AMS 2026 Season

They're Back!

2026-06-19T12:07:32.342-08:00

June 4th Custom Expedition with Porter Crockard and Cheyenne Chaffee

AND

The June 2nd Expedition, led by Simon Frez-Albrecht and Claire Pennell

ARE BACK IN TALKEETNA!

Simon's team did a long downward hike through the night to get to Base Camp this morning just in time to catch the first flights of the day! Good timing on their parts.

Here's the current scene at AMS Headquarters:

Porter, Shanta and Cheyenne

They are wandering around in a daze, eating watermelon and marveling at all the greenery. They are also very, very tired having hiked all night long!

Late Afternoon Update

2026-06-18T17:15:26.519-08:00

June 4th Custom Expedition with Porter Crockard and Cheyenne Chaffee, with Shanta, is currently at the 14,000-foot camp. They are sleeping here until later tonight and then will depart toward Basecamp. They could spend the night at 11,000 feet or rest at 11K and continue onto 7,200 feet. It's warm out so traveling at night is easier and faster.

The June 2nd Expedition, led by Simon Frez-Albrecht and Claire Pennell slept in today and arrived at 14,000 foot camp at 5:09 PM today. They plan on resting here tonight and then heading down.

Tent Swap: Because they left their tents up high for the 6/8 expedition to slide into, they get the tents left for them at 14K. It will be nice to have the tents and walls all set up for them!

We expect Porter's team to be out tomorrow afternoon and Simon's team to be out on Saturday. Of course, this is all dependent on weather, travel conditions, and the team speed.

Nothing like rolling into a pre-made camp!

It's beautiful up there.

I took this photo last night at 7:34 pm, which is just about the time that Simon's team was on the summit! (photo by Laura Wright)

Custom Ski Expedition Returns

2026-06-18T15:35:51.446-08:00

The Custom Ski Expedition with Adam Fabrikant, Billy Haas and Chris just returned to green and warm Talkeetna. All are happy and well. They are off to downtown Talkeetna to find some food and libation and then eventually showers.

After standing on the summit at 3:45 pm yesterday afternoon, it took them 49 minutes to ski from the summit of Denali to the 17K camp.

After breaking down their camp, it took 45 minutes to ski from 17K camp to 14K camp. They were warmly welcomed by the Tate Hughes 6/8 Expedition and had tortellini for dinner.

After dinner, they skied to the 11K camp, took a rest and reclaimed their sleds and other gear. From there it was about a 2-hour ski back to the Kahiltna Basecamp at 7,200 feet. The last bit of the route into base camp is called "Heartbreak Hill" because it is a 500-foot uphill trek. They arrived there at 1:00 AM this morning.

Both Adam and Billy reported that it was the best snow conditions they had seen with powder skiing up high.

Chris is all smiles in a t-shirt.

Guide Adam

Guide Billy in flipflops.

AMS Denali Expeditions Updates - June 18

2026-06-18T15:03:25.782-08:00

June 8th Expedition, led by Tate Hughes, Emma Russell, and Nick Bakken-French:

This team is moving to high camp at 17,200 feet this afternoon. The team is doing great, and all are feeling strong.

This is a difficult and challenging day as they will ascend 3,000 feet with all the weight on their backs. The sleds are left behind. Once there, they will build a camp with fortified snow walls to block the wind and blowing snow. However, they were able to arrange a tent swap with the June 2 expedition since they are heading down. That helps save weight and less wall building!!

Once they are settled in, they will take a one day rest at high camp. On Saturday, they will make a summit attempt, weather permitting. Stay tuned!

Here are a few photos taken yesterday as the team ascended the fixed lines. Photos by Guide Emma Russell: (someone at 14K has Starlink)

16K Ridge.

View descending the fixed lines looking at the 14k camp.

Two team members on the fixed lines... hard to tell who that is! The sun is strong up there.

Guide Nick Bakken-French taking a break at the 16,200-foot cache site.

June 16 Peaks for Pia Expedition led by Nickle Wood and Luke Piatt:

They are moving gear higher up the Mountain. The lower glacier gets warm on these long summer days, so they are on a night schedule. This evening they will take food and fuel up about 9,500 feet and then return to their lower camp at 7,400 feet.

On these nice days you can cook en plein air. Climbers need to eat 4-5000 calories a day.

