Blog – Friends of BUS 142

Stampede Trail Bus Moves to UAF Engineering Building

October 7, 2021October 7, 2021

CONTACT: Marmian Grimes, mlgrimes@alaska.edu

Bus 142 is back in the public eye.

On Wednesday afternoon, the University of Alaska Museum of the North moved the 1940s-era bus, made famous by Jon Krakauer’s book “Into the Wild” and the 2007 film of the same name, to the university’s engineering building in Fairbanks.

It will spend the rest of the academic year in the building’s high bay lab, where museum staff, engineers and conservators will continue the painstaking work of preparing it for display at the museum. The lab, which is visible from the building’s atrium, will offer a warm place to work and the public’s first chance to see the bus since its removal from the Stampede Trail last year.

“The process of preparing Bus 142 for permanent display is a lengthy one, but its presence in the engineering building will allow the public to follow along with that process, both here in Fairbanks and online,” said museum ethnology and history senior collections manager Angela Linn. The museum plans to install a webcam so that the public can view the conservation work online.

Bus 142’s fame grew from the story of Chris McCandless, a 24-year-old man who died at the bus in 1992. The remote site north of Denali Park became an often hazardous destination for visitors inspired by McCandless’ story. Some of those visitors were injured or died on the journey, which prompted the Alaska Department of Natural Resources to remove the bus from the Stampede Trail in June 2020. Three months later, the bus arrived at a storage facility in Fairbanks, where museum staff began conservation work.

Throughout the winter, the museum team will take detailed photographs and 3-D scans of the bus, and will build a structure to support the bus frame. During the spring semester, they will work with UAF engineering students on design and fabrication of a cover for the exhibit, which is slated to be outdoors just north of the museum on the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus in Fairbanks. In the next year, specialists in historical vehicle conservation will begin to prepare the bus for exhibit, a process that involves both repairs and cleaning, as well as preservation work.

“Our goal is for visitors to experience the complete story of the bus: Its journey to Alaska, its role in Chris McCandless’ final months and the decades of public interest following his death,” Linn said.

Members of the public can view the bus from the engineering building atrium weekdays from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and online via a soon-to-be installed webcam, which will be linked from the museum’s website.

MORE INFORMATION
Support the preservation, interpretation and exhibition of the bus by visiting https://uaf.edu/museum/collections/ethno/projects/bus_142/.

Stories

Last Visitor to Bus 142 on the Stampede Trail

October 31, 2020November 22, 2020

Hello Friends of Bus 142,

I am the last person to have journeyed into the wild to see the magic bus. I struggle with that statement, because I considered the way I got to the bus to be very much a cheat, as I helicoptered the entire way in. I’d had no original intention of going to the bus at all this summer. I’d already convinced myself to leave it alone and go at another time, when the rivers were more safely navigable. So when I awoke on the sunny Sunday morning of June 14th, 2020, and started calling every helicopter company within a 100 mile radius, I can’t tell you what had come over me. My overwhelming need was to the point where, after we had reached the bus, and the pilot asked me what my thoughts were, I stated that I wished I’d hiked into it, because I suddenly felt as if I hadn’t earned the right to be standing there.

You see, to say that I consider myself a super fan is a bit of an understatement. I’d read Into the Wild as part of my high school curriculum as a junior. It changed my worldview, as it has for an entire generation of people the world over. I’d even stated to my teacher at the time that I fully intended to walk into the wild as Chris had, and someday reach that bus. Here I am almost 10 years later, having semi-accomplished that goal by at least bearing witness to it.

As soon as I’d absorbed the shocking news about the bus being air lifted off of the Stampede Trail, I felt compelled to message Carine McCandless, Chris’s sister. My strong hunch that I had been the final visitor brought with it an enormous weight and responsibility, as well as an overall feeling of disbelief. My letter was somewhat of an apology, sharing that I felt the last witness should have been one that trekked in the hard way. Her response was a relief,

“Please don’t feel that your visit was somehow a ‘cheat’ or inadequate”, she began. “On the contrary, I’m grateful that you were wise enough to recognize that your decision to go on a whim was best realized by the safety of a helicopter. Too many have walked in unprepared, resulting in costly rescues and devastating tragedies, occurrences that ultimately led to the state’s decision to remove the bus. Be pleased that you did not contribute to that. And in any event, that one day will never compare in value to the lifetime of lessons and influence that came before your trip and will continue well afterward. Thank you for honoring my brother’s life by living your own to the fullest. It is through people like you that his spirit continues on, and it is the resulting stories like yours that make their way to me, and make his loss more bearable.”

