Epic Alaska Journey of the First Man on Mt. McKinley Summit
Meet the Alaskan trailblazer who was the first to stand on the top.
Photo by the MarPockStudios
First named Denali by the Den’ina people of Alaska, the mountain is now officially known as Mt. McKinley, the tallest mountain in North America, which stands 20,310 feet tall.
Each year, around 1,000 -1,200 people attempt to climb the mountain. Only about half of them make it. And all of them use modern-day survival gear, climbing equipment, and cozy tents.
Our Story Begins in the 1800s
Walter Harper was born in 1892, the son of a Koyukon Athabascan mother. The family’s home village was Tanana, located where the Tanana and Yukon Rivers meet, about 130 miles west of Fairbanks in Alaska’s interior.
At the age of 16, Harper attended St. Mark’s Mission School in Nenana, Alaska, where he met a man named Hudson Stuck, the Archdeacon of the Yukon. Hudson was impressed with Walter and hired him as his interpreter, guide, and musher for his dog team.
The Expedition: Let’s Climb Mt. McKinley
When Harper was 19 or 20, Stuck invited him to join the 1913 Karsten-Stuck Expedition to climb to the summit of Mt. McKinley.
In the photo above, Walter Harper is seen on the far right.
Other members of the group included Harry Peter Karstens, Robert Tatum, and two teens, Johnny Fredson and Esaias George, who were hired to work the base camp.
The expedition left from Nenana on March 17, 1913.
Yes, You Can Share This Edition
And when you do, your friends and family will be so happy that they will name a climbing trail after you on a mountain somewhere in Alaska. Even if you have never climbed so much as a ladder in your entire life… well, it could happen.
Climbing 20,310 Feet: It wasn’t a Sunday Picnic
Steep walls and deep crevasses had to be conquered at Muldrow Glacier.
At one point, there was a fire in their tent.
And it took three weeks to make it through what is now known as Karsten’s Ridge. At the time of their climb, the ridge trail was blocked by large rocks and huge chunks of ice left by an earthquake the year before.
The Final Camp: 18,000 feet, the Highest Camp Ever in North America
On June 6, the expedition set up its final camp before ascending to the top of the mountain.
The very next morning, they left camp at 4:00 am.
“Looking Out of a Window of Heaven”
Then at 1:30 pm on June 6, 1913, Walter Harper was the first man to set foot on the 20, 310 foot summit of the tallest mountain in North America.
When expedition member Robert Tatum joined him, Tatum stood there in awe, he said, it was like “Looking out of a window of Heaven.” On the summit, Tatum planted a flag he had made out of handkerchiefs.
The team also planted a 6-foot cross.
Going Up and Going Back Down
It took 50 days to climb to the summit. But it only took 2 days to get back down to the base camp.
On June 20, the expedition crew returned to Nenana, 3 months and 4 days after leaving to climb the McKinley summit.
In 1913, following their successful ascent, Stuck named Harper Glacier in Walter Harper’s honor. Harper Glacier can be found on the upper slopes of Mt. McKinley about 3 miles northeast of the main summit.
And What About Walter Harper?
In 1918, at the age of 25, Harper married Frances Wells.
Shortly after that, the couple boarded the SS Princess Sophia in Skagway on their honeymoon, headed for Seattle.
During the voyage, the SS Princess Sophia hit a reef and everyone on board was lost at sea.
The incident is often referred to as “the unknown Titanic of the West Coast.”
Remembering Walter Harper
June 7 is now designated by the U.S. Congress as Walter Harper Day in Alaska.
And on July 19, 2022, a life-size bronze statue of Walter Harper was unveiled in downtown Fairbanks, Alaska.
How Many Today?
In 1932, 19 years after Walter Harper set foot on the summit of Mt McKinley, the Lindley-Liek Party successfully reached the top of the mountain.
And every year, more brave the challenges faced by Harper to stand at the top.
As of 2026, around 50,000 to 51,000 have attempted the climb. Around half of those, or over 26,000, have successfully reached the highest peak.
BONUS
Do you want to know more about Walter Harper?
Take a look at Walter Harper, His Life and Heritage, and discover.
Connect with Mike and Mary Jane
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Until Next Time
Mike and Mary Jane
Alaska Stories.com