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TODAY'S STATS - 6/14/24 |
Denali |
Mt. Foraker |
|
Registered Climbers |
953 |
26 |
|
Climbers Currently On Mountain |
307 |
2 |
|
Completed Climbs |
594 |
24 |
|
Number of Summits |
239 |
0 |
|
Summit Percentage |
40% |
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
At last, beautiful weather all around!
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
Conditions Report
WB Patrol #4 patrol members flew off the mountain about an hour ago. Their overnight descent to 7K was "superb" in the words of patrol volunteer George Creighton. Superb = some sagging cracks, but overall snow coverage is good. The glacier is freezing hard overnight, turning to mush by mid-morning, so sticking to a night schedule is key.
Search and Rescue Report
A couple more patients this week at 14,200 feet, including a climber with ataxia and pain related to pre-existing medical condition. Another climber began suffering signs of acute mountain sickness (AMS) at 17K, with conditions not resolving at 14K. Both patients were evacuated today.
Ranger Reports
Joined by their pilot and Gabby the Basecamp Manager, the joyful members of West Buttress Patrol #4 had off the baton to the final West Buttress Patrol (#7) team of the season at the Kahiltna Basecamp. (NPS Photo/K. Senden)14K Patrol #4 (Bomba) Patrol #4 flew out to Talkeetna today, currently grabbing fresh food and showers and flip-flops after a month of hard work.
14K Patrol #5 (Baldwin-Kayes) Patrol #5 has an empty medical tent once again, and may go do some climbing in this brief stretch of glorious weather.
14K Patrol #6 (Dossin) Galen and his companions in Patrol #6 are reportedy rounding Windy Corner en route to the 14K camp as of press time.
14K Patrol #7 (McBrayer-Guetschow) The trail sweep, Patrol #7, is officially ON mountain! A beautiful and auspicious day. In addition to typical upper mountain patrol duties (emergency response, visitor information, resource management (aka keeping the mountain clean), this patrol will be breaking down the 14 camp infrastructure in the weeks to come. It's an All Star Lineup, including Lead Mountaineering Ranger Joseph McBrayer; Rookie-Ranger-of the-Year Taylor Guetschow; longtime Denali patrol volunteer and retired mountain guide and teacher Kirby Senden; Local Legend and first time NPS VIP Colby Coombs, owner of Alaska Mountaineering School; and last but not least, Dr. Quimby, Medicine Man.
From left to right, VIP/Dr. Tom Quimby, Ranger Joey McBrayer, VIP Colby Coombs, VIP Kirby Senden, Rnager Taylor Guetschow. (NPS Photo)
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!
Mid-Season Update on University of Tasmania Wilderness Study on Denali
(submitted by Dr. Daniel Hackett, Univ. of Tasmania)
Mid-season Denali mountaineer and backcountry research update – Climbers and mountaineers, we need your help!
Readers of Denali Dispatches would have read about the research being conducted in the Denali wilderness and backcountry this season. Chances are you’ve even seen the research surveys while checking-out or returning CMC’s to the ranger station in Talkeetna.
Now is the critical point in the research: getting responses from this season’s wilderness and backcountry users. All overnight users including climbers, mountaineers, guides, rangers and mountain professionals (over the age of 18) are eligible, and we are after a diversity of responses and perspectives. We need 5-10 minutes of your help now, by completing the anonymous survey below!
Survey responses are coming in slowly, but we need 100 more responses. If you’ve had a Denali backcountry or wilderness experience this season, or have just returned and are reading this, then you’re invited to participate in the surveys.
If you want to step-up and lead the way by completing the voluntary survey, then please follow this link to the University of Tasmania survey.
About the research team:
The project is being led by the University of Tasmania, in collaboration with Penn State. Daniel Hackett of the University of Tasmania, travelled 8000 miles to Talkeetna during late April, and launched the surveys in May as part of Fulbright Scholarship.
At the same time as the surveys were launched, Daniel installed an acoustic recorder at Kahiltna basecamp to provide additional quantitative soundscape data to inform the research project (you can read more about this on the May 14 Denali Dispatch Field Report.)
A goal is to use the data collected to benefit future wilderness and backcountry users in Tasmania, New Zealand, Antarctica and Denali.
Photo of the Day
In a shot from earlier this season, a long line of climbers take advantage of a clear weather day to ascend from the 14,200 foot camp to the 16,200 Ridge. (NPS Photo/Chrissie Oken)