|
TODAY'S STATS - 4/27/24 |
Denali |
Mt. Foraker |
|
Registered Climbers |
922 |
27 |
|
Climbers Currently On Mountain |
2 |
0 |
|
Completed Climbs |
0 |
0 |
|
Number of Summits |
0 |
0 |
|
Summit Percentage |
0% |
0% |
|
The Walter Harper Talkeetna Ranger Station also maintains an almost daily automated statistics phone line, so if this blog is lagging behind and you need up-to-date registration numbers, call (907) 733-9127. |
Welcome to the 2024 Field Reports! This edition is quick and dirty -- with more substance to come in the weeks ahead...
Mountain Weather
Gabby Faurot and friends will resume Kahiltna Basecamp management this season, providing rangers with mountain weather observations each morning. Gabby sets up her camp this weekend, and we should start sharing her reports in next week's Field Reports.
Weather station telemetry data from 7K and 14K are transmitted hourly to the MesoWest website, including temperatures, wind speed, wind direction, snowfall, and solar radiation.
MountainWeather.com compiles a Denali Weather page, complete with links to the MesoWest data, the NWS Denali Climbing Forecasts, as well as links to FAA webcams.
Starting May 1, the National Weather Service will publish their mountain-specific forecast here: Denali Climbing Forecast
Conditions Reports
As of this morning, exactly 300 climbers have registered for adventures in the Alaska Range backcountry (translation: not on Denali or Foraker). Of those, 186 have come and gone, with 114 currently in the field. All climbers are encouraged to check out the Backcountry Conditions Reports binder on the front desk of the Talkeetna Ranger Station. The binder is currently chock full of detailed, site- and date-specific conditions reports. A rough characterization of those reports, including anecdotal information shared with rangers, is that the snow coverage throughout the Alaska Range has been good this season, though starting to transition to spring/summer snowpack. Reports indicate there is nice ice on the Moose's Tooth this year, but limited ice in the rest of the Range.
On Denali, we have yet to hear back directly from the two intrepid climbers already on mountain, but this week's helicopter flights shuttling netloads of camp gear to 14,200 feet indicate plenty of blue ice above 11,000 feet.
Search and Rescue Activity
The Alaska Range saw its first tragic incident of the 2024 mountaineering season, a fatal fall on Mt. Johnson the night of Thursday, April 25. See Denali National Park News Releases more information on the incident.
Ranger Reports
Meet the 2024 ranger station staff, front row (left to right): Kakiko Ramos-Leon, Galen Dossin, Chrissie Oken. Middle Row: Chelsie Valetta, Mary Vukson, Jake Kayes. Back row: Maureen Gualtieri, Chelsea Bomba, Tucker Chenoweth, Taylor Guestschow (actually, Taylor is occupying her very own row!), Joey McBrayer, Joe Reichert, Alan Davis. Not present on photo day, but not to be missed, are Beth Howard and Sue Deyoe from the front desk staff, and Paul Miller, who maintains the Talkeetna Ranger Station facilities.AKR Patrol #1 (Dossin) Ranger Galen Dossin and two volunteers are currently on patrol in the Ramparts -- we will share their observations and exploits upon their return.
14K Patrol #1 (Kayes and Ramos-Leon) The first Denali ranger patrol of the season will fly into the Range on Monday, April 29. This set-up patrol's main mission is to construct the 14,200-foot camp infrastructure in the weeks to come. We'll introduce you to the team next Field Report.
Photo of the Day
Looking down at the West Rib while flying 14K camp gear, taken April 23, 2024. (NPS Photo/J. McBrayer)