We have some pretty nice meals up there. Cheese filled pasta with pesto is on the menu (May 2025 photo)

The June 16 Custom Denali Expedition, led by Ben Olwell and Will Plovanic

They camped at 7,800 feet yesterday and will rest today and move this evening to 9,600 feet. Again, best to travel at night out of the "heat of the day." Firmer snow means faster travel.

Climbers on the main Kahiltna Glacier around 8000 feet. (AMS archived image)

Morning Update!

2026-06-18T10:29:06.221-08:00

June 4th Custom Expedition with Porter Crockard and Cheyenne Chaffee, with Shanta

AND

The June 2nd Expedition, led by Simon Frez-Albrecht and Claire Pennell

Both teams stood on the summit last evening. They are currently back at the 17K high camp, taking a well-deserved rest.

They will make their way down the mountain later today, and we may see them in Talkeetna late afternoon tomorrow, or Saturday morning, weather permitting.

AMS Denali Expeditions Updates - June 17

2026-06-17T16:05:37.522-08:00

June 4th Custom Ski Expedition, led by Adam Fabrikant and Billy Haas with Chris is on the summit at 3:45 PM Alaska Standard Time. They have renamed their team to VT Ski Patrol

And they sent a picture!

Adam, Billy, and Chris on the Summit, 6/17 at 3:45 PM AST.

Also heading to the summit is...

June 4th Custom Expedition with Porter Crockard and Cheyenne Chaffee, with Shanta

AND

The June 2nd Expedition, led by Simon Frez-Albrecht and Claire Pennell

SUMMIT FEVER!

Climbers on the summit ridge. (photo taken last week from an earlier expedition)

The June 8th Expedition, led by Tate Hughes, Emma Russell, and Nick Bakken-French, is making a carry of their gear from the 14K camp to the 16,400 ridge. No more sleds, everything on their backs. They will ascend and rest for acclimatization and then return to the 14K camp.

The start of the fixed lines with Mount Hunter on the left and Mount Foraker on the right. 14K Camp is the cluster of tents in the middle of the image (photo from last week)

The June 16 Peaks for Pia Expedition led by Nickle Wood and Luke Piatt will depart basecamp this evening for the five-mile hike to their next camp at 7,800 feet. This move requires teams to go downhill from the runway off of the SE Fork of the Kahiltna to the Main Kahiltna. Teams are moving in the evening to take advantage of the cooler temperatures. The glacier freezes and therefore travel is faster.

The June 16 Custom Denali Expedition, led by Ben Olwell and Will Plovanic, arrived at base camp around 2:30 pm today and set up a quick camp. Their plan is to rest, nap and then pack up and move to 7,800 tonight.

7,200-ft Base Camp is a colorful and noisy scene with planes and climbers coming and going.

A climbing team heading to the 7,800-foot camp. The main Kahiltna is very wide!

Off to the Airport...

2026-06-17T13:32:54.564-08:00

The June 16 Custom Denali Expedition led by Ben Olwell and Will Plovanic just left for the airport and their flight to base camp.

They had a busy two days with gear checks, an NPS briefing, fixed-line ascension, final packing and weighing, and a hearty lunch.

All of the gear is checked and repacked into their backpacks.

Michelle on the rope.

Practice makes perfect.

Guide Will gives the thumbs up!

Looking Good! Guide Ben, Michelle, Bill, SuChong, JP, Renna, Guide Willy

Ready to Fly!!

AMS Denali Expeditions Updates - June 16

2026-06-16T17:13:24.165-08:00

June 4th Custom Ski Expedition, led by Adam Fabrikant and Billy Haas with Chris

AND

June 4th Custom Expedition with Porter Crockard and Cheyenne Chaffee, with Shanta

Have both moved up the fixed lines, and along the 16K Ridge to 17,200' High Camp today, another beautiful day for them up there.

16K Ridge, West Buttress, Denali

The June 2nd Expedition, led by Simon Frez-Albrecht and Claire Pennell, is enjoying a well-deserved rest day at High Camp today. All is well.

17,200' High Camp, West Buttress, Denali

The June 8th Expedition, led by Tate Hughes, Emma Russell, and Nick Bakken-French, is doing great. They descended to 13,500 to pick up their previously cached items today and moved back to 14,200' with lighter packs. They are covering some hands-on reviews of fixed-line use at camp, to prepare for carrying and caching their fixed lines, up to approximately 16,300 feet.

Skills Review at 14,200 feet

The June 16 Peaks for Pia Expedition has flown onto Kahiltna Glacier Basecamp and is doing well at 7,200 feet. They are settling into glacier-climbing life easily and are very happy!

