Come attend Wilderness50th events in Denali as Autumn Begins
2014 marks the 50th Anniversary of the Wilderness Act and the communities around Denali are celebrating this landmark legislation. The Wilderness Act protects the 2 million acre Denali Wilderness that many of us think of as our backyard. We think this is worth celebrating because this law protects this special wild place into perpetuity.
Just in time to celebrate the wonderful fall colors, come out and join community members, DCC members, Alaska Geographic, Aramark, Denali Education Center, and the National Park Service in one or more of the culminating events for the Wilderness50 celebration.
Wilderness50th events at Denali – August and September
Friday, August 29th at 7pm, Murie Science and Learning Center: Call of the Wild: The Wilderness Act Turns 50
Join Frank Keim, Alaska author, for an in-depth look at the Wilderness Act, the intentof its founders and their aspirations for the future.
Monday, September 1st at 9am
, Denali Visitor Center Theater Program: Celebrate Your Wilderness
Join Kathy Gross, NPS Interpretive Ranger for a thoughtful talk about federally designated wilderness and the Wilderness Act.
September 1st -16th at the Denali Visitor Center: Create Your Own Wilderness Inspired Art
Get artistic while exploring Denali National Park. Sign out art kits from the DVC to bring with you on the bus or a hike, and use the watercolor pencils, postcard paper, and sketching materials to creatively reflect on this Denali Wilderness. Share your artwork or creative writing with us, and it may become part of our Wilderness Quilt displayed in the park.
Wednesday, September 3rd at 10am-3pm, Denali Visitor Center: Wilderness Art
Join the National Park Service staff outside the visitor center to make Denali and wilderness inspired art and chat about what makes the Denali Wilderness so special. Bring your curiosity and creativity, and let’s celebrate the Wilderness Act! Any artwork you wish to donate may be featured in a Wilderness Quilt displayed in the park.
Friday, September 5th at 7:30pm, Murie Science and Learning Center: Denali’s Wilderness Character Map with Rob Burrows
In 2012 Denali National Park and Preserve staff embarked upon an effort to summarize their collective institutional and personal knowledge and map impacts and threats to Denali’s wildlands and wilderness character. Rob will speak about what went into the map and what it can be used for. The effort was under the guidance of Peter Landres and James Tricker of the Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute, who have helped create such maps for Death Valley, Olympic, Saguaro, and Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.
Saturday, September 6th at 8:30pm in the Ptarmigan Room of the Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge: Wild in Wilderness
Join interpretive volunteer Mike Connolly for a digital slideshow presentation about the 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act.
Sunday, September 7th at 7pm, Denali Education Center: Your Wilderness Stories Live: An Open Mic Night
Join the National Park Service and the Denali Education Center at 7pm on Sunday, September 7th for a lively evening of storytelling in honor of the Wilderness Act’s 50th anniversary. Share your story, poem, song, or thoughts, see the winning entries from the DEC’s 2nd annual photo contest, and help us celebrate this special Denali Wilderness. Courtesy shuttles will be provided. Not nearby? You can also share your story through Your Wilderness Stories Online at http://go.nps.gov/MyWilderness.
Ongoing: Your Wilderness Stories online
Have a poem, story, video, photo, or piece of art you’d like to share? Help Denali celebrate 50 years of Wilderness by submitting your wilderness stories at http://go.nps.gov/MyWilderness. Your story will be posted in our digital community of submissions and may be featured on our social media sites.
In Fairbanks:
Wednesday, September 3rd at 2-4pm, UAF Patty Center Outdoor Climbing Wall: Fun Run with Kit DeLauriers.
Get active and get outdoors for a 5 kilometer fun run with Kit starting in front of the UAF Climbing Tower on UAF Campus. Following the run, participants are invited to enjoy free access to the UAF Climbing Tower, gear, and climbing instruction, sponsored by UAF Outdoor Adventures. Refreshments provided by the Alaska Alpine Club.
Wednesday, September 3rd at 7pm, UAF Charles Davis Concert Hall: Finding Adventure in Wild Places, a presentation by Kit DeLauriers.
Millions of Americans enjoy wilderness areas for recreation, solitude and escape from the modern world. Kit will speak about her adventures in wilderness around the globe. Free posters will be available to the first 200 participants followed with a poster-signing by Kit.
