Lead guide Jason Denley called in from the Southeast Fork of the Kahiltna Glacier. This afternoon, the entire team flew from the small, “end-of-the-road” town of Talkeetna to Denali Base Camp at 7,200′, deep in the heart of the rugged Alaska Range.
The morning started with an early departure from Anchorage. The guides picked up the team and loaded everyone into a van, with a trailer full of equipment and supplies in to for the two hour drive north to Talkeetna. Located at the end of a spur road off the Parks Highway, Talkeetna has been the embarkation point for Alaska Range climbers for decades. The team unloaded their gear at the airstrip in preparation for flying into the Range with our good friends at Talkeetna Air Taxi.
A National Park Service Ranger provided the team with a pre-expedition briefing and the crew surprised Jason with a birthday cake before they flew. Happy Birthday, Buddy!!!
The flight into Base Camp was stunning and the team was graced with clear blue skies. They will organize themselves and are planning for an early morning departure towards their first camp, which will be about five miles north on the main body of the Kahiltna Glacier.
Here’s the Birthday Boy!
