wfinley

You should try Explorer Peak. The standard route involves a ski traverse of the glacier then you head up the heavily corniced W ridge to the summit. I've never been on it but I hear it's an excellent route.

Good job Clint! Looks like a really fun route. One question: how was the route similar to Hunter's West Ridge?

You call that the perfect date climb? Where's the fun, the action... the promise of shagging all night long??? Here's the prefect date climb in 20 easy steps: Step 1: Wake up at 4 am... note that it is still dark out and elect to sleep for 1 1/2 hours longer against all better judgment. Take advantage of that 1 1/2 hours to snuggle and snore. Step 2: Start out at 5:30 am freezing cold. Reach base of Koven couloir at 6:30 and start up. Explain that you don't need ropes because it's "4th class". Step 3: Backtrack and flake out the rope to avoid a mutiny. It might be 4th class but that doesn't mean shit to the GF. Step 4: Start up the upper Koven couloir in boots sans crampons. Explain that you don't need crampon's because it's "snow". Step 5: Back track and put on crampons. In retrospect it's freaking cold and the snow is hard as a rock. Step 6: Neglect to point out the rap stations to the GF on the way up because you figure you should be heading back down this couloir looong before dark. Step 7: Wait patiently while the GF puts on full rain gear to ascend the "waterfall" pitch in the rock step above the Koven couloir. Pretend that you didn't get that wet and that things are alright even through you're in the shade and near hypothermic. Step 8: Start up the upper portion of the Koven route sans rope because it's "4th class". Step 9: Backtrack and rope up. Where's that feeling of deju vu coming from? Step 10: Get off route, drag the GF up a squeeze chimney that is NOT 5.3. Step 11: Downclimb. Step 12: Summit at 4pm. Enjoy a conversion with some party from Portland who is doing the Grand Traverse. Pretend you don't hear their laughter when you say you plan to sleep in your tent down on the glacier tonight. Step 13: Stand at the bottom of the 3rd rap and watch your GF drop her ATC. Step 14: Stand at the top of Koven couloir and yell at your GF to find the rap anchors. Step 15: Sheepishly shut your mouth when she tells you to STFU. Step 16: Rap down the Koven couloir in the dark with one ATC. Dodge rockfall and try to tell your GF you're having fun. Step 17: Make the call to rap at 1am. Settle in for a romantic night on ledge the size of buttcheeks. Step 18: Get rudely woken up 15 minutes later to be told that a snow ledge needs to be chopped if you want her to remain happy. Step 19: Snuggle for 4 hours and enjoy a beautiful sunrise together. Step 20: Rap off in the early morning sunshine and waltz back to the tent at 7:30 am. Pretend you don't hear the 'yeah that was really romantic' snide comments.

August is a good month for routes on the N side of the Alaska Range. However it's also the time when the bear are actively foraging for lost climbers to fatten up for winter.

I wish we had known that! We descended the route described in the book. I recall rap stations that were large stacks of loose blocks wrapped with webbing. If we had wanted to we could have knocked the entire rap station down in 3 or 4 kicks. We cursed the book the entire time. Ahhh... good memories!

I can answer some of your questions. I haven't climbed the NW Shoulder - but climbed Syladder on July 11th 2001. It was total step kicking for almost the entire route. It took us 3 hours to reach the base of the route from the parking lot. However - if you're going any later give yourself an extra hour because you'll probably have to do a bit more route finding then we did to gain the glacier. Also - If conditions are good downclimb Skyladder and save yourself alot of pain... the nomal route down is a drag.