The flight into the Alaska Range to start climbing is a major treat!

View of Denali's south Face from Kahiltna Basecamp

Custom Denali - PEAKS for Pia Begins!

2026-06-16T16:44:46.097-08:00

Nickel, Noelle, Marco, Luke

A really great custom Denali Expedition began today. The Peaks for Pia expedition, led by Nickel Wood and Luke Piatt, with a mother-son team, Nicole and Marco, has been working hard and feels well prepared for this amazing climb.

They had a full day today with NPS briefing, gear check, lunch packing, and after a hearty lunch at the HQ, loaded the van and headed to Talkeetna Air Taxi for the flight onto the Kahiltna Glacier.

They will spend the night at the Kahiltna Glacier base camp at 7,200 feet and head out to the First Camp at 7,800 feet.

We loved working with this team at the HQ, and we are thrilled to follow their progress with you. As part of this climb, Noelle is raising money for a charity close to their hearts, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Find out more about it on the link below:

https://pages.lls.org/tnt/team/yourway26/PeaksforPia.

Awesome jumping for joy!

AMS Denali Expedition updates - June 15

2026-06-15T19:09:03.856-08:00

June 4th Custom Ski Expedition, led by Adam Fabrikant and Billy Haas with Chris: Are staying put up at 14,200' camp today, enjoying a beautiful morning, and working on skiing and skills nearby. All is very well.

June 4th Custom Expedition with Porter Crockard and Cheyenne Chaffee, with Shanta: Are staying put at the 14,200' camp today. They enjoyed a beautiful morning and were working on skills nearby. They are savoring good meals, epic views, and enjoying each other's company.

Beauty evenings at 14,200' on Denali

The June 2nd Expedition, led by Simon Frez-Albrecht and Claire Pennell, woke up early this morning to a beautiful day. They climbed up the fixed lines and along the 16K ridge to reach high camp at 17,200 feet. This is a big day, requiring a huge physical effort at higher, new altitudes. Well done, all!

Climbing on the 16,000 Ridge - AMS archives

The June 8th Expedition, led by Tate Hughes, Emma Russell, and Nick Bakken-French, has moved to the 14,200-foot camp. This is a big day of elevation gain, and the team will spend the next several nights sleeping and acclimating at this new elevation. Tate reports that the team did great! Tomorrow, they plan to back-carry, descending to retrieve their previously cached items at 13,500 feet.

NPS image

Denali Updates- June 14th

2026-06-14T18:54:09.994-08:00

AMS expedition members returned today from their successful summits!

An AMS team at the summit!

Guide Nicole and Heather from the May 25th-Cody Pitz team shared a flight out of base camp today with father-son duo Andreas and Anton from the May 30th Custom expedition with Eric Roberts. They all reached the summit of Denali on June 12th and departed from base camp today. They were greeted by a beautiful, sunny Talkeetna summer day upon their arrival. The clouds were closing in at base camp, making a subsequent flight uncertain, so we may need to wait another day to congratulate guides Eric and Corey.

June 4th Custom Ski Expedition, led by Adam Fabrikant and Billy Haas: The team took another full rest day as they hunkered down in stormy weather at 14K Camp today. Chris says to Ania: "Have a blast in Miami... looking forward to warm Butler summer nights with the French Hill Gang."

June 4th Custom Expedition with Porter Crockard, Cheyenne Chaffee, and Shanta: were in rest mode today. Porter messaged in: " A stormy Day up here at 14,200 most of the day. Watching the weather for an opportunity to move up." All is well.

The June 2nd Expedition, led by Simon Frez-Albrecht and Claire Pennell: The third AMS team is currently at 14K Camp! This team has made steady, strong progress. Simon reports "A stormy, windy Rest day at 14! Enjoying French toast with bacon. Spirits are high, everyone appreciates finally getting some real Denali weather." When the weather allows, they will move up to high camp.

14K camp is a great spot to rest and visit with other teams.

All of the teams are feeling in good shape and are excited for the next summit window, which is likely midweek. They will also be able to visit and swap stories with the other teams that are hunkered down.

The June 8th Expedition, led by Tate Hughes, Emma Russell, and Nick Bakken-French, will be staying at 11K Camp for another night, as planned. They carried and cached at Windy Corner and are hunkered down in the afternoon storm. If the weather allows, they will move to the 14,200-foot camp tomorrow.

