msmither

I'm thinking of doing a similar itinerary to yours, except perhaps in the opposite direction. You mentioned repeatedly doing your homework on the Wiley ridge route--where did you find info about that? Do you think it would be difficult to find your way down the ridge as opposed to up it? I haven't been able to find much info that was very detailed. Also curious if you had any beta on the Fury route (did you find the Nelson description pretty accurate/helpful?) and the traverse from Luna Col to Challenger Glacier (or vice versa in your case). Thanks! Matt

I'm trying to plan a trip to the Ruth Gorge for this May and am looking for some general info on the region. My main questions at this point are: Weather: I feel like I haver read plenty about what to expect weather wise on Denali, but I'm not sure how that relates to the lower altitudes of Ruth Gorge. Is is usually much warmer or do you still need to be geared up for -20? How frequent are clear weather days in the gorge in May? Flights: any recommendations for a plane service into the glacier, and how much does it cost? Routes: I've read about some of the most popular routes on various websites and the wood/coombs guidebook but was wondering if there are any other good sources for info on a wide array of routes. I'm looking at the lower end of techincal difficulty. Thanks for any and all info!

I have a permit for the ski-in yurt on the Mt. Tahoma Trails system for the night of Saturday, march 5 that is free for the taking (I paid a deposit for the permit, which gets refunded only if the permit is used, which is why I want to get rid of it). For those who don't know, the yurt holds 6 people, has a gas stove and heat, pots and dishes, and sleeping pads (all you need is a sleeping bag and food). It's about a 6 mile ski in on logging roads, and there are some slopes along the way where you can get some turns in if you're interested (and there's enough snow). The MTTA trails are just outside the west entrance of Mt. Rainier NP. It's a great place to go have a fun weekend of skiing, eating and drinking in the backcountry in a warm and comfy setting. Let me know if you're interested or have more questions! You can also look at www.skimtta.com for more info. Matt

I'm travelling to the Cordillera Blanca in Peru with a friend from May 26-June 16 this year, and we are looking for a third person to join us. We will be trekking for about a week to acclimatize, then will be looking to spend a couple of weeks climbing some non-technical glaciated peaks of 18-20,000 ft. The scenery is spectacular--watch Touching the Void for some great film of the area, and the mountains are very high and rugged but quite accessible. I have been trekking in the area in the past. My partner and I are very laid back in our approach, and more interested in having fun, being safe, and visiting beautiful peaks than in technical challenges or risk taking. If you are like minded and have any interest at all, drop me a line for more info! I've attatched a photo from my previous trekking trip, to give an idea of the spectacular surroundings.