2013 Mountaineering Season

AMS DENALI TEAMS UPDATE

2013-05-23T17:20:00.001-08:00

All of the AMS teams are busy moving and climbing today, so we have not heard from them directly. However, we have insider information.

The weather is good on the mountain, so there is lots of movement.

Tom Torkelson's May 8 Team is moving down today. I would guess we will see them in Talkeetna as soon as tomorrow.

Leigan Falley's May 7 Team: We beleive they are making a summit attempt today, we do not expect to hear from them until this evening at the earliest. All reports point toward they are doing well!

Larry Holmgren's May 10 Team: Moving to high camp today from 14,200'

Nick D'Allessio's May 20 Team: is moving to 11,200' camp today from 7,800'

We will keep you posted as we get updates.

Kremer to Mt Huntington

2013-05-23T16:38:00.004-08:00

AMS Guides Kristen Kremer, Lisa Van Sciver and climber Adina flew to Mt Huntington. This team has climbed together in the past and always have a great time. They were excited to be going to out to such a great place to climb and with such good weather. Mt Huntington is nearly a perfect pryamid of rock and ice, located about 8 miles southeast of Denali. It stands 12,240' and will provide a fun and challenging climb for this team. They are sure to have a lot of fun.

Guide Kristen Kremer, Adina, Guide Lisa Van Sciver

Torkelson's Team reaches the Top

2013-05-22T20:53:00.002-08:00

AMS guide, Tom Torkelson leading our Norwegian Team just called in from the summit.

The team has worked hard today and is having a nice time on the top this evening.

They will take it slow and steady on the way down to high camp tonight and will have hot drinks and soup when they get back to camp.

We will expect to hear from them tomorrow, after a well earned and good nights rest.

Top of North America, Denali summit 20,230' photo: Brian Okonek

AMS Team Torekelson going for it.

2013-05-22T18:32:00.001-08:00

The AMS May 8 Denali Team led by Tom Torkelson are going for a summit attempt today!

We are expecting a call from them soon.

Falley and Torkelson at High Camp

2013-05-22T16:55:00.004-08:00

Two AMS Denali Expeditions lead by Guides Leighan Falley and Tom Torkelson are settled in at high camp.

Both teams climbed to high camp yesterday and they both did very well on the move. It was a nice weather day with plenty of sun and no wind and they were moving well. They even had the chance to take off their gloves! A rare thing for this time of year.

*** Leigan Falley's team is taking a rest day today. All is well.***

We will keep you posted!

The West Buttress Route, they have traveled far!

The ridge from 16,300'-17,200' they traveled on yesterday, some say it is the most scenic part of the route.

A panorama of their view from high camp; wonderful view of the Southwestern Alaska Range, Kahiltna Glacier and Mt. Foraker. What a reward.

Holmgren 5/10 Denali West Buttress

2013-05-22T16:38:00.001-08:00

AMS Guide Larry Holmgren checked in today from 14K on Denali's West Buttress route. His team carried lunch food and extra gear higher on the mountain yesterday and are taking a well deserved rest day today. Weather permitting, tomorrow they plan to move to 17K. The team is healthy and happy and enjoying themselves.

Back Carry from 14K to 17K

Coady Foraker Update

2013-05-21T17:50:00.000-08:00

Coady's team in on southeast ridge of Mount Crosson which is the approach to the Sultana route. They have done a carry of their gear to a point higher on the mountain and are back in camp. They will cross over the 12,800 foot summit and then descend to a col. In all, they will only lose 3,670 feet of elevation from the top of Mount Crosson to get to the base of Mount Foraker's summit ridge.

The weather is awesome. It is 30 degrees and sunny at Kahiltna base camp. There is no wind.

Here's a couple of pictures from past years.

Mount Foraker

Base camp on Mount Crosson...looking south down the Kahiltna Glacier

D'Alessio's 5/20 Expedition On Their Way

2013-05-21T14:31:00.000-08:00

Nick D'Alessio's team flew into base camp last night around 5:00 PM. Weather is awesome today!
Below is a picture I took this yesterday morning from the end of Main Street.

