The National Park Service, in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration, is considering a project for safety improvements to the western end of the 92-mile long Denali Park Road in Denali National Park and Preserve. The project is being considered because this stretch of road has been identified as having had the fewest safety improvements since it was constructed in the 1930s. The goal of the plan is to improve safety for visitors while maintaining the unique character of the Denali Park Road.

The park’s 1997 Entrance Area and Road Corridor Development Concept Plan/Environmental Impact Statement (DCP/EIS) describes the present view of the character of the park road:

“West of the Teklanika River, the landscape and the road change. Rolling terrain gives way to steep mountains and rugged canyons. The park road changes from a uniform width, two-lane facility to a variable width one lane road with two-lane sections and pullouts. At this point, the landscape and the character of the road become integral parts of the park experience. The sinuous path emphasizes the dramatic terrain. Engineered structures such as bridges are used only as necessary to protect the resource or preserve the road. Signs and related items are kept to a minimum. The character of the road is in keeping with the character of the land: a primitive, low-speed road located in a wild and pristine land.”

The Denali National Park Road Design Standards (RDS), finalized in 2007, established quantitative “character” definitions for each segment of the park road, as described in the DCP/EIS. The RDS addresses the size, shape and strength of - and the footprint covered by - the road structure, sight distance issues, drainage issues, roadside brushing, and the use of geotechnical products. This would be the first road rehabilitation project to fully incorporate the 2007 standards.

Road improvements in this section will be focused on strengthening outside road edges to reduce the risk of collapse, formalizing existing pullouts and adding new ones to increase safety for passing vehicles, and reconditioning and placing additional surface material to improve the maintainability of the road surface.

A reasonable range of alternatives will be developed for consideration that are responsive to significant issues identified through agency and public involvement. An Environmental Assessment will be developed during Fall 2008.

A public scoping meeting will be held on Wednesday,
September 10, 2008 from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. at the Murie Science and Learning Center, located at Mile 1.3 on the Denali Park Road. Copies of the park’s Road Design Guidelines, drawings of typical improvements and pictures of typical areas potentially affected will be available.

Please contact Steve Carwile at (907- 644-3612), or by email at steve_carwile@nps.gov for additional information.

The third meeting of the Denali National Park Aircraft Overflights Advisory Council will take place on Sunday, September 7 from 1:00 – 5:00 p.m., and Monday,
September 8, from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. at the Murie Science and Learning Center Dining Hall located at Mile 1.3 on the Denali Park Road in Denali National Park and Preserve. The meeting is open to the public with time allocated for public testimony. Written comments are also welcome and can be brought to the meeting or mailed to Miriam Valentine, Talkeetna Ranger Station, P.O. Box 588, Talkeetna, AK 99676.

The Denali National Park Aircraft Overflights Advisory Council will advise the Superintendent, through the Secretary of the Interior, on mitigation efforts that should be made to reduce the impacts from aircraft overflights at Denali National Park and Preserve. The group will develop voluntary measures for assuring the safety of passengers, pilots, and mountaineers and for achieving desired future resource conditions at Denali that were outlined in the 2006 Backcountry Management Plan. Council membership contains broad representation of interested stakeholders and has a balance of local, state, and national interests.

During the multi-year planning process to complete the 2006 Denali National Park and Preserve Backcountry Management Plan, the public identified impacts from aircraft overflights and airplane landings as a critical issue. Aircraft are an important means of visitor access to remote areas of the Denali backcountry, but overflights and landings, generally unrestricted by management plans in the past, have resulted in substantial changes in the natural sound environment and generated new conflicts with park users on the ground.

Information on the Advisory Council can be found at http://www.nps.gov/dena/parkmgmt/currentprojects.htm.

Information on Denali's 2006 Backcountry Management Plan is located at http://www.nps.gov/dena/parkmgmt/gmp.htm.

For additional information on the meeting, please contact Miriam Valentine at (907) 733-9102 or via email at miriam_valentine@nps.gov.

Denali National Park and Preserve intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to develop and implement a plan to manage vehicles along the Denali Park Road. The goal of the plan is to provide a high quality experience for visitors while protecting wilderness resource values, scenic values, wildlife, other park resources, and maintaining the unique character of the park road.

