Originally published on September 13, 2021 (Episode 223)
Introduction
Denali, the mountain formerly known (though not by Alaskans) as Mt. McKinley, is one of the most formidable peaks in the world. Not only is it the highest mountain in North America, it is the highest northernmost mountain on earth—its weather ferocious, its storms sudden, its summit visible across vast stretches of Alaska when skies clear.
Victorians looked at such a mountain and, predictably, wanted to climb it. By 1913, several attempts had been made to reach Denali’s peak. That year, four men finally succeeded: Harry Karstens, prospector and guide; Walter Harper, a young Alaska Native; Robert Tatum, an Episcopalian seminarian; and the Right Reverend Hudson Stuck, missionary archdeacon of the Episcopal Church in Alaska.
What drove this unusual band of climbers into the thin air of Denali’s heights is the subject of Patrick Dean’s A Window to Heaven: The Daring First Ascent of Denali, America’s Wildest Peak. It is by turns a biography of Hudson Stuck, a history of religion in late nineteenth-century America, a portrait of Alaska in the midst of cultural upheaval, and an adventure tale that could have come from the pen of Jack London.
About the Guest
Patrick Dean is a writer and historian focused on the intersections of environment, adventure, and cultural history. He lives in Sewanee, Tennessee.
For Further Investigation
Patrick Dean, A Window to Heaven: The Daring First Ascent of Denali, America’s Wildest Peak
The Alaska Native Reader: History, Culture, Politics, ed. Maria Sháa Tláa Williams
Belmore Brown, Hudson Stuck, Denali: Deception, Defeat, & Triumph — a history of early summit attempts
Listen & Discuss
Where do faith, risk, and public service intersect in this expedition? And what does the first ascent reveal about Alaska—and the United States—amid rapid cultural change? Comment below!
Share
If this episode made you see Denali—or exploration narratives—differently, share it with a friend who loves mountains, history, or adventure storytelling.