Guide Nick, James, Jorge, Ingrid, Omar, Guide Alex and Dale ready to fly!

Taken at 7:15 AM 5/21. I was skiing on the crust. :)

Upper Mountain Denali Team Update

2013-05-20T18:46:00.003-08:00

AMS guide Tom Torkelson called in from 14K. He said that his team and AMS guide Leighan Falley are planning on heading up to high camp tomorrow, weather depending. Tom said that the weather was really starting to look good.

Tom also said the Larry Holmgren's team arrived into 14K camp last night. Tom said that his team and Leighan's team had hot drinks waiting for them and pretty much had their entire camp built for them before they even had time to take off their crampons. The move from 11K to 14K is a long and hard day, so to have other AMS teams waiting with snow saws and shovels to help build walls and flatten tent sites is a pretty awesome thing.

5/20 West Buttress Getting Ready

2013-05-20T13:02:00.000-08:00

Guides Nick D'Alessio and Alex Stroud are leading the 5/20 expedition scheduled to fly at 5:00 PM today. It is another beautiful day but still a bit chilly here.

James is a highly organized lunch packer!

Dale and Nick discuss the fine points of crampons...

Here's a picture of Denali I took last night around 8:00 PM. Those are sandhill cranes in the foreground.

~Blogger Laura

Mountain Update

2013-05-19T18:05:00.003-08:00

Falley's 5/5 expedition just called in from 14K. They are still waiting for conditions to improve before moving to high camp. They are snug in their tents and pleasantly passing the time. Of course, they have company with Torkelson's 5/8 expedition also there. Torkelson's team hopes to do a carry to the 16K ridge when conditions permit.

A correction to yesterday's post regarding Holmgren's 5/10 Expedition. Today they did a carry up to Windy Corner (13,200) and then descended back to the 11K camp. This is common practice which allow the team to move some of their gear up and then sleep at a lower elevation. Weather and snow pack dependent, they will move camp up to 14K tomorrow.

Here's some photos from last season (2012) of 14K camp...

The kitchen/cook tent is the social hub of every climb.

You always build snow walls around the tents to buffet from the storms.

What's Happening at AMS Today!

2013-05-19T16:44:00.000-08:00

It is a beautiful day here in town after yesterday's snow storm.

Trixie explores the river front...which is still mostly frozen. The Range got about four feet of snow.

Guide Melis Coady and the Foraker Expedition team did get to fly in to base camp in the late yesterday afternoon. There is quite a bit of new snow for them to negotiate as they head down the Kahiltna across the glacier and onto Mount Crosson.


Guides Melis Coady and Josh Hoeschen with climbers Dan, Mike, Nick and Craig.

The 6 Day Mountaineering Course returned today along with the 12 Day Course which was one day late. The weather is all part of life in the mountains. There's been a frenzy of


Sorting Gear.

Guide Todd Tumolo gets some loving from Trixie. Todd is going to be leading a custom Denali Expedition departing on May 24.

If you sit on the couch at AMS...it comes with petting duties.

Holmgren Denali West Buttress

2013-05-18T16:01:00.001-08:00

AMS Guide Larry Holmgren checked in from the 11,000' camp on the West Buttress of Denali today. After four feet of snow and wind the skies are clearing today and they can see Kahiltna Dome, to the west. The team is healthy and happy, they are enjoying a rest day and letting the snow settle. Tomorrow they plan to make their move up and around Windy Corner and into their new camp at 14,200'.

View from 11, 000' camp; looking west, towards Kahiltna Dome

Denali Updates

2013-05-17T15:49:00.001-08:00

The AMS teams lead by Falley and Torkelson at 14, 200' camp are settled in and staying put there today. According to NPS reports, it is snowing and windy at 14,200 camp today. So, the AMS teams are tucked in and happy to be in their well fortified snow walled camps.

Weather days in camps in the mountains are excellent for resting, reading, hot lunches, classes, reinforcing and shoveling out the tents.

