Henry Peter Karstens
Harry Karstens in 1927 as superintendent of Mount McKinley National Park.
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Main discipline | Mountain climber |
| Born |
September 2, 1878 Chicago, Illinois |
| Died | November 28, 1955 (aged 77) Fairbanks, Alaska |
| Nationality | American |
| Career | |
| Notable ascents | Denali (June 7, 1913) |
Henry Peter "Harry" Karstens (September 2, 1878 – November 28, 1955) was the first superintendent of Mount McKinley National Park (now known as Denali National Park), from 1921 to 1928. He was the guide and climbing leader of the first complete ascent of Denali (Mount McKinley) in 1913, with expedition members Hudson Stuck, Episcopal Archdeacon of the Yukon and Arctic; Walter Harper, and Robert Tatum. John Fredson was one of two young Gwich'in Alaska Natives who supported the party.
Harry Karstens was born in Chicago, Illinois on September 2, 1878. His parents were Emma Terveen and John Jacob Karstens, an immigrant from the Duchy of Holstein. His father owned a feed store and livery. Harry was the fifth born of seven children in his family.
Like many young men, Karstens went North for adventure to Dawson City, Canada during the Klondike Gold Rush in 1897; he was nineteen. There, he mined on Seventymile Creek and helped lay out the town of Eagle, Alaska. He also carried freight and mail with Charles McGonagall via dog teams among the frontier towns of Fairbanks, Valdez and Kantishna, being paid $75 per month. He gained his nickname as the "Seventymile Kid" after working for the post office.
He also worked as a packer, hauling miners' supplies over the Chilkoot Pass on his back, usually in 50-pound packs. In winter, the ice leading to the summit was cut into 1500 steps, which travelers climbed in single file. Authorities required each "stampeder" (the persons intending to stay and mine) to bring in two tons of supplies to provide for himself for a year in the camps.
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Wikipedia