Updates from Denali (Mt. McKinley) June 13

2026-06-13T10:25:36.992-08:00

Congratulations go out to teams who summitted last evening!

Guides Eric Roberts and Corey Cooke, with the father-son duo of Andreas and Anton, and The May 25 expedition guide Nicole DePetris with Heather, successfully made it to the highest point in North America. It was a beautiful evening and I'm sure the photographs and memories will be amazing.

Both teams are back at the 17K high camp and will be resting before making their way down to base camp. Well done!

Aerial image of climbers heading to the summit. (AMS archived photo, 2021)

June 4th Custom Ski Expedition, led by Adam Fabrikant: This team is living the dream!! They climbed up the fixed lines and then onto the 17K camp and hung out a couple of hours acclimating and then skied down Rescue Gully.

The Diving board at 17K camp. Mount Foraker (17,400 ft.) behind.

There are no crowds, and the weather has been phenomenal.

June 4th Custom Expedition with Porter Crockard, Cheyenne Caffee, and Shanta: They also went up the fixed lines cached near Washburn's Thumb at 16,500. A good day of acclimating.

Skier Chris, with Guide Billy on the fixed lines yesterday! (Photo by Adam Fabrikant)

The June 2nd Expedition, led by Simon Frez-Albrecht and Claire Pennell:

This team is on fire! They carried up fixed lines yesterday to Washburn's Thumb. Everyone was wearing sunshirts!

Washburn's Thumb at 16,500 feet. Photo taken yesterday. This is from Adam and Billy's ski expedition.

The June 8th Expedition led by Tate Hughes, Emma Russell, and Nick Bakken-French:

This team is at 11,000-foot camp. Today they are doing a carry of gear to 13,500 ft. and will spend another night at 11,000 feet. This is a great way to acclimate.

11,000-ft camp with the route out of camp on the left. (AMS archive photo)

Welcome Back May 25 Expedition

2026-06-12T15:54:33.644-08:00

It is a bluebird day in Talkeetna, and the team just arrived. Here are some photos of their return.

Alex!

Eric!

Jenny!

Nareg!

Flight radar shows all the planes coming and going from the Kahiltna Base Camp today.

Quick Morning Expedition Update - June 12

2026-06-12T09:27:52.392-08:00

May 25 Expedition led by Cody Pitz: Will be arriving back in Talkeetna this afternoon for green leaves and watermelon!

The May 30th Custom Expedition, led by Eric Roberts is heading to the summit today!

Guide Nicole DePetris, with Heather from the May 25 expedition, is tag-teaming with the May 30 expedition for a summit attempt right now!

June 4th Custom Ski Expedition, led by Adam Fabrikant: Skiing and exploring the 14K camp. Chris has a message to his wife, Aina: "Miss you and can't wait to be reunited."

June 4th Custom Expedition with Porter Crockard: Visited the Edge of the World, an awesome viewpoint in the 14K camp.

The June 2nd Expedition, led by Simon Frez-Albrecht and Claire Pennell: Today they will make a carry of their gear up the fixed lines from 15,200 to 16,400 feet. No more sleds; it's all on your back now.

The June 8th Expedition led by Tate Hughes, Emma Russell, and Nick Bakken-French: The team did well moving to the 11K camp. They are settled into their home for the next two days. At this elevation they switch from snowshoes to crampons as they get ready for the upper mountain.

Congratulations to our May 25 Expedition

2026-06-11T11:09:04.150-08:00

Yesterday afternoon at 5:15 p.m., our May 25 Expedition Guide Cody Pitz , with Jenny, Nareg, Alex, and Eric, stood on the summit of North America's highest peak. Guides Joe and Nicole, along with Heather and Kat, helped this crew get to this day.

The team is safely back at the 17,000-foot-high camp, resting, and will descend the mountain back to base camp soon.

Heather and Guide Nicole De Petris are heading to high camp today! After resting another day, they are looking forward to moving to 17,000 ft., where they will be working with another team for a summit attempt in the near future.

Aerial photo of climbers on the summit of Denali (McKinley). Archived AMS photo.

And here is a view from town yesterday at 6:00 PM:

Denali, 20,310 ft. Talkeetna is about 65 air miles from the Mountain.

