And that's a wrap...

 The final course of the 2024 season snuck out of the mountains last evening. Big thanks to Talkeetna Air Taxi for the ride! Watermelon never looked so good to this happy group of women who spent an extra day in the field. 

The team all headed home with new friends, skills, and an appreciation for the big mountains of the Alaska Range.

Instructors Sara Olbright, Mary Gianotti and Claire Bicknell spent the morning sorting and storing gear.

Mountaineering Course Update

The Women's Mountaineering Course remains on a weather delay. The team reports some brightening in the sky and they are in touch with the air taxi. We are keeping our fingers crossed that they return to Talkeetna later this evening.

Photo from our archives on the Pika glacier looking down glacier to the Kahiltna.

This photo is from our most recent 12-Day course on the Pika Glacier

Mountaineering Course Update from the Women's Course - weather delay

 All Women 6-Day Mountaineering- Olbright  

Delayed, but feeling just fine. Today, the course and students were scheduled to fly out of the Alaska Range, but the weather wasn't cooperating. AMS hires Talkeetna Air Taxi to access our course locations on Denali National Parks and Preserves glaciers. Flights to most locations within the Alaska Range and where this course took place fly using Visual Flight Rules (VFR), which means the pilot must have sufficient visuals of the areas where they are flying, as opposed to relying on instruments for their flying routes. 

Despite the weather delay, the team is in high spirits and in good health. They are well-prepared with ample food and fuel to sustain them for several days if necessary. The lead instructor has reported that the students are maintaining a positive attitude, demonstrating their resilience in the face of the weather delay.

Even in adverse weather conditions, the students remain actively engaged in the course. Despite the rain, they had a productive day, starting with classwork at their glacier camp and ending with the efficient packing up of the camp and roping up for the camp's relocation to the pick-up location. Once settled in the new camp, they prepared and enjoyed a delicious meal of hot pulled pork sandwiches for dinner.

A misty day on the Pika Glacier from our recently returned 12-Day Mountaineering Course

Students during glacier travel in "white out" (unflyable) conditions

12-Day MTC-Condon and 6-Day MTC- Hoeschen Return!

We knew we would be welcoming the 12-Day back from the Pika Glacier this morning.  But at the last minute, the 6-Day course also decided to fly out of the Alaska Range, as the weather was turning and the extended forecast was not sounding favorable for flights.  We were happy to see everyone upon their return- even as the yard at AMS exploded into a colorful display of drying gear, in all directions.

12-Day Mountaineering-Condon

Fred, Elburz, Zvi, Ed, Robin, Instructor Meredith, Wally, Eliot, Rachel, Instructors Tate and Peter

Class "Graduation Ceremony"

6-Day Mountaineering-Hoeschen

Back: Instructors Evan, Josh and Allen, Florian, Billy, Luis, Elias  Front: Poppy, Lisle, Nick and Marcio

Arrival Snacks!

AMS Headquarters When Two Full Courses Arrive Back-to-Back:

Crevasse Rescue Course Work on the Kahiltna Glacier- July 11

 Upon their return to town, the 6 Day MTC- Hoeschen group shared some photos from yesterday's course work: Crevasse Rescue Practice on the Kahiltna Glacier.

Course Updates- July 11

AMS Mountaineering Course camp on the Kahiltna Glacier (2023)

 Guide Updates from Yesterday (July 10) Evening:

6-Day Mountaineering-Hoeschen 

"Everyone is doing great! We moved to our new camp about a mile further down the glacier. We'll cover a full day of crevasse rescue tomorrow."

Returning to Camp after a Tour of the Pika Glacier (AMS 2023)

12-Day Mountaineering-Condon  

"We had a great weather day today. Small groups climbed Guard Tower, finished the Icefall, and we all traversed down to the main flow of the Kahiltna Glacier" 

Mountaineering Course Camp and Students on the Pika (2023)

All Women 6-Day Mountaineering- Olbright  

"It was a wonderful day today! We built a great camp at 5700' on the Pika Glacier. We took advantage of the partly sunny skies and went on a tour up to a pass to work on glacier travel skills and enjoy the views down Glacier Creek. We are back at camp, settling in and cooking dinner."

Guide Update from This (July 11) Afternoon:

Ice climbing in glacier crevasse (AMS archives)

12-Day Mountaineering-Condon 

"We set up camp at the airstrip. I got in touch with TAT this morning, and they said to send them a weather update at 0830 tomorrow morning. Woke up to rain, but now it is sunny, and we had a mostly dry glacier travel up here.

