manufacturers. Although one individual, who might not be as credible as the National Park Service, created this Web page it does have current information and links to credible Web pages.

Source of Web site: Ken Bayne

3. Title of Web page: Alaska Mountaineering School and Alaska Denali Guiding, LLC: Mt. McKinley/Denali West Buttress

Web address: www.climbalaska.org/denali-westbutt.html

Brief Description: This is a Web site designed for mountaineers who want to climb Mount McKinley with a privately owned guide service. There is useful information even for people who do not want to climb with a guide. For instance, there is an itinerary of an average climb of Mount McKinley. A potential climber can get a good idea of how far he/she might travel a day and the route he/she might take. This site also thoroughly explains what prior experience a climber needs, the kinds of equipment climbers need to know how to use, the essential climbing skills necessary and what kinds of food are recommended while on the mountain. In addition, the site gives a detailed description of a training program for potential climbers. Although this Web site has a lot of useful information, the reader must keep in mind that it was created by a private business promoting a product: trips up Mount McKinley. This bias towards marketing a product might create a conflict of interest and downplay the dangers of climbing Mount McKinley.

Source of Web site: Alaska Mountaineering School and Alaska Denali Guiding, LLC

4. Title of Web page: Denali Gear List

Web address: www.alaskan.com/amh/Denali/Gear%20List.htm

Brief Description: This Web page is also designed by a private business promoting a product: climbing gear. There may be issued with credibility, but I thought this page was helpful because it answers my question of necessary climbing gear on Mount McKinley. The page is not very organized; it is just a list of recommended equipment and clothes.

Source of Web site: Alaska Mountaineering and Hiking

5. Title of Web page: Surviving Denali

Web address: www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/denali/

Brief Description: This Web page documents one group's climb up Mount McKinley. There are neat pictures of different stages of the trip and there are also links to QuickTime videos of the climb. In addition, it includes what the temperature and wind speed was each day of the trip; this gives a potential climber a good idea of what the weather is like at different elevations. More importantly, there is a link to survival skills that are essential to know before climbing the mountain. There are step-by-step descriptions and pictures of how to do a crevasse rescue, dig a snow cave and other skills. Also, there is a glossary of the words climbers use to describe equipment and climbing techniques. This page is very well organized; links to survival skills, pictures and weather information is easy to find and access.

Source of Web site: Public Broadcasting Service

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