Locations: Denali National Park – S.E. Fork of the Kahiltna Glacier, including summits of Control Peak Tower (8,670 ft / 2,643 m) and Mt. Francis (10,450 ft / 3,185 m)
Dates: Thursday, May 13 – Thursday, May 20, 2010
Photos & Video: Nick
Weather: It’s the Alaska Range, so expect the unexpected as I have come to find out. Generally, we really lucked out with the weather and had perfect climbing conditions and bluebird days on our 2 summit days. We only encountered white-out conditions (and only partial days) during 2 of our 8 days on the Kahiltna.
Temperatures fluctuated greatly during the day depending on the amount of cloud cover and wind, and temps were generally relatively cold at night.
Synopsis: After skiing the Sierra High Route and climbing and skiing Mt. Williamson with Jon, the end of my May would be spent in and around the Southeast Fork of the Kahiltna Glacier, located in Denali National Park.
While we do have some smallish glaciers (e.g., the Norman Clyde Glacier around the Palisades and the Whitney Glacier on Mount Shasta) here in California, I was craving a forum to formally learn the technical aspects of large-scale glacier travel and crevasse rescue. As I fully intend on making trips into the Alaska Range in the future, I felt it was the best location to take such a course. A beautiful setting with heavily glaciated terrain – it fit the ticket perfectly.
Note: This Mega TR is several pages long – just click at the end of each page to continue.
After a lot of research, I settled on the 8-Day Alaska Mountaineering Course offered by Alpine Ascents International. The curriculum included the exact topics I wanted to cover, the dates fit my schedule and Alpine Ascents came highly recommended and well reviewed.
After taking the course, I can 100% say that if you want to learn this skill set in a beautiful range (and one of the most heavily glaciated ranges in the world), I would highly recommend the 8-day or 12-day course with Alpine Ascents. Our guides (Matthew and Seth) were extremely professional and I learned a ton.
As a note, having a rock-climbing and ski-mountaineering background certainly helped my personal learning process by fostering discussions and questioning beyond the initial info presented. Our entire group (9 clients, 2 guides) benefited greatly from good group dynamics, a good mixture of prior experience and great informal Q&A throughout the course.
Prior to any excursion into Denali National Park, one needs to check in with the rangers in Talkeetna to obtain permits and, of course, the venerable Clean Mountain Can or “CMC” for short. The CMC is used to pack out almost all human waste (of the #2 variety) in order to streamline the hygiene and trash in and around Denali. I thought it was a great process, similar to the one set up around Mt. Whitney here in CA.
Back at the Alpine Ascents’ hanger, we sorted gear with the guides, cut our prusiks for glacier travel, and discussed sled rigging.
One of the first difficulties of the trip for me was getting away from the ultra-light setups I typically used when ski mountaineering and backcountry skiing here in the Sierra. Due to the location of the glacier drop-offs, sled pulls and the “base-camp” natural of Alaska climbing, weight is MUCH less of an issue.
Basically, if you are willing to pull it on a sled, bring it. I personally thought with my food and gear that I struck a good balance been weight-savings and comfort (and eating good….)
Here Willi Prittie, a senior guide for Alpine Ascents and a famed guide in the AK Range, South America and Himalaya, weighs our packs and duffels for the flight. In addition to being a genuinely good guy, Willi had some awesome stories on the drives to and from the air strip. In the climbing world, it is clear Willi has experienced pretty much everything.
We flew with Talkeetna Air Tax on their Otter – an absolute machine for glacier travel. While there are other air taxi services, I understand TAT to be the best.
Yours truly with the self-portrait (front and right), shortly after take-off. Pumped to be heading up to the Kahiltna.
Our pilot and Mike looking out in the distance to the Alaska Range. It is about a 30 minute flight from Talkeetna to the landing strip next to Denali base camp.
It is amazing how fast the terrain goes from this:
To this:
As I mentioned above, if you are going to take a course centered around travel techniques in glaciated terrain, may as well take it in one of the most heavily glaciated areas in the World. A portion of the Kahiltna Glacier:
One last shot of the flight in – that is the inherent *problem* with trips to Alaska… it is so difficult to narrow down among the thousands of beautiful pictures.
