|
TODAY'S STATS - 6/6/22 |
Denali |
Mt. Foraker |
|
Registered Climbers |
1,128 |
15 |
|
Climbers Currently On Mountain |
432 |
10 |
|
Completed Climbs |
450 |
5 |
|
Number of Summits |
297 |
0 |
|
Summit Percentage |
66% |
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. |
As of June 6, there were only 16 registered backcountry:
- 5 in Upper Kahiltna
- 5 in the Upper Ruth
- 4 on Mount Hunter
- 2 in the Kichatna Spires
Mountain Weather
“Cloudless and windless at 7,800 foot camp. Perfect Denali morning.” ~Ranger Dave Weber
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.
Click here for the National Weather Service Denali Climbing Forecast
The FAA webcam on the Kahiltna Glacier is fully operational as of this past weekend. Look for the green dot labelled Kahiltna Glacier.
Conditions Reports
Alan reports some crunch to the morning snow surface at Basecamp, reflecting very light freezing overnight. Ranger Dave Weber’s patrol reports surprisingly decent travel conditions on the lower glacier.
Air taxi operators are reportedly limiting most flights to the morning hours only when the glacier surface is still frozen. At least until the weather pattern changes and the glacier sees more snow and cooler temperatures.
Climbing conditions are great further up the mountain. From the 9K camp up, all seems in fine shape -- Windy Corner, the fixed lines, the Denali Pass Traverse.
Search and Rescue
As reported last Friday, TEMSCO pilot Eric Ridington and PJ Matt Stieble evacuated a critical medical patient from below the fixed lines to Mat-Su Regional Health Center on Friday morning.
Later on Friday night, a client on a guided expedition collapsed just below the summit ridge. Despite exhaustive CPR efforts by his guides, the climber did not regain a pulse. See the news release for more information.
Ranger Reports
NPS 14K Patrol #3 (Baldwin/Ramos-Leon) Kakiko and Travis and fellow patrol members have been enjoying the view from high camp since Saturday.NPS 14K Patrol #4 (Bomba) Patrol #4 are overseeing 14K camp operations, including SAR operations and a related re-supply mission. Two patrol members are going to head up and inspect the fixed lines today, while the other three hold down the fort at 14K -- revamping tent platforms, snow walls, and building a freezer.
NPS 14K Patrol #5 (Weber) Currently camped at 7,800 feet, with plans to head up to 11,000 camp tomorrow.
NPS 7K Patrol #4 (Davis) Alan and Austin have assisted in a fair amount of NPS flight activity through basecamp over the weekend, including SAR missions and a re-supply. They did manage to squeeze in an evening climb of Radio Tower.
Ranger Chelsie Valetta gives an impromptu Junior Ranger program to a room full of visiting youth at the Denali Education Center's Susitna Hall in downtown Talkeetna. (Photo courtesy of Denali Education Center)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!
Photo of the Day
Having already posted a 'Before' and 'After' shot of Ranger Chrissie Oken's 14K patrol, it seemed only fitting to post a 'During' shot for full effect. Here, the all women patrol are dressed to head up the fixed lines from 14K camp. Look closely above the yellow tent to see the line of climbers heading up the trail. (NPS Photo/Travis Baldwin)