Ray Genet, Gear Sale and Lots of Other News...

Talkeetna News
We're enjoying warmer weather today, it's up to 40 F. It's been like winter in Portland, lately, with overcast skies and cold mornings, down to 20 F some mornings. Somehow the pansies and other hardy flowers are hanging in there and the lawn is still green. Nothing on the ground except leaves, so the biking and hiking is still awesome! People doing construction work got some bonus time to do dirt work before the ground freezes. (Melis & Joey finished their dirt work! Gray water system is in!)

Tonight there will be a Talkeetna Community Education class here in town, called "Chicken University", learn how to raise chickens in Alaska! Steve Brown from Palmer is teaching - he climbed with us last year. He's the University of Alaska Fairbanks extension agent, and knows everything about farming, gardening and so on here in the cold. Very fun to talk to him!

While you are perusing the KTNA Announcements, scroll down and you'll see there will be a Celebration of the Life and Times of Ray Genet, on Sunday October 25 at 3pm here in town. Colby has been helping with the slide show. The locals have been coming up with some amazing stories! Can't believe it's been 30 years...

AMS News
It's time for the Sort-of-Annual Used Gear Sale at AMS!! Saturday, October 24th, from 10 am to 2 pm at the AMS Mountain Shop on F Street in East Talkeetna. Phone number is 354-1233.

It's been BUSY here in the office! We are experiencing an early surge in enrollments, for West Buttress Expeditions especially. We're getting WFR enrollments much earlier than usual, too.

We have some exciting changes - we're adding a FULL West Rib Expedition to the schedule; and we've set up the May 31 West Buttress Expedition as a high guide-to-climber ratio, small group. This is an awesome option! Check with us for more details. We've already got one experienced climber signed up.

Here is the latest for availability:

Aconcagua, Normal Route, 2010 Availability:
February 8-26, 2010: 6 spaces
Argentina is calling you!

Kahiltna Dome Expedition/Denali Prep Course, 2010 Availability:
June 3-12: 7 spaces
Custom Dates Available

Denali, West Buttress, 2010 Availability:
April 27-May 17: 5 spaces
May 3- 23: 5 spaces
May 10-30: 1 space
May 17-June 6: FULL
May 24-June 13: 3 spaces
May 31-June 20: 3 spaces*
June 7-June 27: 4 spaces
June 14-July 4: 1 space
June 21-July 11: 4 spaces
Custom Dates Filling Fast!
All Dates Filling Fast!
*Special small group, 4 climbers, 2 guides

Denali, West Rib, 2010 Availability:
Yes, Full Rib! May 29-June 18: 4 spaces. Contact AMS for details!
Custom Dates Available

Denali, Upper West Rib, 2010 Availability:
June 5-June 25: 4 spaces
Custom Dates Available

Other 2010 offerings:
Mountaineering Courses - all dates have availability
Wilderness Hikes & Treks - all dates have availability
Glacier Travel & Crevasse Rescue Workshops - all dates have availability
Wilderness First Responder Courses & Re-certifications - all dates have availability

Many Custom options are still available. Give us a call or send us an email. We're in the office from 10 am to 5pm Monday - Friday, this time of year.

Ciao!
~Julia