PS... here's some data: REPORT TO CONGRESS Analysis of Cost Recovery for High-altitude ... http://www.americanalpineclub.cncdsl.com/docs/SAR_Final_Report_to_Congress.pdf The table below summarizes the mountaineering program costs at Denali NP&P for the last three fiscal years. The bar graph on page five illustrates the volume of all kinds of recreation rescue incidents that occurred nationwide in the Park Service during the year 2000. The pie chart at the bottom of page five illustrates that 13 of the 175 national climbing incidents occurred at Denali NP&P. Denali NP&P Mountaineering Operations Budget FY2000 Mt. McKinley Base Budget Personal services $307,600 Supplies/equipment 150,900 Helicopter 156,800 Climber Services 169,400 Military Support 129,000 NPS & Military SAR 348,000 TOTALS $1,261,700 FY1999 Mt. McKinley Base Budget Personal services $271,200 Supplies/equipment 80,800 Helicopter 222,800 Climber Services 163,000 Military Support 127,700 NPS & Military SAR 218,800 TOTALS $1,084,300 FY1998 Mt. McKinley Base Budget Personal services $253,100 Supplies/equipment 38,900 Helicopter 65,600 Climber Services 159,300 Military Support 126,400 NPS & Military SAR 527,700 TOTALS $1,271,000 Base Budget: personal services costs for mountaineering rangers, administrative support staff, training, Lama high-altitude helicopter cost for mountaineering support not related to rescues, supplies, materials, equipment, utilities, loss-of-life claim payments. 1 MEMORANDUM for the Washington Office and all Field Offices: March 29, 1940, From Arno B. Cammerer, Director, National Park Service Climber services: expenditures of fees collected to help cover cost of providing education services, processing/printing permits, producing mountaineering guides, and producing informational packets for climbers. NPS Search and Rescue: volunteer salaries, premium pay costs for Denali employees during SAR operations, Lama rental and hourly usage costs, emergency supplies Military SAR Support: value of military support during SAR operations Military Support: value of military support for setting up and demobilization of base camps The following explains the cost of the high-altitude helicopter and is not in addition to the above table: High-altitude Helicopter (Lama) Program Funding Source FY2000 Denali Park Base Budget: $156,800 NPS Search and Rescue: 190,000 TOTAL: $346,800 FY1999 Denali Park Base Budget: $222,800 NPS Search and Rescue: 103,200 TOTAL: $326,000 FY1998 Denali Park Base Budget: $ 65,600 NPS Search and Rescue: 206,200 TOTAL: $271,800 Denali Base Budget: minimum contract cost not covered by SAR funding, salary cost for NPS helicopter manager, mountaineering/resource protection support not related to SAR, rental of helicopter pad in Talkeetna NPS Search and Rescue: volunteer salaries, premium pay cost for Denali employees during SAR operations, Lama rental and hourly usage cost during SAR operations, emergency supplies Also... in 2004 1275 climbers attempted Denali and 130 were Alaskans. The other thing I found interesting was on this document: I wonder if expenses for monitoring hunters is considered part of the mountaineering budget since it is conducted by mountaineering staff?

I read sometime back that the helicopters that had previously flown supplies to basecamp had been deployed to Iraq. The Army used to fly supplies to KAH and 14 camp for free as training - but now the NPS is having to fly the supplies in on the Lama - which has lead to a high increases in costs. As for the costs and what they're for see my post below where costs are broken down. I'll agree $500 is steep - but do you really think removing the entire NPS staff from Denali will result in a better experience? An average of 1200 people stomp up the WB every year... the route needs some sort of official presence - without one it would be a nightmare. PS... regarding the post that faster_than_you quoted... I'm just going to say that the ANILCA point is BS. This is the same stupid argument that snowmachiners use so they can drive 60 mph across Denali National Park. Furthermore the fee increase does not target Alaskans - but visitors to Alaska. Argue the point logically since this issue affects climbers and could potentially spread across the country... not using some antiquated argument that reminds the country of how self centered Alaskans are when it comes to Federal money.

In today's paper:

I think the question should be: do you prefer rain or choss? Sounds like one of those damn compromises again. I am cynical because my only impression of Squamish was 6 days sitting in the Sunflower Cafe looking out at torrential rain and devising a new slogan for British Columbia: "British Columbia - Where it **cking Rains". That said... the sausage rolls at the Sunflower Cafe are worlds better than the sausage rolls at the cafe in Lake Louise.. although the cafe in Lake Louise has a nice day old bread selection that, if you get there early, will keep you well fed for a day.

I think the question should be: do you prefer rain or choss?

Sorry... forums will do that to you. I agree $500 is too much. However - how do you start a campaign against a rumor? If you contact the NPS all they'll say is it's a rumor. Any NPS proposal change follows a detailed procedure (comment period etc.) - campaigning against the possibility is meaningless in a bureaucratic sense.

I think people care but there seems to be a lack of discussion anywhere -- most likely because this is considered a "reliable rumor". How do you mount a campaign against a rumor? As for the $200 fee... it's not too high and even for dirtbags it's an amount most can afford (I've yet to meet someone who didn't climb Denali b/c of the cost). I've never understood why people have such an issue with the NPS or their management of the Buttress. If it bothers you so much climb elsewhere (did you know there are other peaks in Alaska besides Denali?). The NPS presence is necessary... without them the WB would be trashed zoo. (PS - FWIW I think $500 is way too high and if this proves to be a real tactic someone is pulling then I'll be happy to write letters in protest.)

Guess I'll stick in my $.02. He ventured out on a glacier solo - but doesn't everyone in the winter? Virtually every weekend we're out skiing on glacier's that we won't go near after May (without ropes and crevasse gear). Alaskan alpine history is full of winter solo ascents. Some successful - some not. This one is somewhere in-between. As for the question - "Does it count if you're rescued?" Depends on who's counting. I doubt the folks in Juneau and Petersburg care. They're just glad that the coast Guard did what they do so well: picking people up in hair-ball situations.

