May 31 - Update from AMS Teams on The Mountain - pleasant weather today.

The May 14 Expedition, led by Keith Sidle and Ben Farrar, with Hector, is taking a rest day at High Camp today. This is a well-deserved rest, and they are hopeful for good conditions for Monday and Tuesday for a summit attempt. All other members of this team, with Guide Aidan, have returned to Talkeetna, happy, safe, and sound.

The views from the 17,200-foot-high camp are like nothing else.

The May 21 Expedition, led by Tyler Thompson, Madelyn Ferdock, and Will Plovanic,  is back-carrying today. They will descend from 14,200 feet to pick up their previously cached food, fuel, and gear at around 13,500 feet. This day is doubly helpful for acclimatization. They have moved into their nice camp at 14,200 feet and are enjoying their time there. This location is an advanced base camp of sorts, quite the social hub, and home to a seasonal NPS Mountaineering Ranger and Medical Camp. 

14,200-foot climbers' advanced basecamp and NPS Ranger and medical camps.
Mt. Foraker prominently in the background. 

The May 25th Expedition, led by Cody Pitz, is having a well-deserved rest day at 11,000 feet today. It snowed 6-8 inches overnight, and in the afternoon the skies cleared.  They are feeling strong and have been moving very well and on schedule.  Tomorrow, if the weather allows, they will carry extra food, fuel, and gear up and around Windy Corner to approx. 13,500 feet.

11,000-foot camp, on a busy day. 

The May 30th Custom Expedition, led by Eric Roberts and Corey Cooke,  is feeling strong and is on the move. They moved to 9,800 feet on the upper Kahiltna Glacier today in light snow, warm temps, and calm wind.  They are feeling good and taking advantage of the decent weather. 

The top of Ski Hill on the Upper Kahiltna.

Update from AMS Teams in The AK Range - A beautiful day!

All AMS Teams report a nice day on Denali today. 

The May 14 Expedition, led by Keith Sidle, Ben Farrar, and Aidan Whitelaw, moved to High Camp at 17,200 feet today. This is a very demanding and very beautiful section of the route: climbing 800 feet up the fixed lines and then along the very exposed 16,000-foot ridge. It is a favorite section of the climb for many, and they made it in excellent time.

High camp, 17,200 feet, after a recent snowfall and the 16K Ridge. The top of the fixed lines tops out at the snowy saddle, and then our team climbs the ridge on the right and into 17,200-foot high camp. 

The May 21 Expedition, led by Tyler Thompson, Madelyn Ferdock, and Will Plovanic, moved to camp at 14,200 feet today. This is a big day and a lot of hard work, along with a jump in altitude, and they are happy to be moving higher. They all enjoyed the good weather, the climb, and the camaraderie on the mountain today. 

AMS setting up camp at 14,200 feet, this is an excellent camp for acclimatization

The May 25th Expedition, led by Cody Pitz, Nicole De Petris, and Joe Grout, moved very strongly to 11,000-foot camp yesterday in good style. They back-carried today, which means they went to retrieve their previously cached food, fuel, and equipment at the Kahiltna Pass area about 800 feet below camp. Their next steps include a well-deserved rest day and carry higher, around Windy Corner. Everyone is doing very well and feeling strong on this team!

11,000-foot Denali West Buttress camp with views of Mt. Foraker's summit. 

The May 30th Custom Expedition, led by Eric Roberts and Corey Cooke,  after organizing in basecamp, moved out on the glacier on a well-packed trail with crampons and warm weather. They are camped tonight in an intermediate camp, about 2 miles from the base of the ski hill.  Tomorrow, they plan to single carry and move to 9,600 feet or higher if they are feeling strong and healthy up there. This group is pre-acclimated for a faster rate of ascent, as the weather allows. 

NPS Image and marking of the West Buttress Route. The total distance: Base Camp to the 7,800-foot camp is 5 miles/ 8.04 K.  

Custom Denali Expedition Begins!

The May 30th Custom Expedition led by Eric Roberts and Corey Cooke, with a father-son team of climbers, Andreas and Anton, began today and flew in ahead of schedule.  They were super prepared with gear check, lunch packing, and all in-town preparations, so they were underway quickly today. They were ready to fly to the mountains early with Talkeetna Air Taxi. They are now on the Kahiltna Glacier, safe and sound. Due to their advanced acclimatization efforts, this team plans to move to the 7,800-foot camp tonight!

Guide Corey, climbers: Andreas, Anton, Guide Eric

...And in the Air! 

Update from our Denali Expeditions: May 29

Today in the Mountains...

This image is from today 5/29/26, courtesy of Talkeetna Air Taxi. We have teams at 11 and 14,000 ft.