All is very well!

AMS Foraker Expedition

2013-05-17T15:40:00.000-08:00

Today is a fun day here at the AMS HQ. We have our 2013 Foraker team preparing for their Expedition. Since today is rather rainy here in Talkeetna, their flight to base camp will be delayed; the small planes we fly into the Alaska Range with fly under VFR regulations, plus the flight in is beautiful. This team came well prepared for the climb! They quickly completed their gear check, lunch packing and NPS meeting. AMS Guides Melis Coady and Josh Hoeschen are currently reviewing fixed line ascension with the team.

AMS Foraker climbers; Craig, Dan, Mike and Dan listen and watch guide Josh demo ascending a fixed line.

English 6 Day Mountaineering Course

2013-05-17T15:31:00.001-08:00

AMS Lead Instructor, Dustin English checked in from the Eldridge Glacier, today. The AMS 6 Day Mountaineering Course has been having an excellent time and learning a lot. Today it is snowing so they are they are having classes on the uses of fixed lines. The weather has been great for the most part during their course. All is well!

Eldridge Glacier, beautiful un-named peak that the course will most likely climb!

Torkelson checks in from 14K

2013-05-16T15:52:00.001-08:00

AMS Guide Tom Torkelson checked in from the 14,200' camp at about 11:00 AM AK standard time.
His team team is very happy to have climbed their way to the 14,200' camp today. They have had really clear and sunny weather so far. They are building a nice camp and they plan to rest tomorrow. The team is healthy and happy, enjoying the views and experience.

Tom also passed along that he spoke with AMS Guide Leighan Falley's team and they are doing well and enjoying themselves!

Past AMS Students building camp at 14200 with snow blocks

Nate Opp & 11,300 Climb

2013-05-15T23:16:00.002-08:00

AMS Guide Nate Opp and climber Brent flew out to climb 11,300 peak this morning. They flew to the Ruth Glacier, they were hoping that conditions would be favorable for their pilot to a land them on the West Fork, at the base of the route.

This will climb has an elevation gain of 4,100 ft of mixed climbing and varied alpine terrain. The route can take 3 - 4 days to complete and will provide them a full Alaska style alpine climbing challenge.

You must be super fit and fully committed to embark on this climb, and this team is ready!

We are very happy to welcome Brent back to AMS for his second Alaska Range alpine climb of 2013. We look forward to hearing all about their climb on their return.

Guide Nate Opp and Brent

More Kids in a Candy Store

2013-05-14T16:05:00.002-08:00

We had the Talkeetna Elementary School First Graders visit AMS this afternoon. They learned some knots, roped up and took a walk through the food packing room. Our 6-Day students flew into the Eldridge Glacier after doing some crevasse rescue practice. Their guides are Dustin English, Josh Murphey and Mike Gardner.

If you look back at our group photos taken in front of the AMS sign, you'll see how much the snow really is melting. Today, Caitlin forbade us from "stepping on the flowers in the flower box."

Colby and Becky show the kids how to rope up.

Grabbing a snack on the way through the food room.

The team ready to head to the airport.

Kids in a Candy Store

2013-05-14T11:05:00.000-08:00

Students for the 6 Day Mountaineering Course are packing their lunches and sorting their gear. It is a beautiful but chilly day here at AMS Headquarters. Winter is kicking and screaming and does not want to release its grip. About 30 degrees here this morning and it has warmed up to 44F. I think we will have a party when the first leaves pop.

Food packing is Fun!!

Keith weighs his food to make sure he's got enough.

Keeping your gear organized is always a challenge.

How many candy bars, that is the question.

Torkelson Calls in from 11K

2013-05-12T17:25:00.003-08:00

Guide Tom Torkelson just called in from 11,000 feet. His team of Norwegians just made it into camp. The weather has been spectacular. All are doing well. They will rest here and then do a back carry to pick up the rest of their gear down at 9,500 feet. Rest at 11K then a front carry of their gear up to Windy Corner....go back down to 11K to rest and then move on up to 14K in 2-3 days time. Back and forth, back and forth but always making upward progress.

