First Ascent of Denali (Mount McKinley): The 1913 Expedition

On June 7, 1913, a four-man team achieved the first summit of Denali (then Mount McKinley, 6,190 m / 20,310 ft):

• Hudson Stuck — Episcopal Archdeacon of the Yukon, expedition leader
• Harry Karstens — Experienced musher, later first superintendent of Mount McKinley National Park
• Walter Harper — Alaska Native (Koyukon Athabascan), first human to set foot on the true summit
• Robert Tatum — Theology student, cook

Route & Challenges

• Approach via Muldrow Glacier (north side) — 100+ miles from base.
• Overcame crevasses, icefalls, altitude, -40°F temps, storms.
• Karstens' dog teams hauled supplies; Stuck's leadership held group together.

Legacy

Harper's summit step was a milestone for Indigenous Alaskans. Karstens' later park stewardship protected the mountain. The 1913 route (Muldrow) is still used for "classic" ascents. Denali remains a supreme test of Arctic mountaineering.