Kraken

So when does Fred get the Piolet D'or Lifetime Achievement Award? Seriously.

Give it a listen. It's not like that at all. Or just spray.

There's a new podcast in town and it's not taking any prisoners! The Firn Line is a podcast about the lives of mountain climbers. First season is situated around Alaska. First season guests include Charlie Sassara, Mark Westman, Carl Tobin, Clint Helander and others. Incredible stories. Check it out. Evan makes all the music himself. This ain't your normal podcast! Check it out and tell your friends. Please share and review on iTunes. www.thefirnline.com Latest episode: http://thefirnline.com/season-one/life-revelations-clint-helander/

you're climbing a real mountain, get a real camera. Seriously, the GoPro has its place, but not for quality photography of big landscapes. Denali is a big landscape, you will want to zoom and get a broad scope of focal distances. I think most Go Pro images turn out looking like junk. Spend $300 and get a solid point and shoot with at least a 5x zoom and you will be way more satisfied in the end.

Rad attempt and great photos! Super cool! What were you shooting with?

I second Keenwesh's latest opinions on single carrying to 11k and trying to summit from 14k. Personal experience: On my second denali trip, my partner and I single carried to 11k. We overnighted at 9k camp and then spent 18 hours at 11k camp before moving to 14k. We were also previously acclimatized from a climb of Mount Hunter, so you may need more time. We were able to go reasonably light (still felt heavy since we had a technical climbing kit), but we only brought 4 days worth of food. We knew that a bunch of people would be giving away food at 11k and 14k so we just brought some gas. This isn't something I would plan on unless you've been in basecamp for a while and know what's going on up there. We were able to communicate with teams up there and get the skinny on food. Once we arrived up there, the first free food we got was a full bottle of whiskey and moose steaks. We had ample food to choose from and i'm pretty sure I'll never get the rank smell of refried beans - quinuoa farts out of my sleeping bag. I personally think that the West Buttress is harder on my body than routes like the Moonflower. Dragging that fucking sled is a pain no matter how light you go. Single carrying was hard, but it did get us up there quicker. Again...if you aren't acclimatized, stay true to the conventional acclimatization method. Strong people have to get rescued and put on oxygen every single year because they think they are impervious to AMS and HAPE/HACE. I will never stay at 17k again. I spent six nights there on my first trip and it cured me for a lifetime. If you're fit enough to ski denali, I think you're probably fit enough to do it from 14k. We did it round trip for an acclimatization run in just under 12 hours without trying to bust up there all quick like. Again...you'll want to do a few acclimatization runs FOR SURE. I would advise probably two...one to the ridge at 16k and another perhaps up to Denali Pass at 18k. This will give you a good idea of conditions and will prep your body for 6k of elevation gain on the big summit push. Consider climbing your desired ski line.

The Ruth is a car camping trip...meaning you don't have to move your stuff more than 200 feet from the runway. Bring a few gallons of white gas and two stoves and you can cook whatever you want. Eat like you do at home. There's no reason to be eating freeze dried meals at basecamp. I routinely fly in with several dozen eggs (freeze them before you fly in), salmon fillets, steaks, tons of Costco bagged meals (like Ling Ling, ravioli, etc.) Hell, fly in with King crab legs. The only limitation to your menu is your imagination, budget and desire to cook in the cold. You pay $1/pound over 125 pounds/person with the air taxis, so plan accordingly.

You're actually recommending that this guy not rope up at all to 14k camp? That's pretty shoddy advice, from my perspective. People fall in crevasses all the time (especially between heartbreak hill and 11k camp. The lower glacier is an especially dangerous place. With a 70lb pack and a 30lb sled, going unroped is a fairly risky option. Sure people do it. Yes, I've done it. But Major...plan to use that rope on the way up...it's common sense. Shit happens. Also...the fixed lines...yes, while only 45 degrees, vary greatly in condition. Sometimes they're deep snow, sometimes they are bullet hard blue ice. The average climber will stay at 17k camp, therefore will have a 50lb pack and probably only one basic ice axe. Soloing next to the fixed lines without being clipped in is perilous not only to the climbers themselves, but to the others below (should they fall). If you want to ski the whole mountain, plan to be there in june when there is more snow. Know the condition of the upper mountain (and your fitness and stamina on summit day). Many people have died on the Autobahn (named for the many people who have rapidly fallen to their deaths on that exposed and icy slope) and many have died on the Orient Express (also named for the many people who have rapidly fallen to their deaths and landed directly on the outskirts of 14k camp). Bring skis to 14k for sure...at the very least you can get good runs below the fixed lines. Talk to the rangers at 14k. They will have a good idea of overall conditions.

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As much as I would support it being changed to Tahoma, I doubt that will ever happen. Alaska is different. We have a much closer relationship with our native people and native names. I believe there is simply too much intertwining of modern urban life around the name Mount Rainier, as well as a disconnect with the local native peoples to have it changed to Tahoma. Still...it would be cool to see it happen.

rad! we tried that route once, but there was some big stuff coming down so we bailed. nice pics! thanks for the beta!

I'm tired of lugging my ledge from AK to Yosemite and back, only to realize I like free climbing better than walling. I've used it on two walls and it is in very good shape. Your normal very minor scratches on the wall side are to be expected. I also sat on the ledge with my nut tool and poked a small hole, but had it patched on both sides (top and bottom) by a commercial sewing guy and it is stronger than before. The fly is in perfect shape, never used. Retail is $1175, I'll let it go for $800 shipped. Pics if you're interested.