The May 14 Expedition, led by Keith Sidle, Ben Farrar, and Aidan Whitelaw, remains at 14,200- camp. They are opting to wait for the weather to stabilize up high before moving back up the fixed lines and along the 16K-foot Ridge to High camp at 17,200. Daytime temperatures at high camp are -25 F (-13C), so with any wind, that is not conducive to climbing. 

This is why you build walls around their tents. It keeps the wind from flapping your tent and snow from blowing into your walled area.

Nice Walls!

The May 21 Expedition, led by Tyler Thompson, Madelyn Ferdock, and Will Plovanic are carrying around Windy Corner, to approximately 13,500 feet today.  They will spend another night at the 11K camp. After that, their next step is to move up to 14,200 feet, when the weather allows. This group is doing well and feeling strong. 

This image shows climbers rounding Windy Corner. It is an exposed rock face that you pass on your way to the cache site at 13,500.

The May 25th Expedition, led by Cody Pitz, Nicole De Petris, and Joe Grout, is moving to 11,000 camp today. They had sun and minimal wind for their move. All are feeling strong and grateful to be gaining elevation; they plan to spend three to four nights at this camp, where they will acclimate as they shuttle gear higher.

Looking at the weather at this elevation, it looks like they are walking in sunshine, hey hey. I'll bet it feels good. 

A sunny day at the 11K camp. (AMS archive photo)

Today at Headquarters: Denali Prep Course Returns! and Packing for another expedtion

Denali Prep Returns! Lots of smiles from the team with sunshine and watermelon greeting them.

We'll let them share their stories, but here are a few pictures...

Ready for their return.

They need their sunglasses!

Here's the team, a bit cleaned up and wearing their 'street shoes.'

It is quite different here since the time they were gone. We have leaves on the trees, and it's warm out! They will spend the next couple of hours sorting gear and then going out for lunch!

Guides Eric Roberts and Corey Cooke are packing for our next Denali Expedition. They will be guiding a father-son duo starting in a couple of days. Our guides and instructors arrive two days prior to check gear, pack food, and do lots of paperwork.

Eric and Corey plan the menu before packing food.

AMS Teams Update - May 28

 The May 14 Expedition, led by Keith Sidle, Ben Farrar, and Aidan Whitelaw, remains at 14,200- camp. Today, they will take a well-deserved rest day. Yesterday, the team carried up the fixed lines to 16,400 feet. Lead guide, Keith, reported blue ice conditions on the fixed line, requiring front pointing, time to put all those skills into practice!

This 2023 image shows climbers on the "fixed lines" of the headwall at an elevation of approximately 15,200 feet. (photo credit Ben Olwell)

• Route Section: Headwall -1 mile / 1.6 kilometers
• Travel: 14,200 - 16,200 feet / 4,,300-4,900 meters
• Elevation Gain: 2000 feet / 600 meters, 40 to 55 degree slope

This will be some of the steepest climbing along the entire route. 

Denali Prep Course, led by Ben Olwell, Emma Russell, and Claire Bicknell,  is enjoying life at 7,200-foot Kahiltna Basecamp. Yesterday, they attempted Radio Control Tower Peak. They climbed through an icefall and up to the ridge before turning back due to poor snow conditions on the route. A good day was had by all. They even had the treat of enjoying an evening of sun at their camp. If the weather allows, they will fly back to Talkeetna tomorrow morning with stories to share.

The Kahiltna Basecamp manager took a photo of our Denali Prep team as they began the ascent to Radio Control Tower. (look for the tiny specs below the arrow) (Photo: Brittni Driver)

The May 21 Expedition, led by Tyler Thompson, Madelyn Ferdock, and Will Plavonic, remained at the 11,000-foot camp. They enjoyed a day of rest and acclimation there yesterday. They reported waking up to a foot of snow this morning, so they will wait at camp again today to let it settle before climbing the steeper slopes. Their next steps are to carry food, fuel, and gear around Windy Corner, approx. 13,500 feet. All is well with this team!

They are camped at "Camp 2" and will make a carry to around Windy Corner.

The May 25th Expedition, led by Cody Pitz, Nicole De Petris, and Joe Grout, is moving very strongly and reports that all is well. Today, they woke up to 4-6 inches of new snow in camp, and they carried to 10,000 feet, just above Kahiltna Pass, with extra food, fuel, and gear to cache. At Kahiltna Pass, they broke trail through 15-18 inches of snow. They returned to the 7,800-foot camp to sleep a second night. They started their day in whiteout conditions in the clouds, and after they cached, the clouds cleared, and they descended back to camp in the sunshine. 

Topo map showing the pass. Windy corner is another cache site they will aim for in the coming days.

