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TODAY'S STATS - 6/9/23 |
Denali |
Mt. Foraker |
|
Registered Climbers |
1,012 |
4 |
|
Climbers Currently On Mountain |
536 |
0 |
|
Completed Climbs |
340 |
4 |
|
Number of Summits |
96 |
0 |
|
Summit Percentage |
28% |
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. |
Regular visitors to this site might notice the Foraker numbers formerly said six on that mountain, but sounds like a team that planned to attempt Foraker had a change of plans.
Mountain Weather
7K (7:10 am) From Gabby: "Morning! White out conditions, but very calm out. Zero wind or snow. Sitting around 29 degrees"
14K (8:00 am) In contrast, Ranger Joey at 14K called in and said it was shaping up to be a nice day at 14K, calm winds and clouds clearing.
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
Ranger Mik Dalpes is back in Talkeetna following their 14K patrol, and she gives a heads up that although Squirrel Hill and Windy Corner both have a narrow path of snow for travel, that path is immediately surrounded by blue ice making any passing maneuvers, or going off trail for any reason, a risky proposition.
We are down to single digits in terms of registered backcountry users, only 9, distributed as follows:
3 in the Upper Kahiltna
4 in the Upper Ruth
2 Little Switzerland
Search and Rescue Activity
With reporting help from the Ranger Collective at 14K:
On the heels of assisting a climber with acute abdominal pain on Monday (summarized in Tuesday's blog post), rangers and volunteers responded to numerous incidents within a 24 hour period. First, on the afternoon of Tuesday, June 6, a patient who had signs of altitude sickness at 17k camp was able to make it down to 14k camp and volunteers aided them before they self evacuated to the base. Later that night, at 11 pm, rangers at 14k camp received an FRS call for help from a skier who had fallen 1,000 feet down Rescue Gully. The skier stated that they were unable to move their neck and were surrounded by crevasses and unable to navigate their way back to the West Buttress route. Rangers and volunteers mobilized and were able to access the patient around 2:30am. The patient was safely extricated from the crevasse field and the rescuers and patient arrived back to 14k camp around 6:30 am. Approximately 4 hours later, rangers were notified of a party unable to descend the fixed lines from 16,200 feet due to length of time in the elements with possible frostbite and or altitude sickness. Luckily private climbers were able to lower the patient down the fixed lines while in a sleeping bag where rangers and volunteers received the patient and transported them back to 14k camp.
While this 24-hour period was busy, the previous two weeks have been highlighted by multiple medical, frostbite, and altitude sickness patients. The majority of these patients could have been prevented through proper acclimatization, situational awareness, and decision making. A lot of these decisions made were exasperated by short weather windows and rapidly changing conditions.
All the rescues and responses were assisted by the climbing community at 14k, and rangers are extremely thankful that individuals and were able to put aside their climbing objectives momentarily and assist.
Ranger Reports
14K Patrol #4 (McBrayer, Dalpes, Ramey) As mentioned earlier in the week, Ranger Mik Dalpes and VIPs Caroline Dillon and Pat Saylor descended to basecamp on Tuesday. En route at 11K, they wound up roping up with their former patient from 14K (acute abdominal pain), to lend a hand on his descent. The three patrol members flew out of Basecamp on schedule Wednesday, just in time to celebrate Mik's son's fifth birthday. Rangers Joey and Anika remained at 14 camp to provide extra coverage until Patrol #6 (delayed 4 days by bad weather) could make it to 14 camp. Thank goodness those two stuck around, as they provided instrumental help in the three back-to-back incidents noted above. If weather cooperates today (Friday), Joey and Anika will fly out with the injured skier (broken ribs) via park helicopter from 14K.
14K Patrol #5 (Ramos-Leon) Kakiko's patrol has seen little downtime since arriving at 14K camp, providing care to a diverse range of patients. Luckily, the last day or two they've been able to catch up on sleep. They now look forward to Patrol #6 reaching 14K in the next day or so. Once Travis and crew are established at 14K, Patrol #5 will likely head up to high camp for a different view.
14K Patrol #6 (Baldwin) Ranger Travis Baldwin and his teammates, including US Air National Guard Pararescueman (PJ) Willy Forsyth, VIP Eric Wickenheiser, PJ Michael Rogers, and VIP and Retired US Fish & Wildlife Ranger Rory Stark have steadily made their way up the West Buttress. Last night they reached the 11,000-foot camp, where they are spending a rest day. That is, if you call ascending up to Windy Corner (13K) and back a restful day. The team will spend another night at 11K before making the move to 14K tomorrow. (weather permitting).
14K Patrol #7 (Davis) Ranger Alan Davis leads the seventh patrol of the season, joined by NPS Climbing Ranger on loan from Rocky Mountain National Park Ryan Lazzeri, as well as returning VIP Austin DiVesta, VIP Carolyn Spencer, and VIP Paramedic Drew Gibson. As of blog posting time, the team is hoping to fly into Basecamp this afternoon, one day behind schedule due to unflyable weather. Here they are yesterday, before boarding a flight that sadly turned around en route to Basecamp:
From left to right: VIP Austin DiVesta, VIP Carolyn Spencer, NPS Ranger Alan Davis, NPS Ranger Ryan Lazzeri, and VIP Paramedic Drew Gibson. (NPS Photo)
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 Valley of the Goddesses (NPS Photo / Emily Junck)