Bus 142: Narratives of Solitude

In planning to exhibit Bus 142 at the UA Museum of the North, we’ve spoken with many people about their experiences with the bus, their perspectives on the story of Chris McCandless, their connections to the bus that go back into the 70s and 80s. In 2022, writer, reporter, and NOLS instructor, Diana Saverin visited the museum and shared some of her stories. She talked about her crazy, what-are-odds-visit in 2011, and her extended stay in Healy in 2013 as she spoke with Alaskans and with the pilgrims, the visitors to the bus, to understand their very different perspectives–and how she felt, about the bus down the trail.Included are parts of Diana's 2011 Alaska Public Media story, “A Trip to Bus 142 on Stampede Road.” where she crosses the river, visits the bus, and meets Étienne and a party of stranded pilgrims. The story in full can be found here. The More You Look is a production of the UA Museum of the North, on the campus of the University of Alaska Fairbanks and the ancestral lands of the Dena people of the lower Tanana River. UAMN illuminates the natural history and cultural heritage of Alaska and the North through collections, research, education, and partnerships, and by creating a singular museum experience that honors diverse knowledge and respect for the land and its peoples.