All Mountain Update: June 20

Today brings a slight reprieve in weather. Teams flew in and moved around a bit on the mountain, but it will be some more time for the snow to settle before summit days are attempted.

AMS teams at 14,200' camp and waiting for the weather to improve before moving up to higher:

- May 30 Custom Denali Service to Summit - Building Home for Heroes Female Veteran Expedition

- June 3 Expedition led by Mark Postle 

 - Kodiak Navy SEALs Military Training Expedition led by Colby Coombs 

AMS photo of 14,200' camp on a windy day, represented by the lenticulars on Foraker. 

AMS Denali Teams at 11,200' camp have waited patiently for improved weather. First, they will wait for the feet of snow that has fallen to settle and then they are planning to carry their gear to cache it up higher tomorrow and sleep again at 11,200'. 

- June 10 Expedition led by Wes Bunch 

AMS photo by Amanda Erickson- leaving 11,200' to cache

June 13 - AMS 12 Day Mountaineering Course led by Blaine Smith is loving this snow camping intensive portion of their course on the Pika Glacier

AMS photo by Nick D'Alessio: Once the weather clears, these views will be filled with fresh snow and beautiful! This course is getting the full mountain experience! 

AMS Denali Teams:June 16 Horst and June 18 Mountain Pros -LAUNCH!

This FAA camera of basecamp has been socked in by snow for several days. Great to see clearing weather. Everyone on the mountain currently is doing well! 

AMS team June 16 departing this morning at Talkeetna Air Taxi

The day that nearly 80 climbers have been waiting for, a clear weather window to fly into Kahiltna Basecamp. Thank you Talkeetna Air Taxi for working hard for the climbers....planes launched this morning and teams are beginning their climb. Our schedule allows for stormy days, whether that is in town or on the mountain. After lots of packing and practicing systems, here they go!

AMS custom group led by Michael Horst practicing glacier travel

Loading up the van to head to the air taxi! 

AMS team (L) Michael Horst (G), Alma(G) Kenneth, Dan, and Erica(G)

                                                                                                                 

AMS team photo: (starting L) Zijun, Lauren, Liv, Radhika, Eddie, Ryan Waters (G), Sammie(G), Con (G), Liv, Zhonghui

AMS guide Ryan Waters and climber Eddie Davis after going over Denali systems

AMS guide Con working hard

AMS guide Sammie teaching fixed line ascension

Denali Team SS laughter: RETURNS!

AMS team SS laughter led by Adam Fabrikant and Dan Corn returned to Kahiltna Basecamp last night and flew out this morning. They are excited to be out of the snow and the wind and boots off. Klaus was kind enough to share some treats from Austria. Good job enduring the stormy side of Denali. 

Launching: AMS 6/15 Patch

AMS photo of flying into the Alaska Range by Amanda Erickson 

AMS team led by guides Scott Patch, Chelsea Bomba, and Emma Lyddan has been keeping busy in town with classes, photo slideshows, and historical museum presentations, last minute adjustments and have finally landed in Basecamp this morning! Great team, including a local Alaskan and a returning climber. Good luck everyone!

AMS 6/15 crew: Bjorn, Doug, Sergio, Pawel, Scott, Chelsea, Duane, Emil, Peter, Emma

AMS group Denali photo slideshow by guide Chelsea Bomba

All Mountain Update 6/18

The stormy weather persists on Denali and throughout the Alaska Range, all AMS teams are waiting patiently and making the most of it. All are very well. They are staying warm and eating well, shoveling out their campsites, and building more and better snow block walls.


AMS teams at 14,200' camp and waiting for the weather to improve before moving up to higher:

- May 30 Custom Denali Service to Summit - Building Home for Heroes Female Veteran Expedition

- June 3 Expedition led by Mark Postle 

 - Kodiak Navy SEALs Military Training Expedition led by Colby Coombs 

AMS at 14,200'  - Life after the storm patterns often look like this. Photo: M. Durand

AMS Denali Teams at 11,200' camp and waiting for improved weather before moving upwards to 14,200' camp:

- June 7 Expedition Team SS Laughter 

- June 10 Expedition led by Wes Bunch 

AMS teams shoveling and resting currently

Previous photo of guide Adam Fabrikant and Noah during "Tent time" on Denali 

June 13 - AMS 12 Day Mountaineering Course led by Blaine Smith is loving this snow camping intensive portion of their course on the Pika Glacier

AMS photo by Nick D'Alessio: Once the weather clears, these views will be filled with fresh snow and beautiful! This course is getting the full mountain experience! 

AMS Denali teams in Talkeetna and waiting to fly into the Alaska Range aka doing the Talkeetna Hang (which includes skills classes at AMS, going out to eat, visiting the Climber Exhibit at Talkeetna Historical Society, walking around the back streets of Talkeetna, hiking local trails, Talkeetna climbers memorial, and SO much more...): 

AMS Mountain Update 6/16

The stormy weather persists on Denali and throughout the Alaska Range, all AMS teams are waiting patiently and making the most of it. All are very well. They are staying warm and eating well, shoveling out their campsites, and building more and better snow block walls.