Falley Calls in From 14K

2013-05-12T13:21:00.001-08:00

Just got a call from guide, Leighan Falley. She and team are at the 14,000 foot camp! They are doing great and ahead of schedule. She said that it has been cold on the mountain with minus 15F at Ski Hill (7,800 feet) a couple of nights ago but the temperatures are starting to warm up to normal. It was -10F at 14K camp. Keep in mind that we have about 17 hours of daylight now.

Their plan is to carry some of their gear to the ridge (~16K) tomorrow and then two or three days hence they will make the move to 17K, or high camp as it is called. So they will get a nice rest at 14K before making the move to put them in place for a summit attempt.

The National Park Service now has a link to current activity on the mountain. On that page is a link to daily weather observations. This information is called in by the park rangers every day. http://www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/current-statistics.htm

There are only 134 people on the mountain and not many have made it up to 14K so they get the place to themselves for now.

BTW, Leighan says, "Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there."

Denali Photos

2013-05-12T09:52:00.002-08:00

Tom Falley sent us these photographs yesterday. He is a pilot and mountain photographer and happens to be Guide Leighan Falley's dad. He thought that one of the teams in the photo was probably Leighan with climber, Premlata. We send a big Happy Mother's Day out to Leighan! Her daughter is in good hands with Dad and Grandmom. (click on the photos to enlarge)

Climbing teams below the 11,000 foot camp.

The upper West Buttress route. The summit just out of view on the right.

14,000 Foot Camp. It is early season so there are not many people here yet. Very soon it will be filled with tents, snow walls and lots more people.

Holmgren - May 10,2013 Denali West Buttress Launches!

2013-05-10T17:29:00.001-08:00

AMS Guides Larry Holmgren, Noah Ronczkowski and Keith Sidle with their Denali West Buttress expedition just left for the airport to fly on to the Kahiltna Glacier's Basecamp. This team is already a well oiled machine.

Yesterday, the entire team participated in our Denali Skills Workshop. They got their technical gear in order, reviewed glacier travel techniques, crevasse rescue, and fixed line ascension.


Listen to instructors

The team was here early today and ready to begin. They were all well prepared and gear check went quickly. They enjoyed themselves in the food room as they packed their own lunches from our food rooom (with our guidance) for the expedition. After lunch and their NPS briefing they finished up packing gear. They were all smiles as they left for the airport. They all want to see green grass and Alaska's first blooming flowers, bluebells, when they return to Talkeetna!

A colorful and great team! The May 10 Denali Holmgren Team: Guide Noah Ronczkowski, Larry Holmgren, Stefan, Stina, Yuri, Joe, Guide Keith Sidle, Jeff, Bo

Denali West Buttress Availability

2013-05-10T16:18:00.001-08:00

Today we launch our first regular Denali West Buttress Expedition!

Below is the updated availability of AMS Denali, West Buttress 2013 expeditions.

All below climbs will have 6 climbers: 2-3 guides, $6800, 21 days

May 10 - May 30    FULL
May 20 - June 9    1 space available
May 25 - June 14    1 spaces available
May 27 - June 16    FULL
June 3 - June 23      FULL
June 10 - June 30    FULL
June 14 - July 4       2 spaces available
June 17 - July 7 FULL available
June 23 - July 13     6 spaces available
June 27 - July 17     FULL

This photo was just sent to us by AMS guide Leighan Falley's father, Tom.
He took this from his plane today. The vantage point is from West, looking East
towards Denali. The saddle in the upper part of the photo is Denali Pass. The Saddle
in the center right (in the shade (kind of hard to make out)) is the top of the fixed lines at 16,200 feet. The
black rocks in the center right third of the picture is high camp. The black rocky ridge in the foreground is the NorthWest Buttress of Denali and the glacier is called the Upper Peter's Glacier. This is a cool picture from a vantage point that we rarely get to see. Thanks Tom!!!!!!!!!!!