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TODAY'S STATS - 5/29/23 |
Denali |
Mt. Foraker |
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Registered Climbers |
982 |
8 |
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Climbers Currently On Mountain |
560 |
6 |
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Completed Climbs |
111 |
2 |
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Number of Summits |
31 |
0 |
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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. |
Mountain Weather
7K -- (7:00 am) Gabby reported 21 F, calm, with a celing at around 14K above camp and over the Kahiltna - though the celing looked lower to the south. Scattered low level fog and 3" of new snow.
14K -- (8:00 am) Mik likewise reported calm conditions. She couldn't see anything below 14K, but everything up high was visible through a light fog.
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
West Buttress (May 28) per NPS Rangers Dalpes/McBrayer/Ramey currently at 14K
The upper mountain is getting busy! We observed about 100 climbers ascending to high camp on 5/27.
The fixed lines are in good shape and steps are improving with the amount of use they are receiving.
Our patrol arrived at 14 camp on 5/24. Motorcycle hill had several open crevasses and squirrel hill had some blue ice. A path is starting to form at Windy Corner, but it is mostly blue ice as well.
A note for skiers: conditions above 11 camp are still firm with blue ice beneath variable amounts of new and wind affected snow. If you intend to ski above 14 camp we recommend climbing the slope you intend to ski. Surface conditions change substantially on a 4-5,000’ slope. Also consider marking your egress with wands as it is very difficult to navigate a safe route from above.
A note on altitude illness; arriving at 14 camp in less than 5 days has produced altitude illness. Our northern latitude has less oxygen than the same elevation at mid-latitudes so 14,000’ here in AK feels like 16,000-17,000’. There have been a few groups that arrived at 14 within a few days of arriving at Basecamp and descended to 11 because they weren’t feeling well. We recommend taking your time on the lower glacier.
We want to remind climbers that a CMC is required at 17 camp. Rangers are checking and are turning people around if they don’t have one.
West Buttress (May 26) per NPS Ranger Chrissie Oken
Lower Mountain: Snowpack is still robust from Base Camp to 11,000' (Camp 3). Normal precautions with roped travel should still be followed as this is the most cracked up part of the route, but overnight travel may not be necessary as of yet.
11,000': More cracks than normal are open on Motorcycle Hill. Roped Travel is recommended, and we have already seen an unroped crevasse fall that resulted in an injury this year.
Windy Corner: Things have filled in a bit and steps are good. Between Windy Corner and the cache site is a bit cracked up and there was an overhead crevasse fall in this area about a week and a half ago. Treat snowbridges as suspect and use caution.
Fixed Lines: A few inches of snow really improved conditions on the fixed lines. Thanks to several guided groups, steps are very well-defined and the fixed lines are about as smooth as they get!
16 Ridge: Running protection is looking good. Plan to bring your own non-lockers.
Also, an upper mountain report from guide Sam Hennessey: "Normal scoured conditions. Autobahn is picketed at 30 meter intervals"
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There are currently 38 permitted climbers and skiers in the park's glaciated backcountry, distributed as follows:
4 on the Peters Glacier
26 in the Upper Kahiltna
5 in the Upper Ruth
3 on Mount Hunter
Search and Rescue Activity
We are thrilled to report NO recent SAR activity!
Ranger Reports
14K Patrol #3 (Dossin) Patrol #3 patrol moved to high camp yesterday, 5/27, along with about 95 others. So far, they seem to be enjoying a safe and uneventful time up there. Sounded like no teams tried for the summit yesterday, but activity is likely today in advance of "wintery" weather conditions moving in the rest of the week.
14K Patrol #4 (McBrayer, Dalpes, Ramey) Patrol #4 is taking care of business at 14K, meeting and greeting teams heading up, heading down, or resting in camp. The current plan is to 'hot swap' with Galen's patrol at 17K tomorrow if weather is conducive. Anika sent this photo from camp yesterday:
I count 84 climbers in this frame. (NPS Photo / Ramey)14K Patrol #5 (Ramos-Leon) Kakiko and friends moved to Camp 2 (9K) yesterday afternoon. As of press time, we were unsure if they were heading up to 11K, or planning to spend another night.
7K Patrol #4 (Mock) VIPs Mock and Politis holding down Basecamp operations with their characteristic charm and hospitality. They will remain at 7K through Friday, June 2.
Ruth AKR Patrol (Davis) Although Alan's sunburn is evidence they didn't spend the entire time in a tent, the threesome did experience a fairly consistent mix of rain and snow throughout their long weekend patrol. They were unable to climb any routes, but did squeeze in some exploration of the Ruth icefall.
Photo of the Day
This image of NPS mountaineering volunteer Jenn Pirog helps answer the question "Why Climb?" (NPS Photo / Emily Junck)