Field Report, May 25

May 25, 2016 Posted by: Maureen Gualtieri

TODAY'S STATS

    Denali    

Mt. Foraker

Registered Climbers

973

18

Climbers Currently On Mountain

389

14

Completed Climbs

129

4

Number of Summits

31

0

Summit Percentage

24%

0%

The Walter Harper Talkeetna Ranger Station also maintains a daily automated statistics phone line, so if this blog is lagging behind and you need up-to-date registration numbers, call (907) 733-9127. 


Weather Report

7,200 feet - Wind was calm this morning, with gusts to 15 mph out of the east. Skies were broken, and in the words of climber and guest weather observer Colin Haley, the sky "looks sultry," a change from last evening, when the sky was characterized as "pretty".  There was no snow accumulation in the last 24 hours.  

In the last 12 hours:
Current temp:  -3 C / 27 F
Low temp:  -7 C / 19 F
High temp:  -3 C / 27 F

14,200 feet -   Skies were obscured by clouds this morning at 14,200-feet, with camp described as "in a lenticular". Wind speed was 5 mph out of the southeast, gusting to 27 mph.  Camp did received a trace of new snow overnight.  

In the last 12 hours:
Current temp:  -18 C / 0 F
Low temp:  -21 C / -6 F
High temp:  -18 C / 0 F


FAA Kahiltna Glacier webcam 

National Weather Service forecast  


Ranger Update

NPS Denali Patrol #1 (Erickson, Coady, 2 GRTE rangers, 2 VIPs)  The patrol is at 14K, happy to share camp wtih Patrol #2, at least for a few days. If they get a good weather window, they will ascend to the 17,200 foot camp.

NPS Denali Patrol #2 (McBrayer and 4 VIPs). The patrol finally got a change of scenery. After a week at 11,200-feet, they reached the 14,200 foot camp yesterday evening. 

NPS Denali Patrol #3 (Corn, 4 VIPs, 2 PJ's) Ranger Dan Corn and his fellow patrol members left basecamp early this morning headed to the 7,800-foot camp.

NPS Basecamp Patrol #2 (Robinson, 1 northside ranger, 2 VIPs)  The patrol is making the rounds at basecamp today, assessing and addressing cache management and general camp hygiene.  


Route Conditions

More of the same....the 14,200-foot camp is largely protected from this wind event, but teams ascending the ridge are faced with the high winds and cold temperatures associated with Storm 'Evans'.  A handful of teams did head up to the summit yesterday, with reports of extremely high winds picking up in the afternoon. Rangers at 14,200-feet are receiving a flurry of reports of frostbite, estimating almost half the climbers going high on the mountain are coming back to camp with some level of frostbite.

 

Photo of the Day

 Patrol members pose for a photo before flying to basecamp
Denali Patrol #3 recently posed for a photo before flying into basecamp. From left to right in the back row are VIP Jon Waterman, VIP Michael Hutchins, Ranger Dan Corn, VIP Bobby Cosker, and VIP Justin Fraser. Kneeling in the foreground are Air National Guard PJ's Jeff Hamilton and Cody Inman.  NPS Photo/Tucker Chenoweth

Last updated: May 25, 2016

Park footer

Contact Info

Mailing Address:

PO Box 9
Denali Park, AK 99755

Phone:

907 683-9532
A ranger is available 9 am to 4 pm daily (except on major holidays). If you reach the voicemail, please leave a message and we'll call you back as soon as we finish with the previous caller.

Contact Us