Submitted by Anonymous on Tue, 04/16/2013 - 09:55
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Carbon Balance in Warming and Drying Tundra 2013

As this is the most recent post I have seen online about visiting the bus, and exploring the Stampede Trail, I was just wondering what the conditions of the trail and bus are like - as many posts are from 2011/2012? Apologies for the basic message, just curious.

Thanks, Gabrielle

Tue, 04/16/2013 - 21:45

Tom Lane

The trail conditions were excellent. There was some open water on the Savage River but it was easy to see and plenty of ice all the way across in most places. The Teklanika River had even less open water and was no problem crossing. The temperatures the day we went were probably in the single digits with a slight breeze so probably a little below zero. Great weather for mushing. We passed a couple of people skiing (I'm pretty sure they were headed to the bus). When we headed back from the bus they had made good progress. It didn't look like they planned to spend the night so I figured they would make it back to where their car was parked at the end of where its plowed on the Stampede Rd. probably around 10pm. The bus itself seemed a little worse for wear but inside there is a barrel stove and a double bed that would probably be quite comfortable in a pinch. What was really cool was there were fresh wolf tracks around the bus and down on the river below. When we stopped the dogs they were very interested in something in the woods off the trail, we heard a brief howl then the dogs all started barking. I suspect it was that wolf moving out of the area. Like I said in the journal entry, I wasn't sure why I was attracted to the bus...something about Chris McCandless's story. Anyway I'd highly recommend skiing/mushing as a means of accessing Bus 142. This time of year! No bugs, no wading rivers, no mud...:)