Happy Holidays!

Sending you all warm wishes!
May the lengthening days be Merry & Bright!
Winter Solstice is behind us, hooray! It's time to curl up with a cup of hot cocoa...

2010 AMS Availability Report:

Denali, West Buttress, 2010 Availability:
April 27-May 17: 3 spaces
May 3- 23: FULL
May 10-30: FULL (waitlist)
May 17-June 6: FULL (waitlist)
May 24-June 13: FULL (waitlist)
May 31-June 20: FULL (waitlist)
June 7-June 27: FULL (waitlist)
June 14-July 4: FULL (waitlist)
June 21-July 11: FULL (waitlist)

Denali, West Rib, 2010 Availability:
May 29-June 18: 3 spaces. Contact AMS for details!
Custom Dates Available

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

Kahiltna Dome Expedition/Denali Prep Course, 2010 Availability:
June 3-12: 6 spaces
Custom Dates Available

Wilderness First Responder Course, 2010
March 6-14: 11 spaces available

WFR Re-certifications, 2010
March 20-22: 9 spaces available
March 27-29: 11 spaces available

Glacier Travel & Crevasse Rescue Workshops, 2010
April 10-11: 5 spaces available
There are also sessions in July and August.

Alaska Range Mountaineering Courses, 6 days, 2010 Availability
April 16-21: 8 spaces
May 7-12: 9 spaces
June 4-9: 9 spaces
There are sessions in July, August & September.

Alaska Range Mountaineering Courses, 12 days, 2010 Availability
April 18-29: 7 spaces
May 14-25: 8 spaces
June 11-22: 8 spaces
There are sessions in July, August & September.

Things change quickly! If you are uncertain of your schedule but you are interested in participating, stay in touch with us: info@climbalaska.org or 907-733-1016. Leave us a message if we don't answer, we'll be back in the office on Monday.

Have a great weekend!
~Julia

It's Bachelor Weekend!

Talkeetna kicks off WinterFest tonight, starting with the Motorized Parade of Lights, the Taste of Talkeetna, and all sorts of other stuff. Peter Mulvey is playing a concert out at Whole Wheat Radio starting at 8pm (you can listen online!). The Su-Valley Hockey team has two home games this weekend!

Saturday is packed with events!!
It starts with the Oly and Lena ski race - which is a hoot!! Teams of an "Oly" and a "Lena" (or at least dressed the part) have to tell an "Oly and Lena" joke then relay around the 5k groomed trail. Good joke tellers get extra points!

The Talkeetna Bachelors Society will greet the passengers arriving on the Northbound train at noon, hoping for single ladies. Those single ladies are invited to participate in the Wilderness Woman Competition, with great prizes for the top 5 finishers - which will be awarded at the world-famous Bachelor Auction & Ball! That begins at 7pm, with the crowd-pleasing band Rick Shaw and the Transporters jamming funky dance tunes from 11 pm until it's time to go eat Breakfast at the Roadhouse! The Roadhouse opens at Midnight on this special night for those hungry revelers. Of course, there will be another band at the Fairview into the wee hours and the merriment will be all over town, with too many activities to list here.
The Bachelor Auction & Ball raises money for charity! If you can't make it, you can learn more & donate to the cause on their website.

Check out these websites: Bachelors, Chamber, Roadhouse, Denali Arts Council, hey, and while you're surfing, check out the AMS website. Thinking about going climbing this spring? Or maybe taking a Mountaineering Course next summer? Check out our programs, our complete 2010 schedule, then send us an email or give us a call if you're interested. Let us know if we should save you a spot, things are filling rather quickly this year. You don't want to miss out!


2010 AMS Availability Report:

Denali, West Buttress, 2010 Availability:
April 27-May 17: 3 spaces
May 3- 23: FULL
May 10-30: FULL (waitlist)
May 17-June 6: FULL (waitlist)
May 24-June 13: FULL
May 31-June 20: FULL
June 7-June 27: FULL
June 14-July 4: 1 space
June 21-July 11: 1 space
Custom Dates Filling Fast!
All Dates Filling Fast!