First generation Nomics. Picks in good condition. $300 plus shipping. Pics if you're interested.

New without tags Arcteryx Alpha SL Pullover - XL "The Arc’teryx Men’s Alpha SL Pullover epitomizes the light-and-fast ethic. This 11-ounce shell features Gore-Tex Paclite shell fabric for waterproof breathable protection on lightweight backpack trips and alpine rock climbs. The jacket's underarm vent zips let you dump heat when you need to, and one vent zip extends all the way down to the hem for easy-on and -off even when you're wearing a helmet. Fully watertight zippers eliminate leaking. The adjustable storm hood fits over your climbing helmet, and the jacket stows in the front kangaroo pocket when the weather clears." Material: [membrane/laminate] Gore-Tex Paclite, [shell] 40D nylon Fabric Waterproof Rating: guaranteed waterproof Fabric Breathability Rating: guaranteed breathable Hood: yes Fit: athletic Center Back Length: 30.5 in Pockets: 1 chest kangaroo Seams: fully taped Venting: underarm zip vents Claimed Weight: 11.4 oz Recommended Use: backpacking, trekking, alpine climbing Manufacturer Warranty: lifetime $165 shipped

file a police report and see if your car insurance company will pay for it as it was a break in. they should reimburse you after you pay a deductible.

TAT has also made it in to the Root Canal and is landing Ham & Eggs/Shaken/etc hopefuls there. Just did a fly by of the range today through the Kichatnas and down the Kahiltna and Pika. It looks like it's going to be one of those warm early seasons. Get it while the gettin' is good!

Sheldon Air Service landed in Root Canal yesterday after two of their climbers hiked up from the Ruth and stomped a landing zone. Use your judgement on if this is still a good option.

I'll be your huckleberry Mikey! Shoot me a text: 907-227-3291. I'm even in ak so you won't have airline fees

This information is secondhand, but apparently the root canal glacier is strewn with avalanche debris from the seracs on the Beartooth. Paul Roderick of Talkeetna Air Taxi apparently is not going to land there this year. So it looks like it might be back to the "classic" approach. Just a heads up.

Hey FourteenFour, ditto what Ivan said. Screw the naysayers...someone always has to harsh another person's mellow. Give it a rest dudes. My two-cents: If you go to the Ruth in late March and even early April, expect cold conditions. The days are getting longer, but the sun still doesn't have all that much power to it. Snow will be deep and unconsolidated, nights will still be long and ice will be less formed than mid april. We went in to climb 11,300 in mid March one year and it took us TWO FULL DAYS of shoveling (literally vertical shoveling up Flake Gully, etc) to get to Thin Man's Squeeze. I'm talking two 10-12 hour days. A few weeks later when snow conditions had changed due to more sunlight, a friend climbed there in only several hours. We brought -30 bags on route and were glad to have them. Check out Nick Aiello's recent trip report about his early April trip in to the Ruth last year and you will see exactly what I'm talking about: http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/1117308/Re_TR_Central_Alaska_Range_Moo#Post1117308 On the plus side, you will have the area more to yourself, the routes will all still be totally possible, but just not as well formed. As for the Cassin, go for it. If time is limited, climb Rainier or at least go to Muir a few times before flying in, jet up to 14,000 on Denali single push (we did it in about 55 hours with a nice rest at 11K last year after acclimating on Hunter) and get free food from all the 14ers coming down (weather dependent). Go in late May. Worst case scenario, you climb the West Buttress, which you can make more challenging by attempting to summit from 14k. Good luck. Fuck the naysayers. Slam a beer at the Fairview.

she was full of shit.

Second what Nick and Jens said. Here is a perfect example of how "hard" Denali is: Several days after climbing the North Buttress of Mount Hunter (an extremely technical challenge requiring 72 hours with almost no sleep, hanging belays, bla bla bla)...I went up Denali with my partner. We went light, single carrying to 14k in 55 hours. When we got there, our bodies were so tired from the (still) heavy packs. Our legs were blasted from dragging the sled...and we only brought several days of food (using Jens' idea of scarfing food from other climbers). Both of us continually stated how much harder this type of expedition climbing was than light and fast technical alpinism, at least with how we felt at the time. Long story short...Denali is technically easy (by the West buttress route anyways) but physically demanding. No matter how "light" you go, Denali gear is fucking heavy. Even if you get the lightest kit possible, you'll shave 30lbs off of 150lbs. That's still 120lbs to drag 18 miles and 26,000'. Plan hard and train harder. Go with good people. I've seen too many teams "succeed" by summitting, but they are miserable due to the lack of group-dynamics, since they went with a big group that they don't know. Read EVERY book you can...Surviving Denali by Jon Waterman is a good start. Denali is about extreme winter survival, not technical climbing. Plan for being able to survive and enjoy seven days of storm at 14K with your team mates. That is what you will remember many years down the road, not the three minutes you spent on the summit, if you're lucky enough with weather, partners and fitness to get there. good luck.

Last attempt I know of was in 1998 with Bill Pilling. I wonder if you can helicopter in to the base. Probably not.

Crillon N. Ridge. It's seen a number of attempts and is extremely difficult to reach.

The first photo under the serac induced a sphincter pucker.