For many years, the established transportation system has been an effective mechanism to manage vehicle use while providing for quality visitor opportunities along the park road. However, the transportation system that has been in place since 1972 has never been comprehensively evaluated. There is a growing demand for the park road experience and trends indicate that visitation to Alaska and the Denali area will continue to increase. By evaluating the park road capacity now, the National Park Service will be able to more effectively handle the projected growth rate in the future.

A reasonable range of alternatives will be developed for consideration that are responsive to significant issues identified through agency and public involvement.

Public scoping meetings will be held in the month of September. All meetings will be from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. with a presentation at 6:30 p.m. Members of the public are invited to share their ideas and concerns with park staff.
Anchorage - September 3, J.Z. Loussac Library, Wild Marston Theater
Susitna Valley - September 4, Talkeetna Ranger Station
Denali Park - September 10, Murie Science and Learning Center
Fairbanks - September 11, Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center

Please contact Miriam Valentine at (907-733-9102, or Miriam_Valentine@nps.gov) for additional information, or visit the website at www.nps.gov/dena/parkmgmt/roadvehmgteis.htm .

Denali National Park and Preserve’s new Eielson Visitor Center will be officially dedicated during a ceremony taking place on Tuesday, August 12, 2008 at 1:30 p.m. Park staff will host the dedication event at the visitor center, which is located at Mile 66 of the Denali Park Road, in the heart of Denali National Park and Preserve. The ceremony will include addresses by invited dignitaries, with Lyle Laverty, Deputy Secretary of the Interior for Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, as the keynote speaker. The event will culminate with a ribbon-cutting, immediately followed by an open house. The ceremony and following activities are open to the public, who can reach the remote facility via the park’s shuttle bus system.

The new 7,400-square-foot visitor center features large indoor and outdoor viewing areas, an indoor dining area, and an alcove for indoor ranger presentations. Major attractions include an interactive topographical model of Mount McKinley, an art exhibit featuring works done by participants in Denali’s Artist-In-Residence program, and an exquisite, hand-crafted fabric art piece by local Denali artist Ree Nancarrow. The total cost of the building and its exhibits was $9.2 million.

Throughout the six-year design and construction period, park managers made sustainability a primary goal, striving for the highest standards under the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System. The National Park Service anticipates achieving a Platinum Certification, the highest LEED rating possible, which will be the first for a building designed and constructed by the National Park Service. Elements that contribute to the LEED nomination include: the building’s low-profile design; transplanted tundra mats salvaged during construction that camouflage the roof deck; renewable energy sources such as solar panels, hydroelectric power, and natural light; energy-efficient heating, ventilation and plumbing systems; using recycled materials from the original visitor center in the new building; and carefully selecting products that are locally produced or recycled for construction.

The Eielson Visitor Center opened to the public on June 8, 2008, and will be open through September 15, 2008, weather permitting. It will reopen in June 2009.

Additional park information is available on the web at www.nps.gov/dena or by calling (907) 683-2294 from 8-4:30 p.m. daily.

The National Park Service is currently accepting nominations for candidates to fill two upcoming vacancies on the Denali National Park Subsistence Resource Commission. The Subsistence Resource Commission (SRC) provides a venue for local subsistence users to have input into the management of subsistence resources in Denali National Park and Preserve.

The SRC was established by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) and is charged with recommending a program for subsistence hunting in the park. The SRC prepares proposals to change federal subsistence regulations and comments on proposals submitted by others that affect Denali National Park. The nine-member SRC meets twice a year at various locations in or near the park. Commission members serve as volunteers but may be reimbursed for their travel expenses. Initial appointments are typically for three year terms and may be renewed.

One of the positions is appointed by the South Central Regional Advisory Council, and the other is selected by the Department of Interior. In order to be nominated by the South Central Regional Advisory Council, the candidate must be first appointed to the Denali Fish & Game Advisory Committee. Nominees to the SRC should be members of a subsistence residence community or have a permit to engage in subsistence activities within Denali National Park. For more information on the Denali Fish & Game Advisory Committee, contact Jason Rucker at (907) 768-2610.