Denali, West Rib, 2010 Availability:
May 29-June 18: 3 spaces. Contact AMS for details!
Custom Dates Available

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

Kahiltna Dome Expedition/Denali Prep Course, 2010 Availability:
June 3-12: 6 spaces
Custom Dates Available

Wilderness First Responder Course, 2010
March 6-14: 12 spaces available

WFR Re-certifications, 2010
March 20-22: 9 spaces available
March 27-29: 11 spaces available

Glacier Travel & Crevasse Rescue Workshops, 2010
April 10-11: 7 spaces available
There are also sessions in July and August.

Alaska Range Mountaineering Courses, 6 days, 2010 Availability
April 16-21: 8 spaces
May 7-12: 9 spaces
June 4-9: 9 spaces
There are sessions in July, August & September.

Alaska Range Mountaineering Courses, 12 days, 2010 Availability
April 18-29: 7 spaces
May 14-25: 8 spaces
June 11-22: 8 spaces
There are sessions in July, August & September.

Things change quickly! If you are uncertain of your schedule but you are interested, stay in touch with us: info@climbalaska.org or 907-733-1016. Leave us a message if we don't answer, we've been out shoveling snow quite a bit lately.

Happy December!
~Julia

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at AMS!

"Pardoning the Chickens"













Lisle, White Chicken & Rosie. Chicken found a friend to keep her warm.

The AMS Office will be closed for the Thanksgiving Holiday Weekend. We'll be back on Monday. Have a great weekend!
~Julia, Caitlin, Colby, Rob

Expedition Availability Report:

Denali, West Buttress, 2010 Availability:
April 27-May 17: 4 spaces
May 3- 23: FULL
May 10-30: FULL (waitlist)
May 17-June 6: FULL (waitlist)
May 24-June 13: FULL
May 31-June 20: FULL
June 7-June 27: FULL
June 14-July 4: 1 space
June 21-July 11: 1 space
Custom Dates Filling Fast!
All Dates Filling Fast!

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 Rib, 2010 Availability:
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

Wilderness First Responder Course, 2010
March 6-14: 3 spaces available!

WFR Re-certifications, 2010
March 20-22: Available
March 27-29: Available

Glacier Travel & Crevasse Rescue Workshops, 2010
April 10-11: 7 spaces available
There are also sessions in July and August.

Send us an email if you have questions about a particular program or availability.
We'll be back in the office on Monday.

Cheers,
~Julia

Expedition Update

The temp is soaring today! Up to 36 (above zero!) today, with warm and cloudy being the forecast for the week. Maybe we'll get some snow? The Aurora Forecast predicts a "moderate" showing of Northern Lights for Thanksgiving, which is more of a showing than we've had in quite a while. If you look at the forecast here, you'll see that the folks up around the arctic circle get more shows than we do "way down" here at Latitude 62.

Expedition Availability Report:

Denali, West Buttress, 2010 Availability:
April 27-May 17: 4 spaces
May 3- 23: FULL
May 10-30: FULL (waitlist)
May 17-June 6: FULL (waitlist)
May 24-June 13: FULL
May 31-June 20: 1 space*
June 7-June 27: FULL
June 14-July 4: 1 space
June 21-July 11: 1 space
Custom Dates Filling Fast!
All Dates Filling Fast!
*Special small group, 4 climbers, 2 guides,$6900 per person

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 Rib, 2010 Availability:
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

Wilderness First Responder Course, 2010
March 6-14: 3 spaces available!

WFR Re-certifications, 2010
March 20-22: Available
March 27-29: Available

Glacier Travel & Crevasse Rescue Workshops, 2010
April 10-11: 7 spaces available
There are also sessions in July and August.

Send us an email if you have questions about a particular program or availability.
We're here this week through Wednesday, and closed for the Thanksgiving Holiday Weekend.

Cheers,
~Julia

Friday Update - Complete Details

Greetings! Another Expedition Full!

Denali, West Buttress, 2010 Availability:
April 27-May 17: 5 spaces
May 3- 23: FULL
May 10-30: FULL (waitlist)
May 17-June 6: FULL (waitlist)
May 24-June 13: FULL
May 31-June 20: 1 space*
June 7-June 27: 1 space - pending
June 14-July 4: 1 space
June 21-July 11: 1 space
Custom Dates Filling Fast!
All Dates Filling Fast!
*Special small group, 4 climbers, 2 guides,$6900 per person

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 Rib, 2010 Availability:
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, but the 9-day WFR Course is filling quickly!
Click here for the 2010 Schedule and prices.