Chris’s story sparked a lifetime of adventure for me. My profession is that of a park ranger, I consider the Alaskan interior my office. I have travelled extensively in the South Pacific, calling New Zealand and Australia home for two years. I’ve been fortunate enough to undertake backpacking experiences through Utah, Arizona and the Canadian Rockies. I have to thank Chris and Krakauer for the spark.

I imagine many people are feeling burdened, having had the chance to see the bus in its natural setting stripped away from them. I know I would have been among them. But as Carine has said, we can’t undo what is done – the magic bus took an unexpected flight, and it was definitely a one way trip. However, among the sadness surrounding the removal of the bus, there is hope in knowing its preservation will allow it to continue to represent not only the story of Chris McCandless, but the stories of so many who need to quench that thirst for adventure. I hope the museum exhibit will give them some comfort, and that they seize the opportunity to visit the bus in its new home, take the inspiration with them, and continue their journey through the vast state of Alaska, where countless trails of staggering beauty await.

In Emmersonian spirit – forge a new path to find your own adventure.

Sincerely, Erica Calvo

Updates

Letter From Carine

September 27, 2020October 31, 2020

Hello, friends.

By now you are probably aware that on June 18th, 2020, the Alaska Dept. of Natural Resources had Bus 142 removed from its sixty year residence on the Stampede Trail. I know that many of us are saddened by this news. Some feel angry. I was certainly shocked when the Alaska DNR Commissioner called to inform me that it had just been extracted by the Army National Guard. I was also appreciative that she gave me time to collect my emotions while she respectfully conveyed their reasoning. From the DNR’s viewpoint, another season of under-prepared travelers would soon begin; those attempting to hike to the bus to connect with my brother’s story, known globally through the book & movie Into the Wild.

Though many did manage the trek without incident, the dangerous rescues and recoveries were becoming too frequent, and costly. Some hikers paid for their mistakes with their lives. The frustration of many locals grew with this redundant cycle, resulting in serious vandalism of the bus. As such, it was no longer useful as a hunting shelter, the original intention after its abandonment by mining road workers in the early 1960’s. I am saddened by all circumstances that led to its removal. But having made that hike to the bus, I have the added perspective of grasping the risks that brought the DNR to this difficult decision that was well within their authority and responsibilities.

Undoubtedly, the photos showing it strapped beneath a CH-47 Chinook helicopter are a lot to take in. But it is done, and now the time has come for us to shift our focus onto the next phase of its journey, to rise up and highlight the positives in this unusual set of circumstances.

We at Friends Of Bus 142 are working with the Museum of the North at the University of Alaska, the bus’s new home as chosen by the Alaska DNR. Their decision brings the bus back to Fairbanks, where it had first been placed into service. With all of our help, the bus can continue to serve for countless individuals as a globally recognized symbol of breaking free from limiting expectations and societal norms.

The museum plans to exhibit the bus on campus in an outdoor environment, making it freely accessible to the public while also protecting it from further degradation. They are seeking input from the Friends of Bus 142 community as details of this plan come together. Please sign up to receive updates and follow us on social media to stay informed of the latest developments, to have your voice heard, and for the opportunity to donate to the Bus 142 preservation project if you are so inclined.

Yes, the Magic Bus took an unexpected flight, and it was definitely a one way trip. But we can promise you, this is not the end of the story.

Thank you all for your kind and inspirational messages about my brother over the years. Through you, his story continues.

~ Carine McCandless
Sister of Chris McCandless and friend of Bus 142.
Author of The Wild Truth

Updates

Stampede Trail bus arriving in Fairbanks

September 24, 2020October 8, 2021

Photo by Roger Topp, Courtesy of UA Museum of the North
Bus 142 in front of UAMN en route to the conservation yard. In photo: Brittany Templeton (DNR), Dianna Leinberger (DNR), Pat Druckenmiller (UAMN Director), Angela Linn (UAMN Senior Collections Manager for Ethnology and History, Kate Ripley (UAF Interim Director of Development), Morgan Dulian (UA Foundation).

