'Into the Wild' bus likely lands a home at Fairbanks museum

An infamous bus appears to be headed to a new homeat a museum in Fairbanks after being removed from Alaska'sbackcountry to deter people from making dangerous, sometimes deadlytreks to visit the site where a young man documented his demise in1992.

The state Department of Natural Resources said Thursday that itintends to negotiate with the University of Alaska's Museum of theNorth to display the bus, which was popularized by the book "Intothe Wild" and a movie of the same name and flown from its locationnear Denali National Park (DNR) and Preserve last month.

"Of the many expressions of interest in the bus, the proposalfrom the UA Museum of the North best met the conditions we at DNRhad established to ensure this historical and cultural object willbe preserved in a safe location where the public could experience itfully, yet safely and respectfully, and without the spectre ofprofiteering," Natural Resources Commissioner Corri Feige said in astatement.

The bus became a beacon for those wishing to retrace the steps ofChristopher McCandless, who hiked to the bus in 1992. The24-year-old Virginia man died from starvation when he couldn't hikeback out because of the swollen Teklanika River. He kept a journalof his ordeal, which was discovered when his body was found.

McCandless' story became famous with author Jon Krakauer's 1996book "Into the Wild," followed nine years later by director SeanPenn's movie of the same name.

Over the years, people from around the world have travelled tothe bus, located about 40 kilometres from the town ofHealy, to pay homage to McCandless.

Two women have drowned in the Teklanika River on such visits tothe bus, one from Switzerland in 2010 and the other from Belarusnine years later. There have been 15 other search-and-rescuemissions since 2009, state officials said, including five Italiantourists who needed rescue last winter. One had severe frostbite.

The draw of the bus became too much for state officials, whoarranged for the Alaska Army National Guard to remove the bus with ahelicopter last month as part of a training mission.

The former Fairbanks city bus is sometimes called Bus 142 or theMagic Bus. It was later used to house construction workers buildinga road in the area. It was abandoned in 1961, and became a shelterfor those using the backcountry to recreate or hunt.

The department received dozens of suggestions for use of the busthat came from individuals, museums and institutions nationwide,with varying plans to preserve, exhibit, monetize or memorialize it,Feige said.

The department decided to consider the university's proposal,which had several advantages. It's just one of three official staterepositories, and the only one in the Fairbanks area able to acceptand curate state-owned historical items. The museum also has thestaff to restore, curate and display the bus.

This proposal also allows the Department of Natural Resources toretain ownership of the bus, and decide future uses, includingwhether to lend it out for display and where.

"I believe that giving Bus 142 a long-term home in Fairbanks atthe UA Museum of the North can help preserve and tell the stories ofall these people," Feige said.

"It can honour all of the lives anddreams, as well as the deaths and sorrows associated with the bus,and do so with respect and dignity."

The department anticipates signing final paperwork within thenext few months.