Episode Overview

Podcast: Stuff You Missed in History Class
Episode: Behind the Scenes Minis: Mountains and Glaciers
Air Date: December 19, 2025
Hosts: Tracy V. Wilson & Holly Fry

This behind-the-scenes minisode offers reflections and extra context related to the week’s main episode on Walter Harper and the first successful summit of Denali (Mount McKinley), with added commentary about Hudson Stuck—one of the expedition leaders—Alaska Native history, glaciers, cold-weather expeditions, and the cultural impact of children's shows like Molly of Denali. The hosts discuss sources, historical language, climate change, and personal anecdotes, blending historical insight with contemporary relevance and light-hearted moments.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Walter Harper, Hudson Stuck, and the First Ascent of Denali

• Tracy and Holly reflect on the week’s episode focusing on Walter Harper and the Harper-led Denali summit, emphasizing both the technical achievements and the personal stories involved.
• Hudson Stuck is highlighted as a major historical source, with Tracy noting the value and caveats of his documentation.
• Discussion on Stuck’s writing:
  • Historical Language: Tracy cautions that Stuck’s use of terms for Alaska Native peoples is often outdated or inappropriate by modern standards, though he [Stuck] was in some ways "more progressive...than a lot of other people" of his time. (06:53)
  • Public Domain Books: Many of Stuck’s works on Alaska are freely available and provide valuable primary accounts.

2. Molly of Denali: Representation and Cancellation

• Tracy talks about the PBS Kids show Molly of Denali, its educational value, and the recently-announced cancellation due to various reasons, including decreased PBS funding.
  • The special episode “Molly and the Great One” interweaves Molly’s family with the narrative of Harper’s expedition and highlights Alaska Native perspectives.
  • Tracy describes how she found the episode via YouTube and humorously discusses disrupting her husband’s algorithm with children’s programming.
  • The show’s cancellation is lamented as a loss for representation and storytelling in children’s media.
  • Quote (Tracy, 05:11): ". . . Molly of Denali has very sadly been canceled. . . . the gutting of PBS funding by the federal government. So, like, that's part of it."

3. Further Reading and Resources on the Denali Expedition

• Several recommended sources for deeper exploration:
  • The 70 Mile: The Lost Legacy of Harry Karstens and the First Ascent of Mount McKinley by Tom Walker (2013)
  • Walter Harper: Alaska Native Son by Mary F. Ehrlander
  • No major standalone biography exists for Hudson Stuck, but his books are accessible online.

4. Glaciers, Climate Change, and Personal Anecdotes

• The Muldrow Glacier—the route taken by Harper’s team—is discussed as the historic and (until recently) primary path to Denali’s summit. Tracy and Holly explain that its usage has declined after recent surges linked to glacial instability.
  • Holly, 07:41: “I imagine it, like many things, is being affected by the warmer temperatures.”
• Both hosts recount personal experiences from a recent trip to Iceland, observing rapid glacier melting and land uplift due to diminishing ice weight.
  • Tracy, 08:09: ". . . they had a whole display that was about the loss of glaciers in Iceland and in addition to the glaciers melting, how the weight of the glaciers not being there causes the land to lift, causing multiple intersecting problems. A giant bummer. Climate change is real. It is largely caused by human activity, including the burning of fossil fuels."
• The episode emphasizes the gravity of climate change, underscoring both scientific and lived experiences.

5. Walter Harper’s Legacy and Lost Potential

• Tracy relates what she learned from Mary F. Ehrlander’s biography and interview:
  • Harper is considered a hero by many Alaska Native people.
  • Post-expedition Alaska saw significant changes for Native communities, including the Indian Reorganization Act, self-governance, and land redistribution.
  • Harper, due to his bicultural background and charisma, “had the potential to be a connecting point” between Native and white communities.
  • His early death is widely viewed as a tragedy for Alaska Native advocacy.
  • Tracy, 10:28: “And how influential and important he could have been to all of that, given his personality. . . . [he] had the potential to like, really be a connecting point in a way that would hopefully help the Native peoples of Alaska.”

6. Tone, Humor, and Light Closure

• The tone shifts to lighten what Tracy calls the “sad note” of Harper’s premature death:
  • Holly jokes that she imagined Hudson Stuck as “an Episcopalian version of Yukon Cornelius” before looking him up (11:46).
  • The hosts note that the Denali expedition, while dangerous, was more successful and cooperative than most polar expeditions covered on the show.
    • Tracy, 12:19: “Of all the various expeditions to a place... it does seem to have gone better than any of the rest of them.”
  • The importance of appropriate footwear and gear for cold-weather expeditions is discussed as both a historical observation and a bit of weekend advice for listeners.

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• Tracy (06:53):
  “I will say the language that [Hudson Stuck] uses about like the native peoples of Alaska, some of it is language that was commonly used at the time and is really not Native nation's own preferred terminology today.”
• Holly (07:41):
  “I imagine it, like many things, is being affected by the warmer temperatures.”
• Tracy (08:09):
  "Climate change is real. It is largely caused by human activity, including the burning of fossil fuels.”
• Tracy (10:28):
  “He had the potential to like, really be a connecting point in a way that would hopefully help the Native peoples of Alaska.”

Important Timestamps

• 02:19 — Show opens: Reflections on Denali and Walter Harper
• 03:37 — Molly of Denali: PBS Kids show, special episode, and cancellation
• 05:11 — Impact of PBS funding cuts on Molly of Denali
• 06:53 — On Hudson Stuck’s writing and period language about Alaska Natives
• 07:41 — Discussing the Muldrow Glacier and climate impacts
• 08:09 — Personal anecdotes from Iceland; the loss of glaciers and climate change
• 09:02 — Walter Harper remembered as a hero among Alaska Native peoples
• 10:28 — Harper’s lost potential as a bridge between Native and white Alaskans
• 11:46 — Holly’s humorous mental picture of Hudson Stuck
• 12:19 — The Denali expedition’s relative success and team spirit
• 13:42 — Footwear and gear lessons from history, friendly advice for winter trekkers

Tone and Closing Thoughts

Tracy and Holly blend thoughtful historical analysis with personal stories and humor, acknowledging sorrowful aspects of history while steering the conversation toward both practical relevance (climate change, representation in media, cold weather safety) and lighter moments. The segment closes with encouragement to listeners, especially those venturing outdoors, to learn from history and be well-prepared.