Donate to the Bus Project

Note to International Donors: The museum’s fundraising page is currently processing U.S. donations only. They are working on it & we will notify you once the issue is resolved. Thank you for your patience!

Your donations are tax deductible & will go directly to the museum’s dedicated fund that will provide for Bus 142’s restoration, preservation & exhibition. The University of Alaska Museum of the North is a 501c3 nonprofit organization supervised by the UA Foundation.

DONATE HERE

UAF is an AA/EO employer and educational institution and prohibits illegal discrimination against any individual: www.alaska.edu/nondiscrimination/.

September 24, 2020

Stampede Trail bus arriving in Fairbanks for conservation work

CONTACT: Marmian Grimes, 907-460-4750, mlgrimes@alaska.edu

The 1940s-era bus made famous by the book and film “Into the Wild” arrived in Fairbanks this week so that staff at the University of Alaska Museum of the North can begin conservation work.

The former Fairbanks city bus—known as Bus 142—will eventually be displayed by the museum. The Alaska Department of Natural Resources earlier this year removed the bus from the spot where it was abandoned off the Stampede Trail near Healy, Alaska. The museum and DNR signed a formal agreement this week that assigns long-term stewardship of the bus to the museum.

“Bus 142 is an international icon and a fascinating piece of Alaska’s history,” said museum director Patrick Druckenmiller. “Our museum is honored and excited to work with the Bus 142 community and share its story in a safe and respectful manner with our visitors.”

The bus gained notoriety after the release of Jon Krakauer’s 1996 book “Into the Wild” and 2007 film of the same name, which told the story of Chris McCandless, a 24-year-old man who died at the bus site in 1992. Over the years, the bus became a sometimes hazardous destination for visitors, some of whom became lost or injured in their attempts to reach the bus, which required crossing a remote river. Two people in the last decade have died trying to visit the bus, which prompted DNR to take steps to reduce the risk of future injury and death.

The DNR, with the assistance of the Alaska Army National Guard, moved the bus to a storage facility near Anchorage in June. In July, the DNR announced that it planned to house the bus at the UA Museum of the North.

“We at DNR understand that Bus 142 represents the spirit of independence, love of wilderness and more to people around the world,” said DNR Commissioner Corri Feige. “We are grateful that the Museum of the North has agreed to work with us to preserve and display this important historical and cultural artifact, so that visitors to our state can continue to experience and be inspired by the bus, without having to risk their safety or lives to do so.”

The museum’s preservation and interpretation work is expected to take at least two years. The work includes cataloging the bus and objects associated with it, hiring a conservation team that specializes in historic vehicles, and fully documenting the history of the collection.

Once the work is completed, the museum hopes to exhibit the bus in the wooded area north of the museum parking lot, with a short trail and interpretive signs to describe the bus’ history.

The museum has also launched a fundraising effort to support the preservation, interpretation and exhibition of the bus. More information can be found on the museum’s website.

ADDITIONAL CONTACT: Dan Saddler, Alaska Department of Natural Resources,
dan.saddler@alaska.gov, 907-269-8427.

Updates

UA Museum to Safeguard Stampede Trail Bus

July 30, 2020September 23, 2020

Corrie A. Feige
Commissioner
Department of Natural Resources
State of Alaska

DNR to pursue safeguarding Stampede Trail bus at UA Museum

(Fairbanks, AK) – The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) intends to negotiate with the University of Alaska’s Museum of the North as the likely repository of the well-known historic “Bus 142,” removed from the Stampede Trail last month.

“Of the many expressions of interest in the bus, the proposal from the UA Museum of the North best met the conditions we at DNR had established to ensure this historical and cultural object will be preserved in a safe location where the public could experience it fully, yet safely and respectfully, and without the specter of profiteering,” DNR Commissioner Corri Feige said today.

The bus became well-known after Jon Krakauer’s 1996 book “Into the Wild” and a 2007 movie with the same name popularized the story of 24-year-old wanderer Chris McCandless, who sadly died there alone in 1992 after a 114-day stay at the site, about 25 miles west of Healy.

Over the years unprepared travelers to the bus sometimes became lost or injured, requiring the assistance of local search and rescue teams; two travelers died in their attempts to reach the bus, in separate incidents in 2010 and 2019. Seeking to reduce the risk of future tragedies, DNR asked the Alaska Army National Guard for help, and on June 18 the Guard helicoptered the bus away from the site. DNR has since kept the bus in a secure but undisclosed location while considering options for its long-term disposition.

