|
TODAY'S STATS - 6/6/23 |
Denali |
Mt. Foraker |
|
Registered Climbers |
1,006 |
8 |
|
Climbers Currently On Mountain |
587 |
6 |
|
Completed Climbs |
255 |
2 |
|
Number of Summits |
82 |
0 |
|
Summit Percentage |
32% |
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. |
Apologies for the long-ish lapse in Field Reports -- during the last few days, the season reached its peak of climbers on the mountain. On June 5, yesterday, there were 620 on "Currently on the Mountain." With a break in the weather, a lot more came down than went up, bringing our daily total today to 587. Still plenty, but over the hump.
Mountain Weather
7K (6:44 am) From Gabby: "good day! 27f, light e winds, partly cloudy ~12k. looking good out there!"
7.8K (7:45 am) From Travis: "Clear here up to the pass. Thin clouds to the south maybe around 14k." But by 8:11 am, he was changing his tune: "Might have spoken too soon. Filling in a little more to the south and I can see a low cloud across the glacier around base camp..Looks like another dynamic day"
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
This morning Travis reported that the lower glacier did not freeze overnight last night, but overall they were still seeing good snow coverage. The upper 25 cm of snow was isothermic and punchy.
Anika at 14 camp reports the 16K ridge has lots of pickets. On the Denali Pass traverse, still seeing pickets placed every 30 m.
***
We are down to only 17 permitted climbers and skiers in the park's glaciated backcountry, distributed as follows:
3 in the Upper Kahiltna
9 in the Upper Ruth
3 on Mount Hunter
2 Little Switzerland
Search and Rescue Activity
Late night Thursday of last week (June 1), on a wild and windy night, a team near Washburn's Thumb (16K) triggered their InReach looking for assistance with a non-ambulatory team member. Weather conditions were too severe for a ground team to ascend the fixed lines that night. An associated team positioned above them at high camp was able to descend to the distressed party the following day when winds abated, and assisted them down the ridge to 14 camp. Three of the climbers (from both teams) were subsequently treated for frostbite at 14 camp.
On June 5, yesterday, a climber with severe abdominal pain was treated at 14 camp. Although most of the mountain was clear, a cloud bank sat over 14 camp all afternoon, precluding an air evacuation. However, overnight, the patient's pain reduced and he was able to descend to basecamp with his teammates...with a 3-person ranger patrol following the descent.
Ranger Reports
14K Patrol #3 (Dossin) Patrol #3 got a two-day extended stay at Basecamp thanks to dismal weather. They finally flew out Friday night, June 2, after a truly exhausting but rewarding patrol. Here they are relaxing on the summit:
NPS Photo / Galen Dossin
14K Patrol #4 (McBrayer, Dalpes, Ramey) Patrol #4 reunited at 14 camp just before a major windstorm hit the upper mountain on Thursday evening. They spent much of the weekend treating frostbite patients in camp. Ranger Mik and VIPs Caroline and Pat are descending to basecamp today, with a flight out when weather permits. Rangers Joey and Anika will stay at 14 camp to provide extra coverage until Patrol #6 (delayed 4 days by bad weather) can make it to 14 camp.
Blue Steel at 14,200 feet. (NPS Photo / Anika Ramey)14K Patrol #5 (Ramos-Leon) Patrol #5 reached 14 camp on Friday as well, and they've been busy with the aforementioned medical responses since then. The Kakiko's patrol is now teamed with Joey and Anika at 14K to provide coverage and rescue support on the upper mountain until Patrol #6 arrives in camp.
14K Patrol #6 (Baldwin) Although Ranger Travis Baldwin's patrol was intending to swap with Dossin's patrol flight out, the stars did not line up. They got stuck in Talkeetna for a total of four extra days, flying in Sunday. Luckily this All Alaskan team is used to bouts of bad weather. Once on the mountain, the patrol spent a night at basecamp, a night at 7,800, and today they ascended to 9,000 feet. Here they are basking in the fleeting sunshine on Sunday before takeoff:
From left to right: US Air National Guard Pararescueman (PJ) Willy Forsyth, Ranger Travis Baldwin, VIP Eric Wickenheiser, PJ Michael Rogers, and VIP and Retired US Fish & Wildlife Ranger Rory Stark, (NPS Photo / Chrissie Oken)7K Patrol #4 (Mock) VIPs Mock and Politis made it out of Basecamp Friday night, along with Dossin's patrol. Thank you Steve and Jon for your volunteerism and good humor! And on a parting note -- Steve (the President of Denali Rescue Volunteers non-profit Friends group wants everyone to come to the DRV fundraiser -- see information below!
Denali Rescue Volunteers
Denali Rescue Volunteers is teaming once again with Denali Arts Council to bring climbing films to the big screen in downtown Talkeetna. On Saturday, June 10, the public is invited to the Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival at the Sheldon Community Arts Hangar. Showtime 7:00 pm, doors open at 6:30 pm. A portion of the proceeds will go to 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
The NPS Synchronized Ski Team, 14,200 feet. (NPS Photo / Anika Ramey)