|
TODAY'S STATS |
Mt. McKinley |
Mt. Foraker |
|
Registered Climbers |
794 |
7 |
|
Climbers Currently On Mountain |
0 |
2 |
|
Completed Climbs |
2 |
0 |
|
Number of Summits |
1 |
0 |
|
Summit Percentage |
50% |
0% |
The Walter Harper Talkeetna Ranger Station also maintains a daily automated statistics phone line, so if this blog is lagging behind and you need up-to-date registration numbers, call (907) 733-9127.
Weather Report:
Severe clear skies over the Alaska Range today, a perfect day to fly more camp gear into the Kahiltna Glacier. Winds 5 mph, downglacier (from the east), per Basecamp Manager Lisa Roderick. Temperature at 7,200 feet at 8:00 am was 14 F / -10 C. Good visibility.
Ranger Update:
Denali mountaineering rangers, with the invaluable help of the U.S. Army Alaska’s Sugar Bears, began inserting camp equipment and supplies on Friday, April 24, with continued supply / training flights occurring as weather permits.
NPS rangers will conduct short-haul training today on Mt. Francis and Mt. Crosson. Another task for today will be installing the radio repeater on the top of Mt. Crosson, a vital piece of communication equipment for the approaching season. Two mountaineering rangers, Tucker Chenoweth and David Weber, will remain in the Range to start a week-long climbing patrol on Mt. Foraker’s Sultana Ridge.
The first mountaineering patrol on Mt. McKinley flies into Basecamp on May 2 to begin their ascent of the mountain.
In the mean time, mountaineering rangers Mike Shain and Joey McBrayer flew into the Ruth Amphitheater on April 24 for a 7-day patrol of Mt. Dan Beard and other area peaks. Their conditions report should appear later this week.
Route Conditions:
Though we’ll have more to report in weeks to come, the Alaska Range has received significant snowfall throughout the month of April. Rangers reported soft, knee-deep snow at the Kahiltna Basecamp as of April 24. An initial surveillance flight over the 14,200-foot camp indicates somewhat less-than-average snow cover at the upper elevations of the mountain.
Bravo Company 1-52d Aviation Regiment of the USARAK Aviation Task Force. The 'Sugar Bears' assisting NPS rangers with hauling camp gear to the Kahiltna Glacier. (NPS Photo / Chenoweth)
NPS Ranger Joe Reichert at the Kahiltna Glacier, setting up a remote fueling station on the Kahiltna Glacier with help from the Sugar Bears. (NPS Photo / Chenoweth)