Denali National Park represents pristine wilderness, and is home to the highest peak in North America.  Each year thousands of climbers from around the world travel to the park, with the goal of reaching the summit of Mt. McKinley.  Unfortunately, they leave behind more than footsteps across the snow, glaciers and ridges that lead to the 20,320 foot summit...

The entire route is covered in snow and ice, which preserves human waste for decades, despite the harsh climate.  Little is known about the impact of this waste, and whether it poses a public health threat to climbers on the mountain.

To get to the bottom of the issue, this summer APU Grad Student Katelyn Goodwin and Professor Mike Loso traveled to the mountain, in an attempt to find the impact of human waste on the environment, and climbers who visit the park.

Reuters published a full article on this topic, including the new practice of clean mountain cans, on July 28th. To read this article and learn more, click here.