Anyone interested in an application or additional information for submitting a nomination is asked to contact Subsistence Manager Amy Craver at (907) 683-9544 or amy_craver@nps.gov.

This year’s annual road lottery in Denali National Park and Preserve is taking place on September 12, 13, 14, and 15 (Friday through Monday), weather permitting. Up to 400 vehicles per day will be issued permits through a lottery system to travel the Denali Park Road after the park’s shuttle bus system ceases operations for the season. If weather permits, the road could be open for its entire 92-mile length, offering exceptional opportunities for experiencing the heart of the park in its autumn splendor.

For 2008, lottery entries will be accepted by mail and must be postmarked July 1through 31, 2008. Entries postmarked before or after these dates will not be accepted. Each lottery entry must include a check or money order for $10 made payable to the “National Park Service”. Do not send cash. The entry fee is non-refundable.

The drawing will take place during the second week of August. Entries must be received by then in order to be included in the drawing. Applicants are advised to mail entries early so that they arrive in time! Entries that arrive after the drawing will be returned. The names of people selected for permits will be posted on the park’s website shortly after the drawing.

On the envelope, entrants must include:
• A legible return address, including a first and last name. This is how entrants will be notified whether they have been selected or not.
• Choice of dates, in order of preference, written on the back of the envelope. If no dates are provided, dates of September 12, 13, 14, and 15 will be assigned in that order.

Only one entry per person is allowed, and duplicate entries will be disqualified. Entries received without an application fee will be returned. Entries should be sent to:

Road Lottery
Denali National Park and Preserve
P.O. Box 588
Talkeetna, AK 99676

All applicants will be notified by mail on the status of their entry, and those who are selected for permits will also receive a letter confirming the day of their permit, with additional information on how to obtain the road permit and prepare for their visit to the park. A $25, non-refundable fee will be required on the day the permit is picked up at the park. In addition, permit holders must pay the park entrance fee of $20 per vehicle unless they have a federal recreation pass such as the Denali Annual Pass or the America the Beautiful – National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass (Annual, Senior, Access, or Volunteer).

Permits are transferable, i.e. the person who was awarded the permit can give it to someone else if they are not able to participate that weekend.

The possibility of inclement weather in September is always a factor. Some years the road has only been partially open because of snow. Lottery participants are encouraged to visit the park website for updated road and weather information the day before or the morning of their permit. The Riley Creek, Savage River, and Teklanika River campgrounds will be open through the weekend, weather permitting.

**Please note: Beginning with the 2009 road lottery, the entry period will change to June 1-30, 2009. The new time frame will allow the National Park Service to notify individuals on the status of their road lottery entries a month earlier than in previous years, which will facilitate travel planning for those who obtain permits.

Lottery information is available on the park website at www.nps.gov/dena/whatsnew.htm or by calling park headquarters at (907) 683-2294 from 8 a.m. -4:30 p.m. daily.

Abby Flantz and Erica Nelson were grinning from ear to ear as they disembarked the helicopter at the Denali Park airstrip at 4: 55 p.m. today and walked into the waiting arms of their anxious families. They were spotted this afternoon by the park’s plane, in an area north of the park boundary, about 15 miles north of where they began their hike and eight miles west of the Parks Highway. After the reunion they were assessed by park medics for any medical issues, and then interviewed by search managers to get a thorough understanding of where they had gone, and what they had done during their six day ordeal.

Today’s remarkable chain of events began when Erica Nelson called her mother’s cell phone at approximately 9:15 a.m., while the Nelson and Flantz family members were being briefed on today’s planned search activities. She said that she and Abby were not hurt and had just at that time been able to obtain a cell signal. Search managers attempted to get details of their possible location from them over the phone, using nearby landmarks. They also asked the young women to move to an open area, remain at that location, make themselves highly visible, and signal any helicopters that flew overhead.

Two helicopters were immediately dispatched to the area where the two women were believed to be, in order to locate them and pick them up. After an hour of aerial searching one more helicopter and the park’s fixed-wing aircraft was also dispatched to search the area as the two women could not be found. As more time elapsed ground searchers and two dog teams were added to the search, which was taking place on the eastern edge of the original search zone, approximately five miles west of the Parks Highway and north of Mount Healy.