Just saw the below post on another board. Anyone know anything about it?

I recently read Seth Kantner's Ordinary Wolves. The book really brought home how much has changed in the past 35 years. The author grew up in an igloo north of the Arctic Circle before snowmachines, before the oil wells and before snowmachines and bush planes made travel simple and fast. The book chronicles the rapid change in Bush Alaska and in doing so shows how that change has affected both the people who live in rural Alaska as well as the land and wildlife. It's a very compelling read. That said... one of the things that struck me were the Q&A's published at the end of the book. Here's an excerpt (emphasis added): Q: How authentic do you think the popular image of Alaska as the wild, rugged, uncharted West is? SK: Depends on your perspective––in the Brooks Range in a storm in midwinter, you could say it's pretty rugged. But a lot of folks come in the summer and fall; they have GPSs and often now satellite phones. For $3.95 they can buy detailed USGS maps of every bend in every slough. Alaska, that I knew as a kid, is gone; the land is still here but planes fly over it relentlessly—from my perspective—carrying everything that Americans have too.

Ade - email me at wfinley (at) couloirgraphics.com and I'll pass your contact info along to a friend who climbed Fairweather a couple years ago. I can't recall who he flew with but he'll be glad to answer your questions.

That's hilarious! I once spent 2 weeks in the Alaska Range with an old college roommate who had gone the way of the darkside (he 'worked' as a campground host in Heuco). It rained for 10 days straight (rain on a glacier SUCKS) and he spent the whole time getting baked and talking about Portreo Chico. When TAT flew in to pick us up he literally dove into the plane. I think he sold his crampons when he got back to Texas. These days when I fly into some place to practice my shoveling I usually start thinking about Mexico and wonder if my old roommate knows something I don't.

A few people have emailed me asking for more beta so I put some pix online of the mountain / route taken from the plane: http://www.couloirgraphics.com/images/misc/wse-blackburn/index.htm As for route descriptions... not much to say - choose either the N ridge proper or NW ridge and go up. Try to avoid getting crushed by serac fall, watch for crevasses and go fast to avoid the inevitable storms. 2 high camps would make for a kind summit day but realistically it's doubtful that you'll get a weather window that will alllow this. Likewise choose your camps with caution - at least one team has been flushed off the N. Ridge by avalanches and we came very close. A fast acclimatized team could go from 9500 to the summit and back in a day. If the weather had cooperated we could probably have gone from our 11 camp to the summit and back in around 14 hours.

For snow conditions check Matt Kinney's site at: http://www.alaska.net/~chalet/in/ski_report.html and this thread: http://www.telemarktalk.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=13144 If you're looking to ski consider picking up Kinney's book - you can order it from him directly or grab a copy while you're in Anchorage.

Check out this guys web site for routes: http://www.geocities.com/frankenclimber And this thread for conditions: http://www.alaskaiceclimbing.com/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=10 As for must dos... there are dozens in your range. Just drive through Keystone Canyon and look up! However - watch the weather; late March in Valdez can be hit or miss. Bring your skis for backups.

Oh yeah - you're right. I didn't look at the code close enough. Cool script... maybe I'll use it somewhere.

Too many people rag on the WB. It's a beautiful route in a beautiful setting and hundreds of people every year have a wonderful experience on the route. If you're too cool to do it that's great, but don't rag on a quality route. Besides - where else can you wake up on a glacier at 14,000' to speedo sun bathing Germans lounging next door? When you do the WB it is assumed that you'll be with hundreds of people (people who don't know this - and I've met many of them at KAH - are usually clueless). If it's not unsafe and if it's not environmentally harmful then why argue for fewer numbers? If the crowds bother you there are thousands of other mountains in Alaska where you won't see a soul. PS - Just out of curiosity - how many people climb Ranier in the summer months?

Thanks sitandbefit for the news. This wouldn't work because for many an ascent (or partial ascent) of the WB acts as a training / acclimatization route for other routes. Likewise b/c of the nature of the mountain many people will often fly in hoping to do one route but end up on the WB because of conditions or other issues. If you cap users on the WB then you increase the risk involved with, say, a party that is not properly acclimatized (or physically prepared) attempting the Rib or Cassin.

I let my dog sleep in the tent this past summer and he snuggled up next to me and his nails popped my Prolite Thermarest. When I took it back to REI the customer service rep told me that Thermarest warrenty does not cover dogs sleeping on them. After a bit of argueing (I was polite and told them my dog had been sleeping on my old thermarest for ten years) they ended up sending it back to the company for repairs and didn't charge me anything. I was kind of bummed that I didn't argue for a new one -- but more pissed that companies sell gear they bill as light and fast when in reality they're made of cheap fabric that will last maybe 2 seasons.