AMS teams at 14,200' camp and waiting for the weather to improve before moving up to higher:

- May 30 Custom Denali Service to Summit - Building Home for Heroes Female Veteran Expedition

- June 3 Expedition led by Mark Postle 

 - Kodiak Navy SEALs Military Training Expedition led by Colby Coombs 

AMS at 14,200'  - Life after the storm patterns often look like this. Photo: M. Durand

AMS Denali Teams at 11,200' camp and waiting for improved weather before moving upwards to 14,200' camp:

- June 7 Expedition Team SS Laughter 

- June 10 Expedition led by Wes Bunch 

Wall building and preparing for the windy weather at 11,000' - our teams are well established now.

June 13 - AMS 12 Day Mountaineering Course led by Blaine Smith is loving this snow camping intensive portion of their course on the Pika Glacier


AMS Denali teams in Talkeetna and waiting to fly into the Alaska Range aka doing the Talkeetna Hang (which includes skills classes at AMS, going out to eat, visiting the Climber Exhibit at Talkeetna Historical Society, walking around the back streets of Talkeetna, hiking local trails, Talkeetna climbers memorial, and SO much more...): 

June 15 Expedition led by Scott Patch

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AMS Denali West Buttress 5/27, Holmgren Returns

AMS Guide Larry Holmgren and team returned to Talkeetna today.  The weather prevented the team from reaching the summit.  They were happy to be back to the warm weather and green grass.

Raj getting back to civilization

Jason, Guide Larry Holmgren and Raj

AMS Mountain Update: Denali 6/14

On Denali, winds have picked up at higher elevations. AMS teams are at 14,200' and 11,000' 

All report a thumbs up.

14,200' camp with strong winds at higher elevations over Foraker. Our current walls are bigger than shown in this photo - for sure!

May 27 Expedition led by Larry Holmgren was turned away from their move today by winds higher up. Due to the increased winds, they have decided to descend toward Basecamp tonight. The conditions are good for travel.

May 30 Custom Denali Service to Summit - Building Home for Heroes Female Veteran Expedition are waiting at 14,200' for the higher elevation winds to subside, everyone is in good spirits.

June 3 Expedition led by Mark Postle departed 14,200' to carry up the fixed lines today as the morning looked nice - the winds picked up and things got cold so they returned to camp and fortified their camp with additional snow block walls. 

Kodiak Navy SEALs Military Training Expedition led by Colby Coombs tried to move to high camp today, they got packed up and crampons on and then the winds picked up - so they reversed the plan - and joined the snow block and wall building duties, to prepare for strong winds over the weekend.  

Team SS Laughter is resting at 11,000', they enjoying the mountain.

June 10 Expedition led by Wes Bunch moved to 11,000 camp today and are currently getting settled in. All are well! 

AMS Custom Mountaineering Course at Mountain House, 6/9 Janes Returns

AMS instructors Mike Janes, Elias Holt and team returned to Talkeenta today.   The students had a great time and said the weather was perfect. They also returned to a beautiful day in Talkeetna.

They quickly unloaded gear and sorted gear.

We're looking forward to seeing pictures.

Sorting Gear

AMS Mountain House and Denali Update 6/13

The weather cleared today and blue skies prevailed throughout the Alaska Range. All reports say that all are healthy and doing well.

May 27 Expedition led by Larry Holmgren is at 14,200' they hope move up to high camp 17,200' tomorrow.  This team has two climbers planning to move to the higher mountain.  Good luck and swift climbing to you in the upcoming days!

May 30 Custom Denali Service to Summit - Building Home for Heroes Female Veteran Expedition made a carry to 16,200 feet up the headwall and fixed lines today. They will sleep at 14,200-foot camp tonight and are hopeful that the weather will be good to move up tomorrow. 

June 3 Expedition led by Mark Postle rested at 14,200' camp today. They deserved it!
Kodiak Navy SEALs Military Training Expedition led by Colby Coombs made a carry up the headwall to 16,200' today. They cleared out and built up our intermediate camp at 16,200', which is spectacular.

June 9th Mountain House - Fischer and Pederson Families are having a fantastic time - they have spent the past five days keeping busy out there enjoying all that the Ruth Gorge and Don Sheldon Amphitheater and original Mountian House have to offer. 

Team SS Laughter moved to the 11,000' foot camp on the Kahiltna Glacier They are really enjoying the nice weather up there today.

June 10 Expedition led by Wes Bunch is gonna be old school communicators. No news is good news. They had planned to carry to 10,500' today and sleep at 7,800' camp. If they are on schedule - they will likely move to 11,000' camp tomorrow!