Project Profile: Assess Four Historic Mine Sites in Denali National Park and Preserve

Assessing structural integrity at one of the four historic abandoned mine sites.

NPS Photo

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
Revegetation of Hazard Mine Lands | FY22 $18,000

The National Park Service will assess the condition of four historic abandoned mine sites in Denali National Park. The assessments will complement assessments completed within the Cultural Resources Framework and provide a comprehensive safety assessment. The report and treatment plan will provide the park with recommendations for site management to preserve the structures and remediate safety hazards.

Why? The structural integrity of the buildings at the mine sites may pose significant physical safety hazards for visitors, National Park Service staff, Kantishna locals, and wildlife. The project will be assessing structural integrity and potential physical safety hazards. Assessments will support management decisions needed to mitigate deterioration of the historic mine sites and avoid potential loss of resources determined eligible for the National Register. These sites preserve the mining history of the area and contribute to the cultural landscape. Three of the sites are on popular hiking routes and the relative proximity of these historic mine sites to the end of the Denali Park Road offers an excellent opportunity to interpret the area’s mining history for park visitors.

What Else?  These assessments lay the foundation for projects that will preserve these culturally important resources, address safety hazards, and restore these lands.

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law – Ecosystem Restoration

This project was made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law – Ecosystem Restoration, signed on November 15, 2021. It is a historic investment in the restoration and protection of the environment.