Mountain Climbing Season is gaining momentum. KTNA’s Colleen Love has this week’s Denali Report.
This is the Denali Report for Friday, May 15th, 2026.
There are 1,011 climbers registered to climb Denali this year. As of mid-week, 71 of them are on the mountain. There are 11 climbers registered to climb Mt. Foraker. Five of those are currently on that mountain.
Climbers have reported significant snow in the past few weeks. Base Camp experienced 2-3 feet of fresh snow on Monday and reported strong winds at high elevations. Despite weather delays, Basecamp has gotten busy during the last week and teams have begun making their way uphill on the West Buttress.
National Park Service Team Number One, led by Ranger Joey McBrayer is hunkered down at 11,000 ft. That team hopes to move to 14,000 foot camp as soon as they can get a break in the weather. When they arrive, the will set up the medical camp for the season.
NPS Patrol Number Two, led by Ranger Alan Davis is not far behind. Both teams are spending quite a bit of time shoveling and breaking trail.
NPS Ranger Chrissie Oken is currently on the Muldrow Glacier with her team. The Muldrow Glacier surged in 2021 and advanced up to 65 feet per day during that time. The movement was 100 times faster than non-surge conditions. The intense migration of the glacier altered the terrain along the usual route.
Oken’s team reports that travel is more difficult than pre-surge, but they are finding their way. The team will assess higher sections of the glacier in the coming days.
The 34-mile-long Muldrow Glacier, located on the north side of Denali, has a history of surging approximately every 50 years.
You’ve been listening to the Denali Report. For KTNA, I’m Colleen Love
