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TODAY'S STATS - 6/14/23 |
Denali |
Mt. Foraker |
|
Registered Climbers |
1,014 |
4 |
|
Climbers Currently On Mountain |
430 |
0 |
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Completed Climbs |
502 |
4 |
|
Number of Summits |
188 |
0 |
|
Summit Percentage |
37% |
0% |
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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. |
With a long stretch of foul weather (either in Talkeetna or on the mountain, or both), there is a reported backup of about 70 climbers at Basecamp waiting for a flight back to civilization.
Mountain Weather
7K (7:00 am) From Gabby: "Good Morning! Some sun here at bc this morning. Kahiltna is closed at the moment but north hunter pass is open with blue skys over radio tower."
14K (9:00 am) Travis reported that 14,200-foot camp is still in a cloud, but weather was much nicer above them.
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.
The National Weather Service publishes their mountain-specific forecast here: Denali Climbing Forecast
The FAA webcam on the Kahiltna Glacier has yet to be installed for the 2023 season, but we'll let you now when its up and operational.
Conditions Reports
The lower mountain has received mutiple feet of new, heavy snow in the last week.
Search and Rescue Activity
Following a flurry of rescue and medical help last week, SAR incidents have quieted down. Currently, the ranger patrols at 14,200-foot camp have been treating a non-emergent climber with frostbite on his feet for the past several days. Unable to descend safetly due to the cold injuries, the climber will be evacuated via park helicopter when weather permits.
Ranger Reports
14K Patrol #5 (Ramos-Leon) Kakiko's patrol enjoyed a day trip to high camp yesterday, along with a couple volunteers from Patrol #6. They are back at 14K today, with plans to descend to Basecamp this afternoon. Their scheduled flight out is tomorrow (Thursday) already!
Ranger Kakiko Ramos-Leon takes advantage of some periodic Wifi at 14 camp. (NPS Photo / Eric Wickenheiser)14K Patrol #6 (Baldwin) Travis and crew reached 14 camp over the weekend, and among other camp duties, they have been helping care for the frostbite patient. They will mind camp until Alan Davis' patrol -- currently off to a late start -- reaches 14K.
14K Patrol #7 (Davis) Lots of shovelling for Alan and friends on the lower mountain the last week. While they made it into Basecamp on Friday, they were largely stuck in camp shovelling until yesterday, Tuesday. They made it to 7,800 camp yesterday, and moving up to 9K today.
14K Patrol #8 (Bomba) Ranger Chelsea Bomba and her four volunteers are currently prepping in Talkeetna for their flight into Basecamp tomorrow. We'll introduce the Red Lantern Patrol in the next blog post!
Denali Rescue Volunteers
Learn more about Denali Rescue Volunteers, an organization that helps make Denali National Park and Preserve's mountaineering operations whole! Thank you for all that you do each season, from helping equipping our volunteers, housing them before and after patrols, and supporting our recruitment process!
Photos of the Day
Heading up Ski Hill (NPS Photo / Eric Wickenheiser)
Just so you didn't think it was all fun and games and sweeping vistas. (NPS Photo / Eric Wickenheiser)