An impressive lenticular formation sits atop Mt. Foraker, captured from Denali Base Camp Photo: K. Ramos-Leon
Backcountry Users
We’ve begun to see a slow shift in the weather patterns here in both Talkeetna and the Alaska Range. Precipitation and clouds are still in full force, but the sun has been making its appearance known in the last few days! We currently have 1,010 people registered for the season. As of Monday morning, there are 30 people registered in the range, and 216 who are currently on Mt. McKinley.
Basecamp
Basecamp patrol volunteers Kevin McGarity and Tatum Scheibler, along with ranger Kakiko Ramos-Leon were able to fly out from their stint after enjoying a mostly tent-bound experience with some breaks in the weather to help with slinging external loads from base camp to 14 camp.
West Buttress Patrol #3 with ranger Jake Kayes arrived in base camp. They spent three days practicing crevasse rescue, helping with external loads for 14 camp and assisting with a rescue near basecamp. The team departed basecamp Sunday morning and is headed for camp 1 at the base of ski hill. Volunteers Craig, Jonah, Brie & Sean will no doubt have an enjoyable romp up the lower Kahiltna Glacier.
Patrol 2 left to right: Craig Smith, Jake Kayes, Jonah Olson, Brie Yost, and Sean Smith.
Thanks to Jingyi Zhang for the photo capturing conditions on the North Buttress of Mt. Hunter this last week.
West Buttress
Lots of wind, precipitation and cold temps have been the story for the West Buttress over the past week. West Buttress Patrol #1 with Joey McBrayer has made it to 14 camp and begun the significant undertaking of setting up for the season. Given the poor weather so far this season, there’s been a delay in getting all the equipment up to 14,200’. Hopefully the weather trends towards stability!
News of the first summit of the season has made its way down the mountain. Two members of a three-person walk-in expedition climbed from 14 camp.
Conditions through Windy Corner are seemingly disjointed and not straightforward, and there was a rumor of a crevasse fall in the area. It’s noted that crevasse hazard in the area forces climbers into steeper terrain.
On the upper mountain, there’s word of Denali Pass being very icy with little snow coverage.
West Buttress Patrol #1 passing Squirrel Hill on their move from 11 camp to 14 camp and enjoying a reprieve from the stormy weather.
West Buttress Patrol #2 with ranger Alan Davis has moved into 11,000’ camp. Volunteers Ben Hannon, Austin DiVesta, Chris Bailey, and Matt Skorina will continue to acclimatize and move uphill to 14 camp in the coming week, as weather allows.
A lingering lenticular cloud sits atop Mt. McKinley. Photo: K. Ramos-Leon
Alaska Range Patrols
On May 8, Ranger Chrissie Oken flew into the Muldrow Glacier at McGonagall Pass with three volunteers (Kailyn McGrath, Madison Crowell, and Andy Paul). They spent the next week travelling up glacier, assessing whether the terrain was manageable and navigable. The short answer? Maybe.
Accessing climbers' right of the Hill of Cracks at 8,000'. It may be possible to bypass this terrain in appropriate avalanche conditions.
No one has accessed the historic Muldrow Route since 2019, before Covid (when no climbing permits were issued) and the glacial surge that happened in 2021 (you can read more about the surge here). The purpose of this patrol was to determine whether the Muldrow had settled down to a viable climbing route once again.
The team made it to the base of the Hill of Cracks, and was also able to do an aerial scout of the route up to Karsten's Ridge in good weather on their insert. It seems as though the route may go if climbers are willing to tolerate some overhead hazard and bypass parts of the glacier on lateral moraines.
Be on the lookout for a longer writeup with more pictures to be posted soon!
Descending past the Lower Icefall at 7,000'. The route has always bypassed the Icefall on climbers' right, but has become more challenging post-surge.