CALL FOR COMMENTS TO NPS

Denali National Park and Preserve (DNP) is requesting comments regarding the current park plan that allows only 25% of total climber permits on Mount McKinley (Denali) be for guided climbers.

AMS kindly requests that you comment to DNP regarding this issue.

The comment deadline is Monday, December 6, 2010. (Update: Now Dec. 13th at midnight.)

The number of climbers on Denali has remained relatively static in the last ten years, yet the percentage of guided climbs has steadily increased.

Because interest in guided expeditions is increasing, DNP is working to determine how to accommodate this demand, while assuring that wilderness resource values, visitor experience, and other park resources are protected.

We believe all climbers deserve equal opportunity on Denali.

Please let Denali National Park know that you are in favor of guided expeditions.

Comments may be submitted to the NPS here: http://www.nps.gov/dena/parknews/mountain-allocation-public-comment.htm

The comment online feature does not appear to be working properly, so we suggest you comment to the project planners though the above web link.

Some comment points:

· Both guided and non-guided climbers deserve equal opportunity to climb Denali.

· Remove the 25% allocation of guided climbing permits on Denali. Denali National Park (DNP) mountain guiding companies are already regulated by their highly functional concession contracts.

· A guided climber has NEVER displaced individual climbers on Denali.

· Qualified climbers wishing to join a guided climb have been turned away from climbing Denali, because of the limits of the guiding companies DNP contracts. The 25% allocation of guided climber permits, further restricts guided climbers.

· Any regulation on Denali should regulate the West Buttress route only. Denali National Park’s planning efforts need to recognize that the area of greatest activity is only the West Buttress route of Denali. Not the other routes on the mountain.

Please contact AMS for more information regarding this topic or find out more from Denali National Park and Preserve at: http://www.nps.gov/dena/parknews/mountain-allocation-public-comment.htm

Thank you and have a great day,

Caitlin

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

Yesterday I went up into Coire na Ciste on Ben Nevis. I did not take any pictures since the inside of a cloud is not very interesting and it was wet and windy. The snow cover was surprisingly good though. From just below the lochans up to the top there is quite a reasonable cover of firm, transformed snow. The big easy gullies are complete and there are melted-back lines of snow under the crags and in the hollows and shallow scoops.

Today is much colder and we've had heavy showers of snow down to 500m. Tomorrow will be a very stormy day with winds gusting at 120mph from the NW and the temperature will drop even more. It's forecast to be -7C at 900m and even colder on Ben Nevis summit. It will stay much the same on Friday so by the weekend the crags will be well rimed up again and frozen hard.

I thought last weekend would turn out to be a good climbing weekend but it did not work out so well. Perhaps we'll have better luck this weekend.

AMS Annual Gear Sale this Saturday, December 6, 9 am-5 pm

25% off everything in the store. Great deals on used equipment. Free coffee!

We go on at length about how good mountain biking is in Scotland. Here in the Outdoor Capital of the UK it is at its best when you think of the variety as well as the quality of what is on offer. The trail centres are excellent and the enduro riding is second to none in Kinlochleven, but for me it's the adventure riding which makes the biking here stand out.

At the end of last week I rode a three day tour of Ben Nevis with students on the Advanced Certificate in Outdoor Leadership Course at West Highland College. The first day was along the West Highland Way to Kinlochleven, a fabulous, technical ride with one of the best descent in the country, down to the shore of Loch Leven. We had brilliant weather for the second day which went up to Blackwater Dam first. The section from there past Chiarain Bothy to Loch Treig is outstanding and one of my favourite bits of trail anywhere. You then get a fast, mostly downhill section of double track in the back of beyond before emerging to stay at Tulloch. The Puggy Line then made a brilliant return to Fort William. World class mountain biking as part of a college course for these students. We were all very lucky!

As a counterpoint to the expedition we went to Laggan Wolftracks on Monday. The technical trails and fast flowing berms and bumps felt so much easier and more fun than the expedition trails but lacked the big wilderness feel. It's a great venue for coaching though and the students were doing some video analysis. See if you can pick up the learning points from these video clips.

Wednesday Schedule Update

Greetings from chilly Talkeetna!

Here is the current availability for 2011:

Aconcagua Expeditions
January 10 - 28: (FULL)
February 10 - 28: two spots available

Foraker - Sultana Expedition
April 27 - May 13: (FULL)

Denali - Upper West Rib
May 21 - June 10: 3 spots

Denali - West Buttress Expeditions
April 25 - May 15: 6 spots
May 2 - 22: 6 spots
May 9 - 29: 4 spots
May 16 - June 5: 4 spots
May 23 - June 12: (FULL)
May 30 - June 19: (FULL)
June 6 - 26: 2 spots
June 13 - July 3: 6 spots
June 20 - July 12: 1 spot
June 27 - July 17: 5 spots

Mountain Guide Course
April 15 - 26: 4 spots

Advanced Mountaineering Course
May 6 - 17: 5 spots

Denali Prep Course/Kahiltna Dome
June 5-14: 6 spots

12 Day Mountaineering Courses

6 Day Mountaineering Courses
Several Dates: all have availability

7 Day Wilderness Backpacking Courses
4 Day Wilderness Backpacking Courses

Several Dates: all have availability

Denali Photo Workshop
August 22-27: available

Wilderness First Responder Courses
WFR 70-Hour Course
March 5-13: 12 spots
WFR 3-day Recert
March 19-21: 18 spots
March 26-28: 16 spots

Custom Courses
Custom Expeditions
A limited number of dates are still available for Denali, contact AMS for details.
Many other custom options are available - all over the Alaska Range!

Check out our Glacier Treks!

Here is the full schedule for more options.
Call or email AMS if you have any questions!
907-733-1016
info@climbalaska.org
We're in the office Monday-Friday, 10 am - 5 pm Alaska Time.
We will be closed in observance of Winter Holidays:
December 24 & December 31.

~Blogger Julia

Dreams of Climbing

Happy December!

Are visions of carabiners dancing in your head? Climbers everywhere are working out their winter plans for climbs, training and anything they can do to get out there. Expedition members all over the world are working on getting ready for that marathon on Denali. Wherever you are, keep up the good work!

We've had lots of inquiries about courses & expeditions this coming season...we have lots to offer. There is still lots of space on our Wilderness First Responder Course and WFR Recertification workshops. Check your card to see if your certification expires in 2009 - it's just around the corner!

For anyone looking to get out in the mountains and see what the Alaska Range has to offer, we have something for everyone! From a 12-day Mountaineering Course that starts with the basics, to an Advanced Mountaineering Course, to more advanced mini-expeditions like climbing Mt. Hunter, we have an exciting schedule with some space still available on the early season climbs.
If you are curious about enrollment levels, just drop us a line at info@climbalaska.org and we'll give you the latest.

If you try to contact us in Talkeetna and we don't answer right away, we are probably outside shoveling snow! We have loads of powder! If you're coming up to Talkeetna for WinterFest activitites (like the Bachelor Auction & Ball on Dec. 6) bring your skis! The local trails are being regularly groomed for skate and classic cross country skiing.

This weekend I was driving along the Turnagain Arm, south of Anchorage and saw a couple of guys ice climbing - Josh, was that your red truck? NASTY weather!! Hard core!

Enjoy your winter, we'll try to keep the blog going.
~ Julia