The 1913 Pioneer Ascent of Denali

In 1913, Hudson Stuck and Harry Karstens co-led the Denali expedition whose ascent team was completed by Walter Harper and Robert Tatum, while Alaska Native youths John Fredson, who was Gwich'in, and Esaias George, who was Koyukon, provided critical support. Stuck proposed the expedition, assembled the team, raised private funding, and ordered supplies and equipment, while Karstens served as the tactical leader during the ascent, planning each day's work and solving crises including dangerous crevasses, a fire that destroyed much of their supplies, and a blocked route on the Northeast Ridge. Harper's physical strength, wilderness skills, energy, and cheerfulness were crucial to the climb, and on summit day he led the way, chopping steps toward the summit. Tatum joined as camp cook, struggled with anxiety and altitude sickness at higher elevations, but persevered, sewed an American flag to raise on the summit, and shared in reaching the goal. Fredson supported the ascent team by hauling supplies, hunting wild game, and chopping wood for fuel, then returned with the dogs to base camp from 11,500 feet and saved the team's sugar for the men's return. George helped establish camps, gather food and wood, and freight the outfit forward before returning with a dog team. Stuck documented the expedition in photographs, newspapers, his book Ascent of Denali, and speaking events, so his name remained most closely associated with it for nearly a century.

Farmers Loop, Alaska · United States