Celebrating the #HumansofDenali for the National Park Service’s...

Celebrating the #HumansofDenali for the National Park Service’s Centennial

August 25 marks the 100th anniversary of the US National Park Service. Celebrate and #FindYourPark. To see more from Denali National Park and Preserve, follow @denalinps and check out #HumansofDenali on Instagram.

When most people think of US national parks, they think about pristine wilderness. But for ranger Keith Gortowski of Denali National Park and Preserve (@denalinps) in Alaska, it’s about the people in service of these enchanted places — so he’s been collecting their stories in #HumansofDenali.

“The park itself is a challenge,” says fellow ranger Nick Virgil (@nick.virgil). “We talk a lot about what a good life we live out here, but what makes it a good life are the trials and tribulations that come with it. That’s what Denali offers. Not just for the rangers or the visitors, but for the wildlife and even the landscape itself.” For Nick, these challenges come with great rewards. “It’s an adventure into the unexpected. That’s the kind of feeling that gets you going, that you feel deep down inside yourself. Where else can you get that?”

by via Instagram Blog