Many Custom options are still available. Thinking about Ham & Eggs? The Trolls? 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.

We're enjoying the snow here!
Cheers,
~Julia


The Trolls

Quick Update

West Buttress Availability has changed...

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: 2 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

Have a great weekend!
~Julia

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

Thursday Update

It's been warmer than usual here in Talkeetna, a very nice autumn. It's been a bit damp and foggy the last couple of days. The "snow" word keeps appearing in the forecast, but the snow line is still pretty high.

The office has been pretty busy with enrollments, people calling about their plans for 2010 and some even for 2011. The Mountain House is almost completely booked for 2010! We'll start taking reservations for March 2011 on March 1, 2010. We'll be starting a waiting list for 2010 soon. We still have a few dates open here and there.

We got the latest Jack Wolfskin catalogue in the mail with their several page spread about their visit to Alaska in April 2009. Their photographer, Gaudenz, took beautiful photos and the weather cooperated for them. Fantastic photos from their dog mushing trip with EarthSong Lodge up by Healy and their time on the Ruth Glacier with our guides Brian McCullough and Larry Holmgren. Manfred and his kids obviously had a great time. They gave their gear a thorough workout! There are some fun pictures of Talkeetna, too. I enjoyed Manfred's personal narrative of the adventure.
It's a huge, gorgeous catalog - check it out! www.jack-wolfskin.com Pick your language of choice and enjoy. Thanks Manfred!

Updates for enrollment:

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: 1 space
May 24-June 13: 6 spaces
May 31-June 20: 5 spaces
June 7-June 27: 4 spaces
June 14-July 4: 5 spaces
June 21-July 11: 4 spaces
Custom Dates Filling Fast!

Denali, Upper West Rib, 2010 Availability:
May 29-June 18: 4 spaces (possible Full West Rib expedition - contact AMS for details)
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.

Cheers!
~Julia

Mid January

After a sunny weekend, we got a great dump of snow this morning! We're getting a beautiful sunset, but the Alaska Range is still obscured by clouds. It seems warm for us at this time of year, with 20 degrees as the constant temperature.

The Italian soloist made it up to Base Camp on Saturday, rumor has it he's thinking twice about his plan to dig snow caves for the whole expedition and is wishing he brought a tent. Never underestimate this mountain! (or overestimate yourself)
In other climbing news, the Anchorage Daily news had this feature story about climbing the West Buttress:
http://www.adn.com/3549/story/1096697.html

We had some availability changes over the weekend. Here is the latest -
2010 Denali, West Buttress Expedition Availability:
April 27- May 17: 2 places Available
May 3- 23: FULL
May 10-30: FULL (waitlist)
May 17-June 6: FULL (waitlist)
May 24-June 13: FULL (waitlist)
May 31-June 20: FULL (waitlist)
June 2 -June 22: 4 places Available
June 7-June 27: FULL (waitlist)
June 14-July 4: FULL (waitlist)
June 21-July 11: FULL (waitlist)

Denali, West Rib, 2010 Availability:
May 29-June 18: 3 spaces. Contact AMS for details, this is the famed "full" West Rib!
Custom Dates Available

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

Kahiltna Dome Expedition/Denali Prep Course, 2010 Availability:
June 3-12: 6 spaces
Custom Dates Available

Wilderness First Responder Course, 2010
March 6-14: 7 spaces available

WFR Re-certifications, 2010
March 20-22: 8 spaces available
March 27-29: 10 spaces available

Glacier Travel & Crevasse Rescue Workshops, 2010
April 10-11: 5 spaces available
There are also sessions in July and August.

Alaska Range Mountaineering Courses, 6 days, 2010 Availability
April 16-21: 8 spaces
May 7-12: 8 spaces
June 4-9: 8 spaces
The sessions in July, August & September have availability.

Alaska Range Mountaineering Courses, 12 days, 2010 Availability
April 18-29: 6 spaces
May 14-25: 7 spaces
June 11-22: 7 spaces
The sessions in July, August & September have availability.

Things change quickly! Applications show up every day. If you are uncertain of your schedule but you are interested in participating, stay in touch with us: info@climbalaska.org or 907-733-1016. Leave us a message if we don't answer, we'll get back to you as soon as we can.

Hope you all enjoyed a day off. Kudos if you put in some volunteer time.
Cheers,
~Julia