The Climbing Club

Friday afternoon I was fortunate enough to have a coworker ask if I wanted to go with her and a friend on a flight tour around Denali. With a cloudless forecast and the opportunity to skip out of work early on a Saturday I was definitely in. Left work around 10:30 on Saturday, drove to Talkeetna and airborne by 1. We flew with Talkeetna Air Taxi (Don Sheldon's old outfit) and pilot Paul Roderick on an 11 person Otter with skis. We took off and headed directly for Mt. Hunter. Then turned toward Foraker and then north up the Kahiltna Glacier where we would have gotten to land at base camp on the glacier if there were more favorable snow conditions. We banked both directions a few times to get some good views off both wings. Then we flew over the gap between Denali and Kahiltna Dome with views of the West Buttress route out the right window. Then we did some circles on the north side of the mountain and flew around to the east toward Moose's Tooth. We flew just east of Mt. Silverthrone, did a circle over the Muldrow Glacier and then flew through Buckskin Gap right next to Moose's Tooth. From here we did some fun maneuvers in the Ruth Amphitheater and flew down the Great Gorge back to Talkeetna. Just look at the Pictures, they are much better than my description. All in all a great trip...quite expensive though for a 1.5 hour flight.

The next day I tried to persuade some people to come out with me again, just to end up headed out alone again. This time I drove to Eklutna Lake (at 9:00 because thats when its light now), Anchorage's water source. From here I biked 10.5 miles along the gravel road around the lake that is off limits to cars and trucks. Unfortunately on Sunday's it is open to ATV traffic. On the way in it was pleasant by myself (ATV drivers must be more likely to go to church on Sunday) as the bike trail follows the lake shore and the road meets up with it every once in a while. I was passed by at least 15 ATVs on the way out. This problem can be avoided by going on Saturday when motor vehicles are not allowed. One could also kayak across the lake. At the other end of the lake is the Bold Airstrip, just a random place to land for lunch if you happen to have a private plane. After the lake the road goes uphill slightly and eventually comes to East Fork Eklutna River, where I stopped to start hiking. The river valley was completely frosted and quite pretty. I hike 1 mile upstream where I bushwhacked (way easier than in Washington) uphill for 1/4 mile to the base of Stiver's Gully, an enormous shear walled scree gully. I stair stepped up larger rocks all the way to a split in the gully, where I took the right side and went up steeper slopes to the base of some loose 3rd class scramble. There is a rope here but I didn't want to use it because it looks super old. I scrambled up to the left on something that looked more solid only to find myself on a knife edge between the two sides of the split. I decided to just downclimb and be done since it was already 2:15 and it gets dark at 7:00 now. I hiked out and biked, and really the biking was the best part of the day. It was another beautiful day and it was good to get out. I killed my legs though biking 21 miles and hiking 8. I only made it to about 3500' on Bold Peak, which is 7522', I would need a lot more daylight to be able to do it as a day trip. It would be nice to camp at the end of the lake and do it in a day from there. Pictures here

Good times! I've tried the biking/hiking approach a few times and been so beat by the ride that I lack the energy to hike once I reach the trailhead. I suspect if more daylight in the problem, then summer is the solution.

Really amazing pictures from both days, but especially the ones from the plane. No offense to your photographic skills, but it's hard to beat that subject matter. Those glaciers are just phenomenal looking.

Thanks Evan... I guess. Really I should pay Ethan to go up and then the terrain might be done justice

:drool:

Great photos! I especially liked the ones from the Alaska Range. It's been a dream of mine for a long while to climb Foraker via Sultana Ridge.

Wow, the stuff out there looks amazing. Nice job on the long distance day!

Wow! Simply stunning. Yea... at a bit of a loss for words, especially the plane photos. So many opportunities for type III fun!


Also, I will selfishly use this opportunity to inquire about your skis. I'm a complete skiing noob, and want to give it a shot. I was talking with Brian earlier, and I think he said that you were looking to get rid of them. I'm about 145-150ish, 5'10" or so with 9.5 sized feet. Would that set up fit me reasonably well? If so, could I borrow them once, and if I like 'em, buy them?

Thanks!

Lucas

Yeah I'm the same height, maybe 5 pounds heavier, size 12. Feel free to just use my skis. I believe they are 165s, good for starting on. They aren't anything special. I got them cheap off craigslist. They are a little heavy but the bases are almost pristine. They have demo bindings so you can make them fit your boots which is nice. Feel free to adjust the DIN as well. I have them a little bit loose because I am paranoid about my bad knees. Use them as much as you want. If I do end up getting new ones i might just give them to someone like yourself anyhow. Good luck!

Thanks Craig! Admittedly, I'm not quite sure what all that jargon was, but I'll get someone to interpret it for me. I'll keep you posted how the shredding goes in those skis.

I really like reading your Alaska TRs. I really want to make it up there someday, and see some of those HUGE glaciers and mountains.