Updates from AMS Expeditions On Denali (McKinley) - June 10

2026-06-10T17:06:19.800-08:00

The May 25th Expedition, led by Cody Pitz, Joe Grout, and Nicole DePetris:

They are making a summit attempt today. Starting from the high camp (17,200 feet/5200m), their packs will weigh between 50 and 65 pounds, as they are no longer pulling sleds. They will return to their high camp and spend the night. The weather is beautiful. A summit day can take as little as 9 hours or as long as 14 hours.

This 2022 image shows climbers on the summit ridge with Mount Foraker in the distance.

The May 30th Custom Expedition, led by Eric Roberts: They remain at the high camp resting. They may make a summit attempt tomorrow or Friday. We have a nice weather window, and they have lots of supplies.

Tents at the 17K high camp. (photo taken by Hector Landa on the May 14 expedition)

June 4th Custom Ski Expedition, led by Adam Fabrikant: Per their schedule, they remain at 14,200 feet and are acclimating and assessing conditions and procedures for the next carry up the fixed lines. Additionally, they spent the afternoon skiing and said conditions were amazing.

14K camp with the climbers on approaching the fixed lines, in the distance on right. (Photo by Victor Garcia on the 5/14/26 expedition)

June 4th Custom Expedition with Porter Crockard, Cheyenne, with Shanta:

This team did their back carry to the 13,500 cache site, so today will be spent resting and acclimating at 14,200.

13,500 cache site. (photo by Victor Garcia on the 5//14/2026 expedition.)

The June 2nd Expedition, led by Simon Frez-Albrecht and Claire Pennell:

Today is a big day for this team moving around Windy Corner and up to 14,000-foot camp. It is a 3,000-foot elevation gain but a wonderful sight when you roll into camp and see and hear the tent city of colors and languages. They will be greeted by the two other AMS teams, so their hot water will be ready. Melting snow for all drinking and cooking needs takes a long time!

Teams leaving the 11K camp heading to 14K.
(photo by Victor Garcia on the 5//14/2026 expedition.)

14K camp with well-worn paths between the tents. This is camp is a staging area for the upper mountain. (photo by Victor Garcia on the 5//14/2026 expedition.)

They are moving from 11 to 14K today.

The June 8th Expedition led by Tate Hughes, Emma Russell, and Nick Bakken-French moved to 7,800 feet yesterday in the late afternoon. Because the sun is shining about 18 hours a day, it is better to move in the evening to make traveling on the glacier faster... when the snow is firmer.

Today they made a cache of gear up higher on the mountain. To acclimate and reduce the loads, we start doing double carries of food and fuel. "Climb High and Sleep Low" is the motto from 7,800 feet and upwards. They will go to about 9,500 feet and dig a big hole to put the gear in. They cover it with snow and mark it with bamboo wands. They return to their 7,800-foot camp for a good night's rest.

You will become one with the shovel! Here is Alvaro from the May 14 expedition digging a cache hole.

Climbers taking a break on "Ski Hill" with the 7,800-foot camp below. (AMS archive photo)

The June 8th Expedition Flies into the Alaska Range!

2026-06-09T22:04:15.644-08:00

The June 8th Expedition led by Tate Hughes, Emma Russell, and Nick Bakken-French began yesterday with a detailed gear check and careful lunch food packing in the afternoon. Today, they were very well organized. They had a busy day, complete with an NPS briefing, fixed-line ascension practice, and a hearty lunch at the AMS HQ. They weighed and packed their gear, loaded the van, and headed off to Talkeetna Air Taxi right on time.

They landed on the glacier (with the fine pilots and ski planes from Talkeetna Air Taxi) at Kahiltna Basecamp at 3:30 PM for clear skies and cool temps. If all conditions allow, they may move out to camp one at 7,800 feet tonight.

They are lucky to have Alumna Monika on this team; she knows all the AMS systems and will be a great help to everyone as they get underway for the next few days. There is always a settling-in period to life on the glacier and amongst the massive Alaska Range.

Guides Emma and Nick, Climbers: Rafal, Elad, alumna: Monika, Ida, Frank, Bryce, Guide Tate

Archive photo: View of Denali's South Face from Kahiltna Basecamp. A windy day up high on this day!

Updates from AMS Expeditions On Denali (McKinley) - June 9

2026-06-09T21:40:32.713-08:00

The May 25th Expedition, led by Cody Pitz

and

The May 30th Custom Expedition, led by Eric Roberts:

Both moved up to High Camp at 17,200 feet today. This is a very strenuous day with heavy loads, up the steep fixed lines and then along the exposed ridge and shorter fixed line sections on the ridge to get to the camp plateau.

