By Lauren Rearick
A 24-year-old woman died on Thursday, July 25, during a hike to Fairbanks Bus 142, an Alaskan landmark made famous by the death of hiker Christopher McCandless, whose death was immortalized in the novel Into the Wild and the film of the same name.
While they were hiking towards the site of the abandoned bus, which is located in Denali National Park in Healy, Alaska, they tried to cross Teklanika River around midnight on Thursday, CNN reported. Veramika Maikamava used a rope to attempt to cross, but the current was too swift and she was reportedly swept under the water.
Her husband, Piotr Mrkielau, attempted to rescue her but was reportedly unable to reach her immediately. He pulled her out of the water 75 to 100 feet from where she slipped, Anchorage Daily News reported. He called Alaskan state troopers, who confirmed her death.
According to the Anchorage Daily News, the river is located on the Stampede Trail, which leads to Bus 142. Recent rainfall caused a rise in water level and water speed, CNN reported; Alaskan troopers told Anchorage Daily News the river’s current is generally considered swift.
Maikamava and Mrkielau were from Belarus and had gotten married less than a month ago. They were the latest hikers to attempt a visit to the bus, the Anchorage Daily News reports. As reported by VICE, numerous tourists frequently make their way to the bus, which was where McCandless died in 1992 after attempting to explore the park solo. Over the years, some hikers successfully made the journey, but park rangers have been forced to rescue others; in 2010, a woman from Switzerland died after drowning in the same river where Maikamava died.
Denali National Park and Preserve’s volunteer program manager Kathleen Kelly had previously reported a decrease in rescues. “Word is getting out about what it takes to do this,” she told VICE in 2016. “Either people are going better prepared, fewer people are attempting it, or they’re just going out with more information.”
As Wesley Trimble explained to MTV News, the roughly 18-mile Stampede Trail is not intended for beginners. “That’s quite a bit of distance to cover,” the program outreach and communications manager for the American Hiking Society said. “The trail itself is pretty straightforward. The critical component is the two river crossings, and river crossings are the most dangerous component to hiking.”
Pop culture, including films like Into the Wild and Wild, may contribute to an increased interest in exploring certain trails and locations, but Trimble said it’s important to consider the physical toll and technicalities required before setting out. “Hiking is a wonderful activity in that it can be so easy to get started,” he said. “It’s a very entry level activity, but people can get into situations that they’re not comfortable with or have experience with.”
Instead of just packing up and heading out, he encouraged potential hikers to do their research and start small. Trimble acknowledged that any hiking accident is unfortunate, and he hopes that ultimately, instances like this can potentially educate others and raise awareness about the potential dangers associated with hiking — especially on trails made infamous by a number of known deaths.