As the bus was abandoned on general state land, DNR is responsible for its disposal, and has received dozens of suggestions and offers from museums, institutions and individuals across the state and nation who had a variety of plans to preserve, exhibit, monetize, or memorialize it, Feige said.

After careful consideration, DNR decided to entertain the UA Museum’s proposal, which fully met the departments’ requirements that any long-term disposition must enhance public safety, minimize financial impact the state, be legally defensible, and be respectful to the families that lost loved ones in connection with the bus.

The UA Museum of the North proposal has several advantages, Feige said: It is one of just three official state repositories, and the only one in the Interior able to accept and curate state-owned historical items (and the only one in the Interior); it has experts on staff who can help restore, curate and display the bus; it can legally accept non-profit donations to pay for the costs of the bus; and it would allow DNR to retain legal ownership of the bus and play an active role in its use, including whether and to whom to lend it out for display elsewhere.

Feige said her department understands the bus has played an important role in many Interior lives over the decades: moving Fairbanks residents around their city in the Fifties; housing mining road construction crews in the early Sixties; sheltering hunters and adventurers in the Seventies and Eighties; then becoming a destination for adventure seekers and fans of the “Into the Wild” book and movie since 1992.

“I believe that giving Bus 142 a long-term home in Fairbanks at the UA Museum of the North can help preserve and tell the stories of all these people,” Feige said. “It can honor all of the lives and dreams, as well as the deaths and sorrows associated with the bus, and do so with respect and dignity. I appreciate the Museum coming forward with its proposal, and look forward to working with them on a final agreement.”

DNR and the museum will develop a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) laying out the points of agreement, and anticipate the final MOU will be signed sometime in the next few months.

For additional information on the bus disposition process, including DNR analysis, the Museum’s proposal, the final MOU and other related documents, go to:
www.dnr.alaska.gov/mlw/news/bus-142/

Updates

Army Guard safely removes “Into the Wild” Bus

June 18, 2020September 23, 2020

Corrie A. Feige
Commissioner
Department of Natural Resources
State of Alaska

Army Guard safely removes “Into the Wild” bus from Stampede Trail

(Fairbanks, AK) – A 1940s-era Fairbanks city bus that became a sometimes deadly attraction to outdoor adventurers has been removed by helicopter from the remote side of the Teklanika River near Healy through a joint effort of Alaska’s Department of Natural Resources and the Alaska Army National Guard.

“After studying the issue closely, prioritizing public safety and considering a variety of alternatives, we decided it was best to remove the bus from its location on the Stampede Trail,” said Commissioner Corri A. Feige. “We’re fortunate the Alaska Army National Guard could do the job as a training mission to practice airlifting vehicles, at no cost to the public or additional cost to the State.”

The abandoned vehicle, variously known as “Bus 142,” or the “Into the Wild” bus, had been used by the Yutan Construction Co to house employees during the construction of a pioneer access road between Lignite and Stampede and was subsequently abandoned upon completion of the road in 1961. The bus is located approximately 25 miles west of the Parks Highway.

Used since as an emergency shelter, it became well-known after John Krakauer’s 1996 book “Into the Wild” and a 2007 movie with the same name popularized the story of 24- year-old wanderer Chris McCandless, who sadly died there alone in 1992 after a 114- day stay.

Numerous travelers have sought to reach the bus by retracing McCandless’ steps, and many have died, been injured or required search-and-rescue services while hiking in harsh weather or crossing the rain- and meltwater-swollen Teklanika or Savage rivers. Since 2010 two people have drowned on their way to or from the bus, prompting numerous calls to reduce or eliminate the hazard.

The bus was removed this morning, and will be stored at a secure location while DNR considers all options and alternatives for its permanent disposition, Feige said.

“We encourage people to enjoy Alaska’s wild areas safely, and we understand the hold this bus has had on the popular imagination,” said Feige. “However, this is an abandoned and deteriorating vehicle that was requiring dangerous and costly rescue efforts. More importantly, it was costing some visitors their lives. I really appreciate the Alaska National Guard for making it possible to achieve a safe, respectful and economical solution to this situation.”

CONTACT: Dan Saddler, 907-269-8427, dan.saddler@alaska.gov