The weather will dictate the next several days for both of these teams; they are both at camp now and have tents up and hot drinks and dinner on board. We wish them a restful evening!

The Denali's West Buttress, ridge line at 16,000 feet.

The June 2nd Expedition, led by Simon Frez-Albrecht, as planned, carried and cached to 13,500 feet, just around Windy Corner, today. They enjoyed a very beautiful day, and are now tucked in at the 11,000-foot camp. They plan to move to the 14,200' camp tomorrow, if the weather permits.

Beautiful terrain and views of the day.

June 4th Custom Ski Expedition, led by Adam Fabrikant: Adam, Billy, and Chris moved up to 14,200 feet, arriving there at 2PM today. They enjoyed a fantastic day! Next steps are resting, acclimating, and carrying up the fixed lines as the asses assess the snow pack.

June 4th Custom Expedition, led by Porter Crockard: Porter, Cheyenne, and Shanta moved to 14,200 feet today. They moved right in next to Adam and Billy's custom team, so they are keeping the neighborhood intact. They plan to sleep in and backpack to pick up their cache at 13,500 feet tomorrow, which is a working rest day of sorts with lighter packs.

14,200-foot Camp with views of the top of Mt. Hunter ( left) and Mt. Foraker.

Updates from AMS Teams On Denali's (McKinley) West Buttress - June 8, and all is well.

2026-06-08T19:06:06.448-08:00

NPS Image and route overlay

Camped at 14,200 feet tonight

The May 25th Expedition, led by Cody Pitz

and

The May 30th Custom Expedition, led by Eric Roberts:

They are both taking another rest/weather day at the 14,200' camp before they move to High Camp at 17,200 feet. They report that at the 14,200' camp today, there is light snowfall, and they are watching a massive lenticular cloud over the summit. Lenticular clouds indicate very high winds, so they are happy to be waiting it out below. If the winds dissipate tonight and tomorrow, they both plan to move to high camp in the morning. They are having tasty meals this evening, with Cody's team enjoying a Thai noodle-based meal.

14,200 Camp on Denali's West Buttress, June 2024

Camped at 11,000 feet tonight

The June 2nd Expedition, led by Simon Frez-Albrecht, took a well-deserved rest day at the 11,000-foot camp today. While acclimating to the elevation, the covered skills included crampon techniques, self-arrest, and running protection. The terrain gets steeper now, and they will make the switch from snowshoes to crampons from here on up. They are planning to carry to 13,500 feet, just around Windy Corner, tomorrow if the weather allows. All is well!

June 4th Ski Expedition, led by Adam Fabrikant: Adam, Billy, and Chris took a well-deserved rest day at 11,000 feet today. They used this day to reorganize and acclimate before their move to 14,200 feet. They ran into a friend on the route who has Starlink mini and sent this photo from camp this afternoon.

Chris and Billy, enjoying the sun at 11,000 feet on the West Buttress Route, today!

June 4th Expedition, led by Porter Crockard: Porter, Cheyenne, and Shanta carried around Windy Corner this morning to approximately 13,400 feet, in the cool temperatures, and were back in camp by 2:30 PM. They report that all is good! They will be watching the weather and, as it allows, they are considering a move to 14,200 feet tomorrow.

Descending from Windy Corner towards 11,000 feet.

Updates from AMS Teams on Denali (McKinley) June 7th

2026-06-07T16:39:19.916-08:00

The May 21 Expedition, led by Tyler Thompson, is currently at Basecamp, awaiting a flight back to Talkeetna when the weather allows, possibly later this evening. They are enjoying napping, warm temperatures, and each other's company while they wait for the weather to clear. Climbers travel back to basecamp overnight to take advantage of freezing temperatures; it is much nicer and faster travel. All is well.

AMS climbers at approx 12,200 feet. The midnight sun during the all-night descent to basecamp is peaceful and beautiful.

The May 25th Expedition, led by Cody Pitz,

and

The May 30th Custom Expedition, led by Eric Roberts:

They are both waiting at 14,200' camp for better weather before moving to High Camp at 17,200 feet. They are poised and ready to move when conditions allow, and are all feeling strong. Both Cody and Eric report that snow and high winds today. The route is steep, and the ridge is exposed, so not a place you want to be in high winds. They all feel ready and hopeful for a break in the weather over the next few days.

