A 24-Year-Old Woman Died While Hiking To The Infamous 'Into The Wild' Bus

By Lauren Rearick


A 24-year-old woman died on Thursday, July 25, while in a hike to Fairbanks Bus 142, a Alaskan landmark made famed by the death of hiker Christopher McCandless, whose death was immortalized in the novel Into the Wild and the film of the same name.


when they were hiking towards the site of the abandoned bus, which is located in Denali National Park in Healy, Alaska, they attempted to cross Teklanika River around midnight on Thursday, CNN reported. Veramika Maikamava used a rope try to cross, yet the current was also swift and she was reportedly swept under the water.


Her spouse, Piotr Mrkielau, tried to rescue her yet was reportedly unable to reach her immediately. He pulled her out of the water 75 to 100 feet from where she slipped, Anchorage Day-to-day News reported. He called Alaskan state troopers, who confirmed her death.


According to the Anchorage Day-to-day News, the river is located on the Stampede Trail, which leads to Bus 142. Recent rainfall caused a rise in water level and water speed, CNN reported; Alaskan troopers told Anchorage Day-to-day News the river’s current is usually thought swift.


Maikamava and Mrkielau were from Belarus and had received wedded much less than a month ago. They were the latest hikers to attempt a visit to the bus, the Anchorage Day-to-day News reports. As reported by VICE, multiple tourists frequently make their way to the bus, which was where McCandless died in 1992 right after trying to explore the park solo. Over the years, some hikers successfully made the journey, although park rangers have been forced to rescue others; in 2010, a woman from Switzerland died immediately after drowning in the same river where Maikamava died.


Denali National Park and Preserve's volunteer program manager Kathleen Kelly had previously announced a reduce in rescues. "Word is getting out about what it takes to do this," she told VICE in 2016. “Either folks are going better prepared, fewer folks are attempting it, or they're just going out with more information."


As Wesley Trimble explained to MTV News, the roughly 18-mile Stampede Trail isn't meant for beginners. “That’s a large amount of distance to cover,” the program outreach and communications manager for the American Hiking Society mentioned. “The trail itself is pretty truthful. The essential component is the two river crossings, and river crossings are the most dangerous component to hiking.”


Pop culture, including films like Into the Wild and Wild, may contribute to an increased interest in exploring certain trails and locations, although Trimble mentioned it’s essential to imagine the physical toll and technicalities required before setting out. “Hiking is a phenomenal activity in that it might be so easy to get started,” he mentioned. “It’s a very entry level activity, yet people can get into situations that they’re not comfortable with or have experience with.”


As a substitute opposed to just packing up and heading out, he encouraged potential hikers to do their statistics and begin small. Trimble acknowledged that any hiking accident is unfortunate, and he hopes that ultimately, instances like this can potentially educate others and raise awareness about the potential dangers involving hiking — especially on trails made infamous by a few known deaths.