At 3:30 p.m. Erica called her mother’s cell phone again. At that time she was told to use the text message feature to conserve battery strength. Between 3:30 p.m. – 4:15 p.m. she provided information on the features that they could see from their location, and if and where they could see or hear aircraft. During this time cell service provider ACS was providing the park’s communication center with information to pinpoint possible search locations using bearings and distance from cell sites. This information provided a more specific site for searchers to investigate. At 4:22 p.m. the park fixed-wing aircraft spotted the pair. They were quickly picked up by an incident helicopter and brought to the park’s airstrip.

Abby and Erica are relaxing tonight with their families. They all wish to have more time to consider requests for interviews. Additional information will be provided as it becomes available.

The search teams will be going through a debriefing and demobilization process tonight and tomorrow.

Today’s combined efforts of eleven ground teams and four aircraft failed to yield any new clues on the location of missing backpackers Abby Flantz and Erica Nelson. The teams were tasked with more thoroughly investigating specific segments within the search area, those sections that search managers feel are the most likely locations of the two hikers. More than 60 people were involved in today’s search effort, including more than 40 air and ground searchers and the overhead personnel who provide support and assistance to them.

Five new teams will be utilized in Wednesday’s efforts, in addition to the teams who have been involved in the previous days’ search. These resources include a team from the Anchorage based Alaska Mountain Rescue Group, and search and rescue teams from Grand Teton, Mount Rainier, Sequoia-Kings Canyon, and Yosemite National Parks. Two fresh dog teams from the Alaska Search and Rescue Dog organization in Anchorage will replace the PAWS teams from Fairbanks in tomorrow’s search efforts.

With the influx of fresh new personnel, searcher numbers will swell to approximately 60 people. The additional staffing will allow search managers to increase the size of the teams in high priority segments, which will allow them to search more thoroughly. Searchers will be placed on the ground for the first time in some higher elevations of the search area, sections that have previously only been searched by air. These segments have steep, rocky and snow-covered sections. There are a total of 105 people assigned to Wednesday’s search activities.

The air search will continue with up to five helicopters and the park’s fixed-wing aircraft. The high-altitude Lama is available, but will be needed for a medical evacuation from the 14,200 foot camp on Mount McKinley as soon as weather conditions allow. A helicopter from the Alaska Fire Service Tanana Zone will be added to the three that were utilized in Tuesday’s operations.

During the past two days, helicopters assigned to the search have been temporarily diverted to assist with two medical incidents in the park. On Monday, June 16 an incident helicopter was needed to transport a 54 year old man experiencing medical problems from the Eielson Visitor Center to the park airstrip, where he was taken by ambulance to the Canyon Clinic. Another helicopter was needed today, June 17 to evacuate a 53-year old man who had a possible broken leg two miles up the trail on Mount Healy. He was flown to the Healy airstrip and transported to the Tri-Valley Clinic.

The National Park Service search managers would like to speak with anyone who was hiking in the Savage River drainage between Thursday, June 12 and Sunday, June 15. Anyone who may have information to share is asked to call (907) 683-9648.

Additional search teams on the ground, including two dog teams, and continued aerial searching with three aircraft failed to yield any sign of missing backpackers Abby Flantz and Erica Nelson during today’s search efforts. The day’s operations ended at 7:00 p.m. in order for crews and pilots to get adequate rest before the resumption of the search effort on Tuesday. Over twenty members of the ground search teams are camping overnight near the Lower Savage ranger cabin, an historic ranger patrol cabin located on the northern boundary of the park, approximately four miles downstream from the Denali Park Road. A total of 51 people were involved in today’s operations.

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Sunday’s aerial and ground search efforts turned up no new clues as to the location of missing backpackers Abby Flantz, 25, of Gaylord, Minnesota, and Erica Nelson, 23, from Las Vegas, Nevada. More than forty people were involved in today’s search activities, which included the use of three ground teams, each consisting of 3-4 people, two helicopters, and a fixed-wing aircraft. Information gleaned from the results of today’s search efforts is being used to determine tomorrow’s search priorities.

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