14,200 AMS camp with Mt. Foraker, 17,400' in the distance.

The June 2nd Expedition, led by Simon Frez-Albrecht, is doing great and feeling strong up there. They went down the glacier today to retrieve their previously cached items in a cloudy whiteout. Temperatures and winds were mild, and they had an easy journey to the cache site and back up to the 11,000-foot camp.

June 4th Ski Expedition, led by Adam Fabrikant and Billy Haas, had a terrific mountain day; they paid a visit to the 14,200 camp on their skis. They cached 14 days of food and fuel there. It was a snowy start, but as they rounded Windy Corner, they moved into warm, sunny, calm weather. They skied back down to 11,000 camp and are doing well, morale is high!

June 4th Expedition, led by Porter Crockard : Porter and crew, planned a rest day today and had a leisurely morning, acclimating and enjoying pancakes at 11,000 feet.

All three teams at 11,000 are camped next to each other, socializing and acclimating to 11,000 feet.

11,000-foot camp and views to the west, on a sunny day. They are living the dream.

AMS Teams Mountain Updates - June 6th

2026-06-06T16:18:31.371-08:00

The May 21 Expedition, led by Tyler Thompson, Madelyn Ferdock, and Will Plovanic, is now descending to the 14,200 camp and, if all goes as planned, will continue to Kahiltna Basecamp tonight. We may see them as soon as tomorrow!

The May 25th Expedition, led by Cody Pitz, Nicole De Petris, and Joe Grout, is at 14,200' camp and is taking a well-deserved rest day today. They are prepped and ready to make the move higher when the weather allows.

The May 30th Custom Expedition, led by Eric Roberts and Corey Cooke, is at 14,200' camp and is closely watching the weather to make a move to high camp at 17,200'. They are resting today and enjoying the sun at this camp.

The June 2nd Expedition, led by Guides Simon Frez-Albrecht, Taylor Guetschow, and Claire Pennell, has moved to the 11,000-foot camp. They got up early to take advantage of the cool temperatures. They were warmly welcomed by the June 4th guides, Adam and Billy.

June 4th Ski Expedition, led by Guides Adam Fabrikant and Billy Haas, with Chris, is doing great. They climbed up to 13,200 feet just before Windy Corner today for acclimatization. They skied back down to the 11,000-foot camp. They are planning to put a cache higher up tomorrow.

Quote for the blog: from Chris this evening, "Please let the family know, he skied like Simba today."

June 4th Expedition, led by Guides Porter Crockard and Cheyenne Chaffee, with Shanta, is doing well. They moved to 11,000 feet today as well and are well established and moving well, and feeling strong.

NPS image and West Buttress Route marked. It is another beautiful day on The Mountain.

6:00 PM On the Summit - May 21st Team!

2026-06-06T15:50:39.994-08:00

Congratulations to the May 21 Expedition, led by Tyler Thompson, Madelyn Ferdock, and Will Plovanic. Yesterday, Climbers Austin, Guy, and Klaudia, with guide Tyler, reached the summit of Denali (McKinley), 20,310 feet (6,190 meters), the highest point in North America, at 6:00 PM local time.

While not all team members reached the summit, everyone played an important role and contributed to the expedition, making it a great climb. We are proud of this team for their excellent teamwork from the start.

They are descending to the 14,200' camp today to rest a bit before taking advantage of cooler nighttime temps to continue to Basecamp.

Depending on the weather, we could see them back in Talkeetna as soon as tomorrow, June 7th!

Archive Photo: Brian Okonek, Denali's summit, 20,310 feet, on summer solstice evening.

Climbing on the 16K ridge.

Mountain Update from AMS Expeditions- June 5th

2026-06-05T16:12:51.571-08:00

It's another sunny day, and all AMS Expeditions are healthy and well.

The May 21 Expedition, led by Tyler Thompson, Madelyn Ferdock, and Will Plovanic, is all in good health! Today, Climbers Austin, Guy, and Klaudia, with guide Tyler, are climbing towards the summit today! Reports are that the weather is very good, and we wish them good health and swift travels today.

Summit Ridge (Archived photo 2017)

Climber Ric is at 17,200' camp and is safe and sound. Climber Shay is at the 14,200' camp, doing well too, and looking forward to reuniting with the team when they return.

The May 25th Expedition, led by Cody Pitz, Nicole De Petris, and Joe Grout today, climbed up to the top of the fixed lines and cached at approximately 16,400'. Everyone did well up there, smooth and steady, that is just right as the altitude gets higher.