Some of the group went ice climbing today, and we might go for one last trek once we're finished setting up. We are right next to the women's group."

Our Last Course of 2024 has Launched!

Instructors Mary and Claire, Bre, Zoe, Carson, Instructor Sara, Abigail, Jade, Amanda, Katie, Marissa and Hao

After a rainy day yesterday, the All Women 6-Day course awoke to clear skies and a beautiful day to fly onto the Pika Glacier.  Excitement was high as they packed up the van, laced up their mountaineering boots and headed off to the airport.  We can't wait to hear the reports from this great group of ladies!

Lacing up their mountaineering boots before heading out.

The floor plan from yesterday's cook tent demo.

Luna (the AMS summer dog) says goodbye to the students, on her last day at AMS.

Course Updates- July 10

Roped Travel 

6-Day Mountaineering-Hoeschen Yesterday, the group covered a lot of the foundational skills for travel in glaciated environments.  They went over knots, anchor building, rope coiling and roping up for glacier travel.  They had light snow throughout much of the day and reported that it was around 40 F degrees at bedtime.  They planned to move camp today to a spot higher on the Kahiltna glacier.

Tent Classwork

12-Day Mountaineering-Condon  There was more rain on the Pika glacier yesterday.  The group spent much of the day having classes inside the tent classroom, and catching up on some much needed rest.  Today they reported beautiful, sunny conditions with blue skies and firm snow. They were excited to get out and about again!

Cooking on the Glacier

MTC6-Hoeschen team landed at 7,200 feet on the Kahiltna Glacier yesterday afternoon. They had a long day before arriving and then spent 2-3 hours setting up a bomber camp. After that, there was a cooking lesson. Mac 'n Cheese was on the menu for dinner. The temperature is 30 degrees and mostly cloudy. 

Yummy food on the glacier. (AMS archives)

Weather Delay for All Women's Course Departure

The Women's 6-Day Course moved through the day, checking all the boxes before heading to the airport. Unfortunately, it is not currently flyable. They will spend the night in Talkeetna and continue classes tomorrow.

Instructor Mary Gianotti (center) explains roping up for fixed line ascension.

When the weather doesn't allow us to fly, the course simply continues with teaching and learning right at our headquarters.

This is the kitchen tent and requires snow dut out beneath it before setting on the "lid." It can be quite cosy in there and a good place to hang out and eat.

Women's 6-Day Course is Underway

Our final scheduled course of the 2024 season started this morning at 0800. Sara Olbright, Mary Gianotti, and Claire Bicknell are teaching the 6-Day All Women's Mountaineering Course. They will introduce nine women from across the United States to mountaineering in glaciated environments.

AMS is proud to be hosting this group with AK Mountain Women. AK Mountain Women's goal is to cultivate a strong community of women dedicated to challenging and educating ourselves and others about glacial mountaineering and big, remote mountains.

The AMS Headquarters is the start of their adventure...

The gear-checking "pavilion" is ready and waiting...

And here it is in action!

Instructor Sara and student Abigail during the gear check. Each article of clothing and each piece of equipment is checked for suitability, capability, and necessity.

Zoe and Amanda pack their lunches. Students learn how to use small camping stoves and will divide into cook groups to make their breakfasts and dinners.

Climb, Rappel, Ascend

12-Day Mountaineering Course / Meredith Condon

Yesterday they did some ice climbing, rappelling, and ascending fixed lines. It was a great day out on the glacier. All of the photos are from courses on the Pika Glacier. By now, the team should be operating like a well-oiled machine. They will have gotten into the routine of living on a glacier- how to stay dry, warm, fed and climb and repeat.

Off to the Airport...

6-Day Mountaineering Course Led by Josh Hoeschen, Allen Dahl, and Evan Clupper 

Eight students and three guides spent the morning packing and sorting gear and then packing and their lunch food.

After a hearty lunch of lasagna, homemade hummus, and fresh greens from the AMS garden, they reviewed fixed-line ascension.

This team is looking good and heading to the Kahiltna Glacier!

Marcio, Nick and Billy pack lunches

Instructor Josh and Florian discuss the merits of goggles

Instructor Allen fitting crampons on Luis' boots.

Photo Dump of this afternoon's activities...

Lisle likes the salty snacks.

Fixed line ascension review

Lisle and Poppy are all smiles and on their way to the glacier 

Top L to R: Florian, Instructor Allen, Billy, Elias, Luis, Instructor Josh, Nick
Bottom Row: Intern Evan, Poppy Lisle, Marcio