When landing on the Southeast Fork of the Kahiltna next to Denali base camp, one is treated to immediate views of Mt. Foraker (17,400 ft / 5,304 m), the second highest peak in the Alaska Range:
And Mt. Hunter (14,573 ft / 4,442 m), considered by many to be the most difficult 14,000 ft peak in the World to climb:
After landing on Day 1, the remainder of our day was spent travelling East on the Kahiltna Glacier to the base of Control Tower Peak and setting up our first base camp.
Base camp with Annie’s Ridge (named for a prior Denali Base Camp Manager) in the background:
Dinner is cooked and the views are enjoyed in the base camp cooking trough:
Alpenglow “nighttime” views of Mt. Foraker (I say night as it was only “dark” – more like dusk – for a couple of hours a night):
The next morning, we spent the day working on snow climbing skills, self arrest and travel as a roped team, in addition to basic knot and setting up glacier ropes. Aside from setting up the glacier ropes (which is a vital skill), everything else was a nice formal review of the concepts I already practice when skiing in the Eastern Sierra. Nonetheless, I still learned great tips and practice always helps!
Here I am one morning, with Control Tower Peak (our first climbing objective) in the background.
The team cooking breakfast and/or dinner with Mt. Francis (our second climbing objective) in the background.
Day 3 was largely devoted to snow anchors and route finding, as well as planning for our alpine-start to climb Control Tower Peak.
Taking in the views of our objective at O-Dark-Thirty on Day 4 (although in AK, it is never really “dark”):
Although not a technically difficult climb by any means, the route to the summit of Control Tower Peak is aesthetic. After winding through a checkerboard of crevasses and motoring past some large hang-fire seracs, one encounters of beautiful ridgeline to the summit.
Matt, one of our guides, leading our 1st rope team up towards the light and the summit ridge.
The looming seracs hanging overhead – while these were stable, the constant ice avalanches off of Mt. Hunter served as a reminder that early morning and cold temperatures are your friends!
Moving up the crevassed area below the seracs, with Mt. Foraker looming in the distance.
The rope teams working up towards the ridgeline.
Our first glimpse of the heavily-corniced ridgeline, working towards the summit.
From the beginning of the ridgeline, we obtained a great vantage of our next climbing objective, Mt. Francis:
Upon reaching the ridgeline, the cloud cover was keeping temperatures pretty cold. Taking a break, the Wild Things Belay Parka immediately went on.
The “Unnamed” peak adjacent to Control Tower Peak… Amazing that large peaks with amazing lines don’t even get named up here.
Seth, our second guide, leading a rope team to the summit of Control Peak Tower:
On the summit of Control Peak, Unnamed in the distance.
Some great shots of the rope teams working back down the corniced ridge-line:
Looking back up at the upper ridgeline ascent/descent route, with a ghostly Mt. Foraker in the distance:
Heading out of the main crevasse zone, below the seracs, a nice macro view of Annie’s Ridge with our tiny camp on the Kahiltna visible in the distance.
The afternoon after the climb of Control Peak Tower was spent with dry runs of crevasse rescue systems, mechanical advantages and white-out navigation. The next day, we focused on actual crevasse rescues (both self and companion rescue), including mock scenarios pulling team members out of crevasses.
Here are a couple of shots from the crevasse itself:
Matt on the edge:
John lowered in:
Looking down once lowered in:
Shot of the edge of the crevasse, with Mt. Hunter:
Because we were moving camp further up the glacier the next day within striking distance of Mt. Francis, this TR would not be complete without a plethora of scenic shots from the vicinity of Base Camp 1!!!!!
Annie’s Ridge and the Southeast fork of the Kahiltna:
Looking east up the Kahiltna – Moonflower Buttress on Mt. Hunter is the prominent rock route on looker’s right:
Looking North towards the cirque where we would build Base Camp 2 the following day:
Mt. Hunter – left for the alpine gurus:
Late afternoon light on the Kahiltna at Base Camp 1:
A good macro shot of Mt. Francis – our route would climb the saddle on far looker’s right to the low point on the ridge, and then climb the ridge to the obvious summit:
Your writer all puffed up in synthetic, as the late afternoon lenticular clouds build on the summit of Mt. Foraker:
As noted above, on Day 6 we moved North up a side-fork of the Kahiltna towards the base of our route up Mt. Francis.
