[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 39 (Monday, March 18, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Page S1889]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                      ASCENT OF DENALI CENTENNIAL

 Mr. BEGICH. Mr. President, today I would like to recognize the 
centennial anniversary of the first successful ascent of the south peak 
of Mount McKinley. In Alaska, the mountain is popularly known as 
Denali, which means the ``Great One'' in Dena'ina language. At 20,320 
feet, the south peak is the tallest of its two peaks, and makes Mount 
McKinley North America's tallest mountain.
  Although other climbers attempted the climb or claimed to have 
summited McKinley before 1913, Walter Harper, Hudson Stuck, Robert 
Tatum, and Harry Karstens were the first to complete their journey to 
the top. Among the party, it was Harper, an Athabascan, who was the 
first to stand on the south summit after a month-long expedition that 
started with a mush from Fairbanks by a dog team.
  The unsung hero of this accomplishment was another Alaska Native, 16-
year-old John Fredson, who travelled with the group and cared for the 
sled dogs at base camp while waiting for the climbing team to return. 
This story of triumph and courage underscores the importance of Alaska 
Natives in the great age of American exploration.
  To commemorate the centennial, the Denali 2013 Centennial Climb has 
been organized. The official party's ascent will commence June 7, 2013, 
and includes ancestors of the original team: Dana Wright of Fairbanks, 
the great-grandnephew of Harper; Dan Hopkins, from Ottawa, Ontario, who 
is the great-great-nephew of Stuck; Ken Karstens, from Colorado; and 
Ray Schuenemann, from Dallas, Texas, both of whom are great-grandsons 
of Karstens.
  Stuck was a missionary for the Episcopal Church and Archdeacon of the 
Yukon back in 1913. Stuck had hoped to celebrate communion atop the 
peak. As part of the recreation of the historic ascent, Mark Lattime, 
the Episcopal Bishop of Alaska and Reverend at St. Matthew's Episcopal 
Church in Fairbanks, will join the climbing party and celebrate 
communion at the peak.
  The spirit of adventure is something that we embrace as Alaskans and 
Americans. Let us take this moment to acknowledge this significant 
achievement of our predecessors and wish the 2013 party a safe and 
successful climb.

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