Arctic adventurer Lonnie Dupre has spent the last week in Talkeetna enjoying time with the characters around town and recovering from his most recent expedition. Dupre had attempted to climb Mt. McKinley alone in the month of January, but had to call the voyage off when weeks of potent storms kept him from being able to safely travel at high altitude in extreme cold and against tremendous winds. (more…)

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Minnesotan adventurer Lonnie Dupre has called off his quest to climb Mt. McKinley alone in the month of January after 18 days on the mountain. Beset by raging storms, extreme winds, and phenomenal cold, the climber has ceded victory to the Mountain and returned to Talkeetna.

One climber is still out in Denali National Park, steadily making his approach to the third-tallest peak in the Alaska Range. Japanese mountaineer Masatoshi Kuriaki has been steadily making his approach on Mount Hunter since December 14^th. It is his 6^th attempt to summit Mt. Hunter alone in Winter, a feat never before achieved. (more…)

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

The National Park Service is changing the way it charges visitors to Denali National Park and Preserve. Visitors now will be charged per head, not per vehicle.

The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner says after reviewing public comments, the park service has decided to eliminate a $20-a-vehicle entrance fee and instead charge a flat $10-a-person entrance fee for visitors age 16 and older. That means a vehicle with four adults in it will have to pay $40 instead of $20. (more…)

Tuesday’s Snowstorm has delayed alpinist Lonnie Dupre’s ambition of undertaking a solo ascent of Mt. McKinley in the Month of January. Dupre, who is in Talkeetna and waiting for a weather window to open, will tackle North America’s tallest peak for a second time. To date, no climber has made it to McKinley’s summit alone in the month of January.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Dupre had planned to start his conquest of Mt. McKinley on the shortest day of the year. With just 38 days to complete his quest, he will be using the same alpine-style approach as last year to allow for fast travel, should the weather be cooperative. (more…)

The National Park Service has extended the comment period for the Environmental Assessment of permit allocations for climbing Mount McKinley until October 31^st.

The Environmental Assessment, or EA, is an attempt by the Park Service to address an item in the 2006 Backcountry Management Plan that limits guided permits to 25 percent of all permitted climbs on the mountain, or 375 guided permits out of the total 1500 permits available each season. This limit has guide companies worried about their ability to sustain their businesses, and see the Park as imposing a choke on commercial activity. (more…)

A National Park Service Environmental Assessment regarding the allocation of climbing permits between commercial guided climbing operators and independent, non-guided climbers on Mount McKinley has the six companies that currently guide on Denali up in arms.

There is a limit of 1500 climbers permitted on Mount McKinley each season. For the past 15 years approximately 1200 climbers have attempted the mountain. There has been an upswing in the number guided clients to almost 40%. NPS is concerned with displacing independent, non-guided climbers if the number of climbers nears the cap of 1500. They want to balance the various options of the park visitors who are climbers. The cap was determined in the 2006 Backcountry Management Plan along with the 25 percent allotment of permits to all commercial guide companies. (more…)

Denali National Park and Preserve recently concluded a multi-year public

engagement process regarding a proposed increase to the Special Use Fee

that directly supports management of climbing activities on Mt. McKinley

and Mt. Foraker. After a lengthy examination of current program costs,

analysis of public comment, and collaboration with national climbing

organizations, Denali National Park and Preserve will increase its

Mountaineering Use Fee from $200 to $250 for youth ages 24 and under, and

$350 for all other Mt. McKinley and Mt. Foraker climbers. (more…)

Denali National Park officials have been working on an environmental document that will guide the park in making decisions on the capacity for vehicles on the Park Road.  The process started in 2006.  Another public comment period is underway.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

The climbing season on Denali has wrapped up for the season.  All climbers are off the mountain and base camp has been removed. A total of 9 climbers died in the Alaska range this year, making for one of the deadliest seasons in recent history.  Sue Deyoe spoke with South District Ranger John Leonard about the season overall….

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.