The temperatures were hot that day:
Fortunately, the views were hard to beat:
Looking at the start of the route, which has some nice mixed rock moves, you can see two rope teams from another guided group descending:
Just the typical serac-induced icefall avalanche rocketing down, while the team enjoys dinner (note: the scale is difficult to capture as there was no way this would hit our camp):
The view from our kitchen in Base Camp 2:
On the morning (ala 3 AM) of Day 7, we awoke to begin our push on Mt. Francis. We were divided into 3 rope teams, with Matt and Seth (the guides) leading 2 teams, and me, John and Bryan on our own separate rope team. It was fun to lead our own team up this climb as it offered a nice variety: (i) mixed moves, (ii) near vertical snow fields, (iii) crevassed navigation, (iv) a brief period of technical water ice and (iv) basic alpine ridgeline goodness. An awesome climb with AMAZING summit views.
John and Bryan on my rope team on a ledge just below the mixed moves, the sun to the South:
Looking up the route with some of the mixed moves – A+ fun with exposure:
You grab some rock, fiddle with your crampon footing, and then swing around to look at Mt. Hunter mocking you!
Upon reaching the ridgeline, the lead team moves up – to the first of many false summits shadowed in the pink light of sunrise:
Although Mt. Francis is only a single-day push and only tops out at 10,450 ft, it has the feel of a great, big mountain alpine climb. Highly recommended if you find yourself on the Kahiltna looking for a day-trip objective.
The South-face of Denali comes into view, looming over everything in the skyline:
The first of direct sunlight hitting our rope team:
The amount of glaciated terrain in the Alaska Range is difficult to comprehend – even the peaks themselves are almost entirely hanging glaciers. Crevasses in the valley floors = check. Crevasses in the couloirs and snowfields = check. Crevasses on the actual ridgelines = check.
Here some blue crevasse ice in focus on the ridgeline, with Mt. Hunter in the distance.
Looking down at the third rope team beginning the ridge-line climb:
At the belay ledge for the water ice portion, with Seth leading out the first rope team. Although I was able to quickly clip the screw, it was fun leading the second team up the water ice to the next piece of pro much further up the route.
Taking a break at the ledge, giving some space to the team in front of us:
Waiting for the last of Team 1 to push on…. the views did not suck:
The lower Kahiltna Peaks (behind and out of view is the N.E. Fork of the Kahiltna – a/k/a “The Valley of Death), with the Cassin Ridge and West Rib routes up Denali’s S. face.
The obligatory summit shots, with the cold wind tearing the WT parka off.
Looking south at the AK Range:
Mt. Hunter:
Denali, North America’s tallest peak:
Here is a short panoramic video from the summit of Mt. Francis. Included are Mt. Hunter, Mt. Foraker, Mt. Crosson and Denali.
The Big Three of the Kahiltna – Hunter, Foraker and Denali:
The first rope team starting the initial summit descent:
At one of the steeper sections of the descent (above the Water Ice portion) – you can make out our camp well below – it is intersected by a rock sticking out in the middle of the picture):
The tool of the day, with Denali in the distance:
A better shot of our Base Camp 2, with Hunter beyond:
Rapping down through the mixed portion:
On Day 8, we awoke to a foot of fresh snow and white-out conditions. After 6 days of clear weather, it was inevitable it would be a wash the day we intended on flying out. As is typical, the mountains have their own agenda of which you are the pawn and gracious participant.
Navigating through the white-out was actually a great experience, as I got to lead all of the rope teams. Avoiding large crevasses was a slow process when the vis was down to about 4 feet. Successfully, we did not have anyone break through any snow bridges or fall in anything.
Arriving at Denali base camp, it was not looking good for an immediate flight out, but we were informed the weather was expected to turn in a couple of hours.
Visibility was already improving at base camp:
After stomping out a runway to consolidate the stick snow, the skies began to clear. Burgers and beers were on our groups’ mind at this point.
Finally, the skies went blue-bird, and the first air taxi landed to applause:
Talkeetna Air Tax delivers the Otter again!
With clear skies, the views back to Talkeetna left me wishing for more days on the Kahiltna glacier and envious of the expeditions on their way to the Ruth, Little Switzerland and the Kahiltna.
A great operation:
All in all, a special thanks to Matt and Seth from Alpine Ascents. I learned a ton and the course exceeded my expectations, all in a beautiful setting. While I love the Sierra, I fully intend on making Alaska a major part of my life going forward. And I have not even ski toured up here yet either!!!!
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