2014 Schedule is ready!

We thank everyone for their patience.

WORKSHOPS:

Hawaii Photography Workshop, 5 days, $1800, 8 students: 2 instructors,

 January 6 - 10 

Glacier Travel & Crevasse Rescue, 2 days, $425, 9 students: 3 instructors

April 5 - 6, July 19 - 20, August 16 - 17

Mountaineering Courses 

Twelve Day Mountaineering, $3200, up to 9 students: 3 instructors April 22 - May 3 May 6 - 17 June 3 - 14 July 8 - 19 August 4 - 15 September 1 - 12 Fifteen Day Mountaineering, $3300.00, up to 9 students: 3 instructors July 8 - 22 Denali Prep, 10 days, $3200, up to 9 students: 3 instructors June 2 - 11 Six Day Mountaineering, $2150, up to 9 students: 3 instructors   April 27 - May 2 May 13 - 18 June 18 - 23 July 20 - 25 August 18 - 23 September 8 - 13 Advanced Mountaineering, 12 days, $3500, up to 6 students: 2 instructors April 29 - May 10 Guided Expeditions Denali, West Buttress, 21 days, $7000, 6 climbers:  2-3 guides.   April 27 - May 17 May 5 - May 25 May 9 - May 29 May 11 - May 31 May 12 - June 1 May 19 - June 8 May 23 - June 12 May 26 - June 15 June 2 - June 22 June 9 - June 29 June 12 - July 2 June 16 - July 6 June 23 - July 13 June 25 - July 15     Denali West Rib,  21 days, $8200, 4 climbers: 2 guides June 7 - June 27 Foraker, Sultana Ridge, 21 days, $8200, 4 climbers: 2 guides May 17 - June 6 Alaska Range Expeditions, contact AMS for custom pricing. Little Switzerland, multiple peaks Mt. Hunter Mt. Huntington Mt. Russell Moose’s Tooth Custom climbs and expeditions are available on mountains throughout the Alaska Range, March through September. Start date is the day we fly onto the glacier to begin our climb.

Quiet Day at HQ

It is a rainy day here at AMS HQ at the end of Main Street. Our Glacier Travel & Crevasse Rescue students had a great time on the Matanuska Glacier this past weekend. We have one more 12 Day Mountaineering Course starting on September 1st...room for three more people!

Quote of the Week:

I left my six-day course at AMS with both memories and mountaineering skills that will last forever. Our guide, Nick D'Alessio, was excellent, the customer service was outstanding, and the program they put together for us was equally entertaining and informative for both me as a novice, and my friend, a former instructor. I would highly recommend AMS to any of my friends looking for an adventure and for learning.

Dan Brown ~ Custom 6 Day Mountaineering Course

Trixie is a little lonesome with not company on the couch.

54 F and raining lightly.

Guides Getting Ready

We are running a Glacier Travel & Crevasse Rescue Workshop this weekend on the Matanuska Glacier. Instructor, Nick D'Alessio and Intern, Bace Poplawski will be introducing six students to the world of ice for the next two days.

Intern Bace gets the medical kit together.

Nick does a sewing repair to his pack...not only is he handsome, he's handy too!

We have one more 12-Day Mountaineering Course beginning September 1st. There is room for three more people on the course.

Next week we will be releasing the 2014 schedule...look for the e-newsletter!

Hoeschen 12 Day Mountaineering Course Returns

Instructors Josh Hoeschen, Travis McAlpine,  Jake Kayes and students returned from the Pika today.  The group is all smiles as they talk about their great learning experience.   They are currently outside sorting and cleaning gear, hanging tents and enjoying fresh fruit and orange juice.

12 Mountaineering Braving the Storm

AMS Instructor Josh Hoeschen, called in from the Pica Glacier.

Today they are moving their glacier and snow camp down glacier.  They have experienced full weather conditions with 3 feet of fresh snow that has fallen.  Due the freshly fallen snow, avalanches are releasing on the steeper slopes on the mountain sides, therefore, they are making use of their time by learning to navigate on the glaciers and how to most effectively break down, move, and establish new camps.  With crevasse fall simulations they will have a very full day. 

Josh called to say they are getting a ton of curriculum done and everyone is doing well.

August 12-Day

Patience paid off! The team was busy with classes all day. I think students might actually have PHDs in rescue systems thanks to Josh Hoeschen:

But at last they got the call from Talketna Air Taxi. At 4pm the rain and fog had lifted from the mountains and the 12-day mountaineering course was placed by ski plane onto the Pika Glacier where they plan on climbing and exploring for the next 9 days.

(Photo: Soren Sieberts, Pika Glacier airstrip as seen from "Upper Arapiles"- a common peak ascent on our beginning mountaineering courses)


We'll keep you posted if we hear from the team. Remember no news is good news.

-Melis

Quote of the Week

"To AMS,  you have a rock star team and support organization, from the initial training, through the trip and through conclusion. Thanks for keeping us safe, well fed, and well equipped." Kent McClelland, Denali West Buttress, June 2013

Kudos to AMS guides Adam Fabrikant and Aaron Mainer

After guiding two AMS Denali expeditions Adam and Arron made a complete ski descent of Denali's West Rib.  Congrats! 

12 Day Mountaineering Course Getting Ready

Gear check, lunch, fixed line ascension, fly at 5:00 PM. The first day of a mountaineering course is very busy starting at 8:00 AM. We have seven eager students and three excellent guides: Josh Hoeschen, Travis McAlpine and Jake Kayes.

They are in for a grand time learning, climbing and having fun on the Pika Glacier.

Quote of the Week

“I’ve climbed and trained with several guide services over the years and had excellent experiences. But never before had I felt so certain that I had the “inside track” on mountain knowledge as I did with AMS. Our guides seemed to commune with the mountain as she went through her paces on our trip and knew all of her secrets. They gave us excellent instruction and leadership while still treating us as friends and teammates. And by the way, the food was awesome. I would climb with AMS above all others in Alaska, without hesitation.”

Curtis Gifford, Denali West Buttress, 6/27/13 

Here's What's Going On...

We have guides packing for our next 12-Day Mountaineering Course.

Josh Hoeschen will be lead guide for the upcoming 12 Day Course.

Our cleaning person, Mark has kept this place in order all summer!

AMS co-owner Colby and Guide, Travis McAlpine going over paperwork...

I woke Trixie up to take this picture...and she wasn't happy about it.

AMS Guides, Beth Cleary and Dustin Horton are on the Matanuska Glacier leading teens in a 4-day workshop of glacier travel and crevasse rescue. ice climbing and hiking.

Students on a hike overlooking the Matanuska Glacier.

Ice climbing at the Matanuska Glacier

The weather continues to be outstanding with blue skies, sunshine and temps in the 70-80 degrees! We have a custom wilderness hike departing next week and a Glacier Travel Crevasse Rescue Workshop on August 17th and 18th.