Climbers on the headwall with Mount Hunter in the distance and 14K camp middle right.

The May 30th Custom Expedition, led by Eric Roberts and Corey Cooke, is climbing to the base of the fixed lines. 15,300 feet and putting in a cache there today. Eric reports all is going very well.

This image shows the 14K camp and the route up the headwall to 16,200 feet. Eric and team are caching at the base of this headwall.

14K Camp at sunset. Mount Hunter 14,570ft. The sun will set at 11:43 PM tonight, and it is quite clear, so maybe they will get a photo like this one.

The June 2nd Expedition, led by Guides Simon Frez-Albrecht, Taylor Guetschow, and Claire Pennell, is doing great. They carried and cached at 9,700 feet on the Kahiltna Glacier today. Simon reports that it is another gorgeous day and they are resting back at their 7,800-foot camp. now. The team is happy!

Climbers taking a break on "Ski Hill" with the 7800-foot camp (mid photo) in the distance.

June 4th Ski Expedition, led by Guides Adam Fabrikant and Billy Haas, with Chris, is feeling great. Upon landing yesterday, they made good time skiing to the 7,800-foot camp last night. Today, they moved up to the 11,000-foot camp and report that all is well and everyone is feeling strong. This custom team has spent time training together prior to this expedition, so they already have many of the fine details dialed.

June 4th Expedition, led by Guides Porter Crockard and Cheyenne Chaffee, with Shanta, moved to the 7,800-foot camp today. Porter reported that conditions were excellent for travel, as it was freezing overnight, leading to faster travel times. They made good time and are resting up in camp with the June 2nd team this afternoon. If the weather is nice again tomorrow, they will move camp higher, approximately to 9,500 feet.

Skiers leaving Basecamp. (Photo by Adam Fabrikant, 2025)

Off to the Airport...

2026-06-04T15:33:15.535-08:00

Two custom Denali teams have left for the airport and the 45-minute flight to another world...

Guide Adam Fabrikant, Skier Chris and Guide Billy Haas

Guide Porter Crockard with climber Shanta and Guide Cheyenne

Jumping for joy! It's a beautiful day to go flying and climbing.

Mountain Updates - June 4

2026-06-04T15:14:11.033-08:00

It is a beautiful day on the West Buttress route today!

The May 21 Expedition, led by Tyler Thompson, Madelyn Ferdock, and Will Plovanic, are making the move to 17,000-foot camp. A 3,000-ft increase in elevation followed by building a camp. It is a hard day but the weather is beautiful! Here are a few photographs of 17K taken by our team that returned this morning. This is the highest elevation they will camp. Summit attempts are made from this camp.

Two images from 17,000-foot camp, June 1, 2026 (photo by Hector Landa)

The May 25th Expedition, led by Cody Pitz, Nicole De Petris, and Joe Grout, is settling into life at the 14K camp. They will need to descend to 13,500 to retrieve their cache and take some well deserved rest. Then they will prepare for the next move of gear to the 16,400 ridge.

This photo, taken last week, shows the 14K camp with climbers on the route to the 16K ridge (left side in distance).

All teams will practice clipping in and out of the fixed lines. The fixed lines are just that... climbing rope anchored into the snow and ice on the steep headwall. Each time a climber comes to an anchor point they have to unclip to get around that point. There is a technique to doing it correctly, easily and quickly. Not doing it this way means frustration and backups on the line.

Climbers being shown the clipping technique.

Climber practicing clipping.

This is a mechanical ascender which is placed on the fixed lines and used to ascend a steep slope. It has a 'brake' on it that bites the rope and keeps you secure.

The May 30th Custom Expedition, led by Eric Roberts and Corey Cooke will spend the next few days at the 14K camp here acclimating and preparing for the upper mountain. Today they are resting and tomorrow they will hike up to 15K to acclimate and then cover some skills.

The June 2nd Expedition led by Guides Simon Frez-Albrecht, Taylor Guetschow, and Claire Pennell left base camp around 5:00 AM this morning and made the single-carry trek to the 7,800-foot camp. Because the weather has turned warm, it is much better to climb in the early morning or late evening. If not, the heat melts the snow, making travel slower, and it is too hot! It is better to rest in the tent during the "heat of the day." They are settled in their camp.

The red line shows where they started and the camp they are currently in. The yellow is the route above them. (Google Earth image)