Update From the Alaska Range 5/27/26

5/14 DWB, Keith Sidle: Yesterday (5/26), they enjoyed pancakes at the 14 K camp and had a rest and acclimatization day. Next steps for this team are to retrieve their previously cached items at the Windy Corner area (13,500ft), when the weather allows. And to make a move of gear to the 16K ridge.

The 14,000-foot camp becomes an international city during the climbing season. It is a colorful cacophony of sights and sounds, with tents in many colors and different languages spoken, all set amongst the beauty of Mounts Hunter, Foraker, and Denali.

14,200 ft camp looking west to Mount Foraker (Sultana) at 17,400 ft.

The Fixed Lines, as they are known, start at about 15,200 and run up a steep slope to the 16K ridge. The goal is to take the gear needed for the 17K (High Camp) and stash it on the ridge and then return to the 14K camp. Climb high, sleep low.. .that is the way to acclimate.

The National Park Service Mountaineering Rangers have a camp here and put out a weather forecast each day along with some other helpful information...

NPS Message to climbers at the 14K Camp about the Fixed Lines along with the weather forecast (2025 image)

14K Camp showing climbers on the route up the fixed lines (middle in the distance).

The May 21 DWB Expedition, led by Tyler Thompson, yesterday, they enjoyed a rest day at 11k. They set up camp the other day in some pushy winds, so they were happy to have a less windy day to rest. Fun fact: They are currently enjoying the excellent company of some Norwegian friends and AMS alumni, Chris and Rune, who are also on the mountain. 

At this camp, they will stow their snowshoes and switch to crampons for the upper mountain. Anything they no longer need or want (trash, snowshoes, dead batteries) they will cache and pick up on the descent. So they can find their gear again, they bury it under the snow, mark it with wands and take GPS coordinates. This mountain is in the Wilderness-designated section of Denali National Park. Pack it in and pack it out... everything!

The 11,000-foot camp with climbers departing. It has been very crowded there, but the recent good weather means people are moving up the mountain.

Denali Prep, Ben Olwell: Moved camp to Basecamp yesterday from 9800 camp. A big move with heavy loads, this is excellent practice for the demanding days that the West Buttress requires. They have more to do in the coming days; if snow conditions allow for a peak ascent, that is on their to-do list! 

This image shows students on the Denali Prep Course in 2023 near Kahiltna Pass. This course also got to this location. 

May 25 DWB Expedition led by Cody Pitz spent their first night on the glacier at Kahiltna Base Camp. Today, they are making the move to 7,800-foot camp. They are feeling strong and ready. They make this move in a single carry... meaning everything goes at once. It is a tough day. They will travel 5 miles, but much of it is downhill. Once there, they build a new camp. Climb, shovel, eat, sleep: Repeat.

This image is from 5/25/2024 and shows a team fully loaded about to leave base camp.

All the gear!

May 25- Cody Pitz Denali (McKinley) Expedition has begun!

Guide Cody, Eric, Alex, Nareg, Guide Joe, Katerina, Jenny, Heather and Guide Nicole

The May 25th Expedition led by Cody Pitz, Nicole De Petris, and Joe Grout has begun. Yesterday, they were very efficient in packing lunches and getting gear checks done. Today, they went in for their NPS briefing, practiced fixed-line ascension, ate a hearty lunch, weighed their gear, and packed up to go.

Gear check on Day 1 is always great - it brings peace of mind to lay everything out one last time and organize to bring what you need and nothing else!

Boots on means it's time to head to the airport!

Final stashing of gear, before loading up the van!

Mountain Update 5/25 - AMS Teams are moving

The May 14 Expedition, led by Keith Sidle, Ben Farrar, and Aidan Whitelaw, moved to the 14,200' camp today. Upon arrival, they began building their camp. They will level the snow on the platforms and build snow-block walls. This is a big day with a significant jump in altitude. Often, tomorrow's activities will either be a rest day or cache retrieval, depending on the weather and how folks are feeling. There is a lot of space at 14,200 basin, so it will feel great to them after the tight camp at 11,000'.

Camp at 14,200 feet, the views are worth all the effort. Left: Mt. Hunter, Right: Mt. Foraker

Film Crew Safety, led by Tad McCrea,  has returned to Talkeetna this afternoon! This crew is very happy with the work they have done in the Range and are happy to be back amongst the green.

Air Taxi Glacier pick up on the Kahiltna Glacier.

Denali Prep Course, led by Ben Olwell, Emma Russell, and Claire Bicknell,  moved to 9,600 feet today, and set up their camp in the wind and snow this afternoon - excellent Denali Prep!  Ben reported that the crew is good and happy.

Moving and setting up camp in the fresh snow and wind is a lot of work!

