Annie "Basecamp Annie" Duquette

Annie Duquette, known as "Basecamp Annie," was interviewed on July 1, 2000 by Dave Krupa at Denali's 7,200 foot basecamp. The interview took place in her weatherport "home away from home," just before it was to be disassembled and slung off the mountain at the close of the climbing season. In this interview, Annie talks about her work as basecamp manager.  She gives an especially intimate look at daily life on the mountain, as well as the characters who are drawn to such extreme places. She also reflects on the challenges and rewards of her work, the many trying situations she dealt with, and the changes she has witnessed as Denali's popularity grew. There was a special poignancy during the interview not only because Annie was leaving soon, but also because she shared the grief of the whole community in the loss of NPS rangers and pilot Don Bowers in an airplane crash only weeks before this interview took place.