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TODAY'S STATS - 5/6/24 |
Denali |
Mt. Foraker |
|
Registered Climbers |
953 |
32 |
|
Climbers Currently On Mountain |
43 |
5 |
|
Completed Climbs |
0 |
0 |
|
Number of Summits |
0 |
0 |
|
Summit Percentage |
0% |
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. |
As of today, 394 park visitors have registered for adventures in the Alaska Range backcountry (not on Denali or Foraker). Most have come and gone (289 people), with 105 currently in the field.
Mountain Weather
Sounds like mountain weather is much nicer than the clouds and light snow prevailing in the lowlands of Talkeetna and Denali Park. This morning, Gabby reported via InReach: "morning! broken skies to the west (good view of foraker/crosson/kah), high overcast to the east, light downglacier wind, 18 F. Denali shouded in clouds".
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 Reports
NPS mountaineering rangers on the first patrol of the season are currently situated at the 11,000-foot camp. They report snowy conditions at 9,600 feet, with good snow coverage on the trail at lower elevations. As observed on earlier overflights, blue ice is prevalent above 11,000 feet. Ranger Kakiko reports cracks are sagging on the Ski Hill area.
Ranger Reports
14K Patrol #1 (Kayes and Ramos-Leon) The patrol is working to stay warm, headed uphill, and reports the route conditions noted above.
14K Patrol #2 (Davis) Ranger Alan Davis and his four volunteers-in-parks (aka VIP's) are currently packing and getting organized for the next 24+ days on Denali. Once they complete their To Do List in the days ahead, we'll introduce you to the members of West Buttress Patrol #2. In the mean time, here is a glimpse of this morning's whiteboard status:
Photo of the Day
The park's high altitude helicopter, on contract for the mountaineering season with TEMSCO Helicopters, hauls a netload of camp gear from the Kahiltna Glacier basecamp up to the 14,200-foot basin last week. Multiple netloads now await the arrival of 14K Patrol #1, who will shovel out, unpack, organize, and then construct the 14,200-foot NPS encampment for the season. (NPS Photo/Taylor Guetschow)