The May 21 Expedition, led by Tyler Thompson, Madelyn Ferdock, and Will Plavonic, moved to the 11,000-foot camp today.  They are doing well and are happy to be higher on the mountain. The next couple of days will include a rest day and a carry to the Windy Corner area. 

11,000-foot Camp on Denali's West Buttress Route

Weekend Glacier Travel Workshop!

Instructor Tate, Cindy, Joe and AMS intern Morgan

A custom Glacier Travel and Crevasse Workshop happened this weekend at the AMS HQ.  Instructors Tate Hughes and Intern Morgan Harris worked with Joe and Cindy from Homer on some important skill-building as they prepare for future climbing expeditions at home and abroad. 

AMS Mountain Update for May 24 - A nice day in the Range!

11,000-foot camp on a sunny day.

 The May 14 Expedition, led by Keith Sidle, Ben Farrar, and Aidan Whitelaw, is enjoying a well-deserved rest day at 11,000-foot camp today. They have been working hard in the weather and with the carry yesterday.  They plan to move to the 14,200' camp tomorrow, if the weather allows. 

The stoke is always high with Tad!

Film Crew Safety, led by Tad McCrea, this team is stoked! They are getting some excellent things done, and we expect to see them back in Talkeetna as soon as tomorrow. Good things come to those who wait. 

7,800 Camp

Denali Prep Course, led by Ben Olwell, Emma Russell, and Claire Bicknell, had a great day inside the crevasses yesterday. They are moving to "ski hill," the climbers' camp area at the 7,800-foot level on the main flow of the Kahiltna Glacier today. 

Expedition team prepares their cache at 9,800 feet.

May 21 Expedition, led by Tyler Thompson, Madelyn Ferdock, and Will Plavonic, moved to the 7,800-foot camp yesterday and reported a beautiful and calm day to make the move. There are many other climbers on this schedule. Today, they will carry and cache at approximately 9,800 feet.  This is a good day to help with acclimatization.  All is well. 

AMS Mountain Update For May 23, 2026

 The May 14 Expedition, led by Keith Sidle, Ben Farrar, and Aidan Whitelaw, moved to 11,00 camp yesterday!  Last night, they enjoyed some sunshine in camp and spectacular views. They report that many other climbers are camped at this location. The sun is shining up there this morning, and we expect some of the other climbers to move higher when the weather allows. 

Today, the team carried and cached food, fuel, and gear to the Windy Corner area. The next step is a rest/acclimatization day, and then the move to camp at 14,200 feet. 

In this archived image from AMS, we see the 11,000 ft camp from above. The middle of the photograph is the main Kahiltna Glacier.

It can be quite crowded at this camp when teams get backed up by poor weather. Good snow walls around your tent will minimize tents flapping.

The bare rock on the right side of this photo is Windy Corner. Most climbers round this corner and make a cache of gear between 13,200 and 13,500 ft. They will then return to the 11K camp to spend another night before moving up to the 14K camp. 

Film Crew Safety, led by Tad McCrea, remains at Kahiltna Basecamp as planned, and they are enjoying this window of nice weather to the fullest. We look forward to seeing their images when they return next week! 

Tad McCrea has become the unofficial mayor of Kahiltna Basecamp!

Denali Prep Course, led by Ben Olwell, Emma Russell, and Claire Bicknell, enjoyed settling into Kahiltna Basecamp last night. They messaged in at 11:40 pm, saying that all was well. They were all settled in for the night after setting up camp and making themselves a warm meal and hot drinks. 

Today, they practice crevasse rescue in the crevasses. This is always a highlight and a big learning experience when putting all the practice into the real thing.

They will soon move toward the 7,800-foot camp.

This screenshot was taken from the webcam above the Kahiltna Glacier at 3:00 PM on 5/23.
We like it!!!!

Here is a current photo of the base camp with lots of fresh snow. Above the red tent, you will see tracks from ski planes

May 21 Expedition led by Tyler Thompson, Madelyn Ferdock, and Will Plavonic flew into the Alaska Range early this morning.  This is a very fun-loving team, and we can already tell they are a supportive crew that values teamwork and working hard toward a common goal of climbing the mountain in excellent style.

They will move up glacier 5 miles with all their gear to a 7,800-foot camp today and settle in there. The temperatures are still quite cold overnight and in the mornings; it was 14°F this morning. 

The team before suiting up in their mountain gear. From left to right: Guide Tyler Thompson and Willy Plovanic, climbers, Klaudia, Ezra, Austin, Shay, Guy, Ric, and Guide Madelyn Ferdock.

This photo was taken yesterday at base camp. Unloading the many planes that brought over 100 people to the Mountain yesterday evening. 

Here's the team with feet both feet on the ground!